Aussie Bloggers

Although it’s faded largely into obscurity since launching in June 2007, Blogger in Draft is a site that Blogspot bloggers should be aware of. Effectively the pre-launch test bed for beta tools and experimental functionality, this area enables Blogspot and Blogger users to explore new options in conjunction with their existing blogs.

To explore Blogger in Draft, simply login to http://drafts.blogger.com using your standard username and password, and you will find a Dashboard area which looks extremely familiar. Importantly, you will also see an identical list of blogs you own to those that appear in the standard Blogger Dashboard area. These blogs are one and the same.

Let’s be clear: Any changes you make in this area will appear in your live blog. The phrase “Blogger in Draft” refers to the beta nature of the tools, not the content you create with them.

It’s also important to note that you can freely switch between Blogger and Blogger in Draft. You do not migrate from one version to the next. The only difference is the fact you have access to an additional suite of tools that hasn’t yet hit the radar.

Most, if not all, of the new functionality ported to http://blogger.com over the last 6 months began its journey here, including the video upload tool and the survey/poll tool.

New functionality is added to this space periodically, with the most recent additions being:

• Google Gadgets - Add one of the many Google Gadgets to your blog.
• Blog Lists - Show off what you read with a blogroll of your favorite blogs.
• Slideshows - Add a slideshow of your photos to your blog.
• Subscription Links - Let your readers easily subscribe to your blog with popular feed readers.
• Search Box - Search over your blog, your blogroll, and everything you’ve linked to.

Just this week, Blogger in Draft also launched a Scheduled Posts option:

“We’ve often heard that sometimes you’d like to write a post now and have it automatically published at some time in the future. We listened, and are pleased to say that this feature is ready for you to try out on Blogger in draft.”

All this being said, while Blogger in Draft provides you with access to an additional tool set that can grant you valuable new functionality, it’s important to remember these are still developmental. So you may experience bugs or errors from time to time.

Nonetheless, it’s always fun to have a play with a new toy before it hits the shelves, and you may find you’re now have the option to do something you’ve been patiently awaiting. So go crazy.

References:

• “New Feature: Scheduled Posts“, Blogger in Draft blog, 15 February 2008
• Blogger in Draft - http://drafts.blogger.com/
• Blogger - http://www.blogger.com/