Recommendation: Update Alert System

[Taramoor]

Yo, Aaron (if you read these).

As a fan of the comic, and your work in general (Joe Average), I would like to propose some sort of update alert system via e-mail for S&V.

The most important thing for most comics, part of the statement of purpose for the heavy-hitters like PA, PvP, and Ctrl-alt-del, is a regular timetable for updating. The aforementioned comics, while occasionally employing guest strips and artists, haven't missed an update in like five years (ten in PA's case)

Your strip doesn't update regularly, and there's always a little spike of hope when I type in the URL, which is subsequently dashed against the rocks when the strip loads and I've seen it before.

For comics that update infrequently, I've often seen mailing lists employed which notify interested persons that a new strip or page has been posted Comics that employ this kind of device are on a similar page structure to your own: Comics are produced a page at a time and have exceptionally high quality art and a large overarching storyline. Often they will only update once a week or even every two weeks, but the updates will be predictable and consistent, that's the important thing.

[neonblack]

Actually S&V has been updating pretty regulary so far this year...

Well except for one time, and Aron said it was due to his connection going out. So instead of posting something like this (though it does seem to have good intentions), lets all give that artist a round of applause!

*Claps until his hands are raw and bleeding*

[Taramoor]

Yeah, I'd just gotten so used to Aaron's schedule that I finally posted something like this.

Figures it would cease to be relevant once I did.

Anywho, Hooray for S&V

I always remember what the guys at PA once said about it. "It doesn't matter if your schedule is once a month, once a week or, god help you, daily, stick to it and people will flock. Flock I say! If they know the strip is going to be there, they'll come read it."

I'm a huge fan of Aaron's art, so I'm hoping his strip really takes off so I can order a shirt or something.

I still miss Joe Average.

[Aaron M. Holm, esquire]

Actually, I wouldn't have a problem with a mailing list... I did one in the heyday of JA, but it kinda floundered and eventually went belly-up.

But, I digress... If I keep my ass working on strips each day during my breaks, I seem to be able to maintain a regular schedule. ANd, my work has been improving since I instituted that procedure. I will, however, be looking into the possibility of filler strips and guest art to take the inevitable times when I am unable to update, but I'll jump off that particular bridge, when I come to it.

And, everyone seems to miss Joe Average... Except for me, I guess...

It's not that I don't feel some fondness for the strip and haven't thought about resuming work on it, once again... But, it's more of a question of directed energy and mood. Until I'm once again in the throes of relationship bliss, I really don't feel like doing it. Petty and ridiculous, yes... But that's how I feel. *shrugs*

[Aaron M. Holm, esquire]

In light of this week (which has been rife with family chaos and stress that has largely prevented me from being even remotely productive), maybe a mailing list might be a good idea...

*sighs & shrugs*

[Lan_Martak]

I hate it when life intrudes on my entertainment. of course, I also hate it when life intrudes on my delusions. But ya learn to live with it. So relax, and update when ya can.

[carsonfire]

Update alert system? Aaron already has one, and maybe he doesn't even know about it yet, unless he's been keeping up with internal Keenspot stuff.

It's called a newsfeed:
http://www.mrbang.net/comic.rss

Dan Shive (based on a template created by Jeff Darlington) has installed feeds by default for all the Keenspot comics. You can use feeds in Firefox, Thunderbird, and Opera, built-in, and you can also find stand-alone newsreaders.

Your feeds simply read the latest news from various sites, and report back headers that you can click on to open the updates.

Here's a screenshot of my newsreader, displaying my own comic strip feed. It shows the last ten updates, and I click on the one I want to read.




A lot of webcartoonists seem to be afraid of this, but I think it's essential for us to offer this option, since so many of us have lives that intrude on what is for most of us -- unfortunately -- a costly hobby.

I see Aaron having to apologize a lot for his updating, and something like this should help him stop feeling like he has to. Readers need to understand that there are only a few webcartoonists making a living doing this stuff, so that means that an Aaron Holmes or a Carson Fire often has to sacrifice updating on account of putting more effort in at the paying job, doing things to avoid eviction, etc.