Matt has Vox invites

September 22, 2006 5:18 PM

Hey everyone, I got 1,000 vox invites to give to users of MeFi. If you haven't checked it out yet, here is your chance (and feel free to post links to your vox page when you have some posts up).
posted by mathowie to MetaFilter-related at 5:18 PM (132 comments total)

How's Vox any different from the eight million other freaking blogging aps out there?
posted by xmutex at 5:32 PM on September 22, 2006

Looks interesting. Cheers.
posted by MrMustard at 5:33 PM on September 22, 2006

So this is like flickr for blogs?
posted by Saucy Intruder at 5:33 PM on September 22, 2006

it's different because there are different levels of friends/family/public and it runs like flickr, as a little community. It's also got a simple interface that lets you do a lot without using any html.

The last time the subject of vox came up on mefi, I gave away all the 10 invites I had in about 30 minutes and when they asked if I wanted to do a bigger giveaway I said sure and gave them a little quote for the landing page.
posted by mathowie at 5:35 PM on September 22, 2006

Interesting indeed. But, Matt? Can you pitch this in a bit more detail? The just-another-blog-app impression is sort of right there in your face at this point.

But perhaps this is targeted at less jaded/settled-in potential bloggers...
posted by cortex at 5:37 PM on September 22, 2006

thanks.
posted by horsemuth at 5:37 PM on September 22, 2006

I'll take an invite and check it out.

(Just what I need! Another login!)
posted by loquacious at 5:48 PM on September 22, 2006

And how does flcikr run? Is this something I would need more tubes to understand?

Blogger Beta has privacy levels on blogs, though the team seems to be having some trouble sorting out all the manifold bugs and bringing it up to spec.
posted by Tuwa at 5:50 PM on September 22, 2006

Sure, send one my way. Maybe mom won't find this one.
posted by Cyrano at 5:53 PM on September 22, 2006

I am interested in this.
posted by interrobang at 5:55 PM on September 22, 2006

Alright, someone tell me why this isn't going to turn into another Friendster or MySpace please.
posted by onalark at 5:57 PM on September 22, 2006

Does the Tron guy figure prominently in their corporate branding? Cause I'm thinking that might be a mistake.
posted by Galvatron at 5:57 PM on September 22, 2006

They asked me to pick an image that had something to do with mefi and I couldn't think of. And then Tron Guy entered my brain like he always does at 3:30PM.
posted by mathowie at 5:58 PM on September 22, 2006 [1 favorite]

Ah. Makes sense.
posted by Galvatron at 5:59 PM on September 22, 2006

it's different because there are different levels of friends/family/public and it runs like flickr, as a little community.

Isn't that exactly the same as LiveJournal . . . and from the same company? It seems like the only difference is a "cooler" name and a different targeted demographic.
posted by booksandlibretti at 6:02 PM on September 22, 2006

While I'm asking questions (I'm really interested, I'm just trying to differentiate this from the n other community websites out there), what sort of upload and size limits do they have on photos , I couldn't find anything on their web site saying anything? Are they planning on going to a pay model, etc?

I mean, I like the idea of getting an account, and obviously inviting my family and friends since that's the whole point, but why do I want to do that if they'll be charging $10/month in half a year or putting caps on uploading that I find unacceptable?

mathowie, the question's been asked up-thread, but why do you highly recommend vox? Do you have a blog post somewhere describing why it's good for you?
posted by onalark at 6:03 PM on September 22, 2006

OMG PEPSI BLUE

But it's exclusive so I'll take it. Um. Anyone got an asmallworld invite?
posted by delmoi at 6:05 PM on September 22, 2006

Yeah seems like flickr but with more media types. A pretty obvious idea, really.
posted by delmoi at 6:09 PM on September 22, 2006

mathowie, the question's been asked up-thread, but why do you highly recommend vox? Do you have a blog post somewhere describing why it's good for you?

Well it's made by six apart, who matt used to work for or he knows the founders or something like that.
posted by delmoi at 6:11 PM on September 22, 2006

I looked at Vox when I was converting to MT and near as I can figure, it's LJ with a pretty interface, and less emo.
posted by jacquilynne at 6:15 PM on September 22, 2006

I'm in. URL/username is obvious.

Wait. What the hell?

Did they just totally steal the [this is good] tag!? BURN THEM. BURN THEM.
posted by loquacious at 6:16 PM on September 22, 2006

But it's exclusive so I'll take it. Um. Anyone got an asmallworld invite?

check your inbox.
posted by jimmy at 6:18 PM on September 22, 2006

I use vox a little bit. It's a killer app if you absolutely, positively want to use some sort of hosted blogging software without installing anything or learning any HTML. It does multimedia well. It does the social stuff well. It's got that commenty, socially, [this is good]y 2.0 feel to it. On the downside, it's too slow for me, isn't customizable enough, and too non-intuitive about HTML like when it works and when it doesn't. It's still beta so it changes a bit from time to time.
posted by jessamyn at 6:19 PM on September 22, 2006

Bwahaha. their videos section seem to be based on youtube. So you don't actually upload a video, you post it to youtube and then link.

And also they list the popular film rentals on that page as well as books you can buy.

Very commercial.
posted by delmoi at 6:20 PM on September 22, 2006

"Did they just totally steal the [this is good] tag!?"

We asked Andre, and he said it was cool.
posted by anildash at 6:20 PM on September 22, 2006

Seriously, apart from a thin Web 2.0 veneer, how is Vox different from LiveJournal? What services does it offer that LiveJournal doesn't?
posted by booksandlibretti at 6:28 PM on September 22, 2006

I'll be interested to see at what point SixApart start locking down the amount of media people can upload to Vox.

Also, at which point they let people design their own pages. At the moment it's sort of the anti-MySpace...you get a choice of a fixed, static set of Web2.0+++ style templates, and that's it.
posted by Jimbob at 6:41 PM on September 22, 2006

Can you pitch this in a bit more detail?

Jeez people, does he really have to sell you on it? Check out the site if you have a moment. If you're interested, get an invite and check it out further.
posted by scarabic at 6:44 PM on September 22, 2006

We asked Andre, and he said it was cool.

Cool. It was disconcerting. And, well, it's going to screw up my google searches. Oh well. *modifies client-side behavior*
posted by loquacious at 6:47 PM on September 22, 2006

I've had an account for awhile now, but haven't played with it at all since it proved to be fussy about uploading my pics from flickr (which it's not supposed to be, ahem). Perhaps that's changed.
posted by oneirodynia at 6:53 PM on September 22, 2006

Just to cover a few other questions... Vox is going to be free and ad-supported, and i'm not sure if we've talked about upload limits, but they'll be reasonable.

It's similar to LiveJournal in terms of supporting privacy and aggregating your friends' posts, but LJ is a little more DIY, with template customization and all kinds of other features. (LJ actually has its own to-do lists and dating service, for example.) It's also got lots of established communities, of course.

Vox is much more focused on being ready for anybody to use, and has (at least for now) more multimedia features with video and integration of outside services like Flickr, Amazon, and YouTube. (With all these services, you can use an outside tool like YouTube, but you can also just upload your own stuff directly.)

We're definitely working on fixing up the HTML stuff... I don't think full HTML editing is on track right now, but if you copy and paste rich HTML, it should just work.
posted by anildash at 6:54 PM on September 22, 2006

I'd be up for checking it out. One please!
posted by ooga_booga at 7:08 PM on September 22, 2006

I'm in--thanks : >
posted by amberglow at 7:14 PM on September 22, 2006

"What services does it offer that LiveJournal doesn't?"

Eight fewer letters to type in the URL.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 7:17 PM on September 22, 2006

Could I have an invite, please?
posted by headspace at 7:22 PM on September 22, 2006

Could I have an invite, please?

Just click on the link in the post.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 7:25 PM on September 22, 2006

mathowie, the question's been asked up-thread, but why do you highly recommend vox? Do you have a blog post somewhere describing why it's good for you?

Here is why I recommend it. It's way better than LJ (which I think sucks, interface wise) and has more new stuff than any service I've tried in years. It's not because I know people that work there.
posted by mathowie at 7:28 PM on September 22, 2006

This is pretty cool. Thanks Matt. I really like the level of customisation that Vox offers, as compared to Livejournal (which I use now) which expects me to pay to get access to some of the layouts Vox offers for free.

The only thing stopping me from fully embracing my new Vox account is the fact that my Livejournal just 'celebrated' it's second birthday. I have two years of memories there that I can't just throw away. I'm locked into my LJ account for the long haul, I think.

If only there was some way to import all my LJ posts and keep the original dates they were posted on. Then I'd make the switch to Vox in a heartbeat.
posted by Effigy2000 at 7:28 PM on September 22, 2006

Thank you, Matt!
posted by jamjam at 7:36 PM on September 22, 2006

Regardless, might I suggest a 'Vox' field on MeFi user pages now, Matt?
posted by Effigy2000 at 7:41 PM on September 22, 2006

What loquacious said, especially about the login - but hey, I accidentally cleared all of mine out of FF yesterday, so what's one more?

Thanks, mathowie!

Is it just me, or is Blogger Beta really, really horrible?
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 7:45 PM on September 22, 2006

Bwahaha. their videos section seem to be based on youtube

Naw, actually you can upload a video directly and they'll make you a little flash movie player. But like the way the site interacts with flickr, you can pull movies in from youtube if you want (you can also pull in flickr shots from your profile there, but you can also upload images directly into the site).
posted by mathowie at 7:46 PM on September 22, 2006

Thanks, Matt. Now, if I use it, I'll definitely let everyone know.
posted by yhbc at 7:49 PM on September 22, 2006

I actually kind of like the simplicity and clean appearance of the tool, but until it's possible to use Safari to compose posts, it's kind of -- no, actually, I take that back; totally -- useless to me. Hopefully the Compose tools will be dumbed down enough to work under KHTML, and that will change.
posted by majick at 7:53 PM on September 22, 2006

I guess it works with the latest nightly builds of safari betas, which support more javascript stuff.
posted by mathowie at 7:57 PM on September 22, 2006

LJ's dating service is a laugh. Right now, there are 11,215,401 LJs. Guess how many are signed up for the service (which I don't think is linked anywhere, including the site map, or actively supported). There are 8,625 singles on LJ. That's just about 0.07%.

LJ also has one button to let you embed video from YouTube, Photobucket, and Google Video. LJ just got a brand-new, easier-to-use site scheme (interface). And I'm sure you know LJ offers plenty of ready-to-go templates, blah blah blah -- it's not like you have to write your own CSS, but you can if you want to.

I guess I just don't understand why 6A would want to establish a new blog site that will inevitably compete with a very popular preexisting blog site that has more features.

I don't understand whom Vox is targeting, either; from its Web 2.0 design, I thought it was the tech-liking Flickrish crowd, which would explain the MeFi giveaway. But apparently Vox is a less-customization-available Myspace?
posted by booksandlibretti at 7:58 PM on September 22, 2006

Thanks Matt.
posted by YoBananaBoy at 8:03 PM on September 22, 2006

I'm in your new Web 2.5+ service, killing all your usability features.
posted by Colloquial Collision at 8:08 PM on September 22, 2006

I haven't paid attention to this but I'm jumping on because I like free things.
posted by darukaru at 8:16 PM on September 22, 2006

Thanks, Matt. I'm in.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 8:18 PM on September 22, 2006

I'll take one, please, thank you.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:18 PM on September 22, 2006

ta-daa!

(it does run slow tho)

How do you find other mefites who belong?
posted by amberglow at 8:31 PM on September 22, 2006

Metafilter tag.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 8:35 PM on September 22, 2006

Web2.0 me, baby (pls).
posted by Kickstart70 at 8:44 PM on September 22, 2006

FYI: If anyone is waiting for an email invite, you just click the link up top.

I was confused, too, 'cause the language in the thread was oddly bifurcated with people indicating interest in an invite (how it normally goes, first come first served via email) and people just popping in and saying thanks.
posted by loquacious at 8:48 PM on September 22, 2006

Thanks, Matt.
posted by Iridic at 8:51 PM on September 22, 2006

I've been in for while, but man, 1k invites for mefi users is pretty decent virtual shwag. I like vox somewhat, I just haven't had much to say lately, so it's probably been wasted on me. I jumped on it because I'm a sucker for the free invites. I admit it. I wonder, though, if in a few years it'll be like gmail - everyone will have 99 invites built up but all their friends will already be in.

I have a friend who is not at all technically inclined but is travelling to several countries over the next year and wants to blog it all. I heartily recommended vox - so easy to use I figured he couldn't go wrong.

I've used wordpress and blogger, and I'd say this is a much easier way to get your feet wet. Even if you have nothing at all to say.
posted by routergirl at 9:02 PM on September 22, 2006

im really put off by all this clean and rounded type design thats everywhere-- it manages to be both blah and corporate and smarmy at the same time, sort of like a gap commercial. myspace and livejournal pages might trigger a gag reflex in the apple-toting web-2.0 designer crowd, but to the rest of us they feel honest and authentic and most importantly, fun. its also a whole lot more interesting. but im someone who loved how the web looked circa 1996 so whadda i know
posted by petsounds at 9:11 PM on September 22, 2006

I think most of you calling this web 2.0 and hip are missing the point of it. Vox is super easy to use, and seems to be aimed at the millions of people that don't blog currently. I just happen to like it because I find the wysiwyg interface is nice and powerful and I like not having to worry about more coding. I can just write there.
posted by mathowie at 9:15 PM on September 22, 2006

Thank you, matt.
posted by HSWilson at 9:37 PM on September 22, 2006

Thanks for pointing me to that blog entry mathowie, and for the clarifying answers anil.
posted by onalark at 9:47 PM on September 22, 2006

The blog I've been meaning to start for a while.

(could use topic suggestions, if you have them)
posted by Kickstart70 at 9:59 PM on September 22, 2006

Cheers. Thanks, mathowie.
posted by geekyguy at 10:00 PM on September 22, 2006

well, given one of the template names, I pretty much have to look into this.
posted by carsonb at 10:05 PM on September 22, 2006

One other thing really drawing me to Vox so far;

Unlike Livejournal, every second comment in the comment thread for most people's posts isn't "LOL I LOVE YOUR ICON CAN I STEAL IT PLZ??!?!?"

Serously, someone tell me a way to import all my old livejournal posts to Vox (keeping the date attributes for each post) and I'm there, man.
posted by Effigy2000 at 10:31 PM on September 22, 2006

Gracias, mathowie.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 10:32 PM on September 22, 2006

Vox is super easy to use, and seems to be aimed at the millions of people that don't blog currently.

See, I can dig it. The Wii of blog platforms. Easy and goodlooking for the non-blogger. It doesn't do anything for me personally, but I'm not the target demographic—I run WP installs on my own webspace, hack the templates, yadda yadda.

Also, from now on, "GYOBFW" comments need to be a link to this thread.
posted by cortex at 10:34 PM on September 22, 2006

Is it just me, or is Blogger Beta really, really horrible?
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 7:45 PM PST on September 22 [+] [!]

No, it's not just you. It is really, really horrible, buggier than the underside of a rotten log. It's also invalid XHTML (around 600 errors--errors built into the template), which makes the W3 results on a new vox blog look fairly good in comparison.
posted by Tuwa at 10:41 PM on September 22, 2006

Thanks.
posted by b33j at 11:05 PM on September 22, 2006

Huh. Apparently I've had an account since June.
posted by kenko at 11:11 PM on September 22, 2006

Hee, I likes. Even tho I'm a terrible blogger.

Shpanks!
posted by stray at 11:50 PM on September 22, 2006

Thanks, mathowie. Like Effigy2000, I'd consider importing my livejournal to Vox also. Is there likely to be an importer later?
posted by tracicle at 11:54 PM on September 22, 2006

Thanks Matt, I'll have another go. I tried this once before and stupidly put 2006 as birth year. There endeth the signup. (must be 13 years old)
posted by peacay at 12:09 AM on September 23, 2006

I'm interested.
posted by Four-Eyed Girl at 12:23 AM on September 23, 2006

Oh, scratch that.
posted by Four-Eyed Girl at 12:24 AM on September 23, 2006

Oops again. It's late, & I'm out of it. Thanks, Matt.
posted by Four-Eyed Girl at 12:26 AM on September 23, 2006

Hm. Anyone else getting an empty window come up when they click on the terms of service link on the signup page?

Those are some pretty easy terms.
posted by ODiV at 12:26 AM on September 23, 2006

I'd like a look around, thanks matt. Vox seems like it has a simple interface and I'm keen to get my Dad blogging now that he lives overseas. I talked to him about WordPress.com and I could practically see the words wooshing over his head as my lips moved.
posted by davehat at 12:31 AM on September 23, 2006

I'm in your new Web 2.5+ service, killing all your usability features.

No misspelling? Correct punctuation? Not all CAPS? I don't believe you.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 2:49 AM on September 23, 2006

this gets me excited. thanks matt howie.
posted by naxosaxur at 2:52 AM on September 23, 2006

yup, i'm in. thanks matt.
posted by triv at 4:12 AM on September 23, 2006

I'm in as well if some still going. Yet another thing I'll get in on via Mefi hopefully.
posted by lloyder at 4:26 AM on September 23, 2006

It's also got a simple interface that lets you do a lot without using any html.

That's good, cos HTML is scary. What would we do if we had to see HTML in our blogging apps!?

Far better that we all have the same cookie-cutter, piece of crap designs and aren't allowed to change them. Because we might get scared of the HTML.
posted by reklaw at 4:41 AM on September 23, 2006

Thanks, I'll try it.
posted by misozaki at 5:02 AM on September 23, 2006

I've been in for a while, and after an initial flurry of activity, very few of my contacts are still using it. It's probably a combination of:

1. It uses 3 gigabytes of javascript to load a page ...

2. ... so it really only works on two browsers, while the rest duck round the edges. On older Macs your blog won't appear at all.

3. No HTML. You can't even make a link? Wtf?

4. Nor can you link to YouTube if you can't find the movie you want in their constricted YT search interface.

5. It's the polar opposite of MySpace in customisation. This means it always looks pretty ... but you've got little say in it.

I like the conception a lot, but if I can't get my friends to keep using it, the site will be just like Friendster for me.
posted by bonaldi at 6:03 AM on September 23, 2006

No HTML. You can't even make a link? Wtf?

Huh? What good is this again?
posted by languagehat at 6:43 AM on September 23, 2006

Regardless, might I suggest a 'Vox' field on MeFi user pages now, Matt?

Personally I'd like to see a Gtalk/Jabber/WhateverItIsCalledCuzIUseAdium field so there is an option besides AIM.

But I have a Vox site that I don't post to.
posted by terrapin at 6:48 AM on September 23, 2006

I would be interested in an invite
posted by philcliff at 6:55 AM on September 23, 2006

philcliff: I don't think we burned through the 1000 slots of a Friday night; click the link in the post. (or this one.)

I'm enjoying 'organizing' my stuff so far, but so far zero people I know (ie none of my myspace friends) use this yet so I'm just sorta floating out there, hoping, waiting.

also, my one little beef with it so far is the lack of a 'View Profile' link from the 'Edit Profile' page. that chaps my hide.
posted by carsonb at 7:36 AM on September 23, 2006

where's my coffee so far?
posted by carsonb at 7:37 AM on September 23, 2006

That's good, cos HTML is scary. What would we do if we had to see HTML in our blogging apps!?

If you're a writer and all you want to do is write, there's really no need to get hung up on the guts of technology. Just click a few buttons instead (which is how you make a link).

Technology is great and all, but it took me three years to explain to my father how to ftp an image to a server then create a img src element to point at it properly. When I changed servers on him, he was lost again and could no longer post images.

With this, you click on the pictures tab, upload something and it places it for you, with options on placement.
posted by mathowie at 8:11 AM on September 23, 2006 [1 favorite]

This looks promising but no Safari = no sveskemus.
posted by sveskemus at 8:14 AM on September 23, 2006

if you copy and paste rich HTML, it should just work.

rich HTML, eh? that's rich.
posted by quonsar at 8:35 AM on September 23, 2006

hmm, thanks. Worth a try at least.
posted by casarkos at 9:35 AM on September 23, 2006

Hi Yourname

Anyone else kind of bothered by the dropped comma in the user greeting?
posted by Iridic at 9:36 AM on September 23, 2006

3. No HTML. You can't even make a link? Wtf?

That's why I lost interest in mine a month or so ago - every time I posted I'd throw in links and formatting without thinking, and end up having to laboriously re-edit the post using the buttons (which, like the whole site, are very, very slow, at least on my elderly computer). Making it difficult to post is quite a flaw in a weblogging application...
posted by jack_mo at 10:02 AM on September 23, 2006

I also would like one, if there are still any left.
posted by exlotuseater at 10:28 AM on September 23, 2006

Oh. Done. Thanks. :)
posted by exlotuseater at 10:30 AM on September 23, 2006

I don't know what you people are talking about. I used HTML in it just fine, before I realized they had an easy tool to create links in their editor, so I used that. And you can link to anywhere.

The first javascript include is 100,348 bytes, the second is 30,687 bytes. There are a number of CSS includes, but NOTHING is anywhere near 3 gigabytes as claimed above.

Bonaldi, are you a FUD-spreading shill for a competing service?
posted by Kickstart70 at 10:35 AM on September 23, 2006

Yeah, I don't get the hate. It's fine. The WYSIWYG editor even has a button for links. So far my only complaints are the same as everyone else's, lack of HTML editing (how would you make footnotes) and the lack of customization, but you have to know that doesn't matter to 99% of the audience.

Is it hard to get into? A while back I just clicked the link on their site to get an invite and had one the next day.
posted by yerfatma at 11:00 AM on September 23, 2006

yes please, thank you.
posted by obloquy at 11:54 AM on September 23, 2006

I'm not surprised at all that Kickstart is Candian. (Well, perhaps a little. I hope, like everybody else.) Really this is all kind of depressing.
posted by nixerman at 12:37 PM on September 23, 2006

I used HTML in it just fine

Without wishing to be rude, I don't believe you - you can't use HTML when composing a post on Vox, it always displays as raw code (unless I've missed someonething - I just tried to post there using HTML and failed, went through my preferences to see if I'd missed the option to enable it, and searched the knowledge base...).

NOTHING is anywhere near 3 gigabytes as claimed above.

Er, I think that may have been a little joke.
posted by jack_mo at 12:45 PM on September 23, 2006

gah, 'something'.
posted by jack_mo at 12:48 PM on September 23, 2006

seems to be aimed at the millions of people that don't blog currently

Millions? Really?
posted by meehawl at 1:02 PM on September 23, 2006

Jack OTM. Typing in HTML no worky, at least not on any Mac browser I used. And I'm not switching from Safari just so I can use their silly little button with its too-small box.

NOTHING is anywhere near 3 gigabytes as claimed above.
Are you a retard? Did you *seriously* count to see if it was sending 3 gigabytes? How can someone be able to count the bytes but yet unable to realise that if it was 3gb of javascript it'd take an hour to open and then crash your computer?

Bonaldi, are you a FUD-spreading shill for a competing service?
Oh yes, I certainly am. Did you not see the mention of the other service in my post? Oh, wait ...
posted by bonaldi at 1:08 PM on September 23, 2006

So this is free to me? If there are any left please mail me one. My email addy be in my Profile. Danke!
posted by davy at 1:34 PM on September 23, 2006

hey davy, don't worry about email. just click this link to be one of the exclusive MeFi 1000.
posted by carsonb at 2:00 PM on September 23, 2006

I know nothing about html so it's good for me .......
posted by sgt.serenity at 3:32 PM on September 23, 2006

Thanks Matt. In a lot of ways the functionality kicks up from Blogware. Seems like Tucows really wanted to add an element of community into that app, but it just didn't seem to "take".

I'm digging it. Grazie.
posted by FlamingBore at 3:47 PM on September 23, 2006

"LJ's dating service is a laugh."

I don't think anybody would disagree with you, my point was more to illustrate the breadth of random things that are available on the site that might confuse a person who was new to the whole idea of blogging.

I think for a lot of people on MeFi, it'll complement the existing blog that you might have, but be more for personal communication with friends/family. I've had a "public" blog for ages but find that Vox is a great outlet for the stuff that I don't want the whole world to know.
posted by anildash at 5:16 PM on September 23, 2006

Yeah, but my point was that those people will never find the dating service -- especially since it's not even linked on the sitemap. They can't be confused by something they'll never hear about or see.

And don't filters -- available on both LJ and Vox -- take care of "stuff that I don't want the whole world to know"?

I don't mean to attack you, and I don't want to sound that way. I'm just confused about why 6A would want a slightly-prettified clone to compete with a site you already own, and I'm concerned about the future of LJ.
posted by booksandlibretti at 6:24 PM on September 23, 2006

No sweat, it's a totall fair question, and that's why I was trying (unsuccessfully so far!) to explain. :) There are, to be sure, a lot of shared technologies between both platforms, and there will undoubtedly be some people who use both. Also, OpenID lets us add interoperability between the systems, but I think at the end of the day the biggest difference is just in the attitude/audience of LJ vs. Vox, and it's a tough thing to quantify without making sweeping generalizations.

MeFi users might be a special case where both LJ and Vox seem pretty compelling. Anyway, I'll probably derail the thread even more if I keep rambling... feel free to email me and I'd love to talk about the distinctions more, even if only so I can learn how to explain it better.

Mmm. RICH HTML.
posted by anildash at 7:39 PM on September 23, 2006

Is it hard to get into? A while back I just clicked the link on their site to get an invite and had one the next day.
posted by yerfatma

I don't quite get it either. It's been easy to get invites for a while now, so this is more like an ad.

But vox is cool. Seems great for a 'second' blog or those who know little html. I think the huge dropout rate has to do with blogs in general than vox (though I think, but it's nature, vox will be too confining for many people).
posted by justgary at 7:59 PM on September 23, 2006

It's been easy to get invites for a while now, so this is more like an ad.

Has it? Everytime I utter one whiff of the word 'vox' online, my inbox floods with requests for invites. When someone at 6A said "hey you want to do a special invite thing for mefi?" I said sure because it seemed like lots more people want in than can get in.
posted by mathowie at 8:20 PM on September 23, 2006

Thanks, Matt!
posted by jason's_planet at 8:34 PM on September 23, 2006

I started up a few months ago, and I find I blog more now (whether that is good or bad in the grand scheme of the universeis up for debate). As mathowie says, you just go and write and you don't really have to worry about much.

Customization is under their control, but for me that's just one less thing to distract me. Also, they have about 50 new themes coming down the pike real soon now. I've hosted my own blog software for years, but I'm 90% sure I'm going to switch over to Vox for my primary blog.

Here's me: http://mikepop.vox.com

I sent a link to my brother who wanted a blog to document him building his new house. He's no techno-phobe but doesn't spend all his time at his computer and was not familiar with blogs. He had tried other hosted blogs but never found one he liked enough to keep up with. After he got the invite he had his blog up and running in a few minutes and has been updating regularly because it is pretty easy for him.

If my mom wanted to blog, this is the place I'd send her.
posted by mikepop at 9:36 PM on September 23, 2006

You have to have a Vox account to leave a comment? What the fuck is the point of that?
posted by ceri richard at 12:25 AM on September 24, 2006

i've always kinda sneered at CentralizedWidgetry™, but vox is rather fun. *gasp!*
'tis very well done, and the html is rich and creamy. mmmmm.

*tips hat to anil*
posted by quonsar at 7:07 AM on September 24, 2006

I like it - but I got my invite when Cuteoverload.com did the same kind of mass giveaway a while back. I hope they allow customizable blog banners some time in the future, but otherwise I wouldn't change anything. I like the way it works with Flickr and other services.
posted by TochterAusElysium at 9:12 AM on September 24, 2006

I got one

drezdn is my username.
posted by drezdn at 9:51 AM on September 24, 2006

danb.vox.com -- I've been up for a little while, although there's little more than QotD answers on there.
posted by danb at 10:13 AM on September 24, 2006

Thank you, Matt!
posted by wells at 12:51 PM on September 24, 2006

I (and a lot of other people, it seems) think of Vox as MySpace for adults. Fun but not horribly useful.
posted by puckupdate at 2:09 PM on September 24, 2006

Thanks mathowie. Another thing I'll sign up for and mostly ignore. But hey, i'm one of the exclusive crowd again!
posted by dg at 8:04 PM on September 24, 2006

thanks, mathowie!
posted by casconed at 10:32 PM on September 24, 2006

I sent a link to my brother who wanted a blog to document him building his new house. He's no techno-phobe but doesn't spend all his time at his computer and was not familiar with blogs. He had tried other hosted blogs but never found one he liked enough to keep up with. After he got the invite he had his blog up and running in a few minutes and has been updating regularly because it is pretty easy for him.

As someone that wonders how on earth people build houses, I'd love to read this blog.
posted by mathowie at 10:38 PM on September 24, 2006

Has it? Everytime I utter one whiff of the word 'vox' online, my inbox floods with requests for invites.

I'm just speaking from personal experience. I got an invite a long time ago. But recently I decided to ask for an invite through vox and got one in a day or two.

But that's not as easy as saying "here's an invite, click on the link". So maybe that's it. Or maybe I when I asked for an invite it was a lottery pick and I had no idea.
posted by justgary at 10:53 PM on September 24, 2006

I got mine from a Cute Overload invite. It's certainly better looking than the others.
posted by Guy Smiley at 12:41 AM on September 25, 2006

Hey thanks - I was just starting to regret deleting my blog and friendster/myspace accounts, so this is prob a good replacement.
posted by echo0720 at 12:21 PM on September 25, 2006

You know, I had a MySpace account a while back and had to delete it because it was a bigger source of frustration than anything else. I recreated one just to keep up with one person after they changed the ability to make things private. But I won't use it for a whole host of reasons.

Since I opened the vox account I've been pretty happy with it and I'm actually enjoying it. I like it so much I've updated my MeFi profile to include it as my website. Thanks again Matt.
posted by FlamingBore at 1:42 PM on September 25, 2006

As someone that wonders how on earth people build houses, I'd love to read this blog.
As someone about to start building a house, I may even have a use for Vox, as I plan to document the whole sorry process for the education entertainment of others.
posted by dg at 2:55 PM on September 25, 2006