I am amazed by the number of sites that I am *supposed* to read from here (Iran)that are filled with multi-media, links to Flik'r, Photobucket, and Youtube, and graphics heavy. Flik'r, Photobucket, and Youtube are all filtered folks. On top of that, the regime has put such a squeeze on our bandwidth that a dial-up modem is often faster than dsl. This makes using circumventors for blocked content a frigging headache.
So, if you want those of us behind the iron veil to read your site here are some tips:
1. Go easy on multi-media
2. Provide text feeds with complete posts or columns, not summaries
3. Don't depend on images or multi-media to tell your story (I am not saying don't use them, just provide the rest of us with some description so we can share in the joke)
4. Try not to make us move around the web too much to get the point of your story
That's it. Thanks for listening
12 comments:
Thanks for the ideas. I will certainly use them from now on.
HEY, IF I WERE YOU.. I WOULD GET THE HELL OUT OF IRAN... NEVER TRUST AKHOUNDS (MULLAHS).
Dear Anonymous, Can you please stop scaring us, we know that we should never trust AKHOUNDS, but you sound like you know something we don't know here. We know one thing for sure; Bush guys are saying everyday we are NOT planning to attack Iran and Iranians are saying we do not try to make a bomb, which of those two should we believe? Simple answer is neither, but we do know that too.
What about Mideast Youth, does it load fine? This is the reason why we had to change the front page layout and make it not include any direct media like audio files and video encodes, because when I was in Bahrain the page would take a bajillion years to load.
I hope we are not one of those sites even though we use some multi-media features, but they are all in their designated spots and the front page (as well as 90% of articles) should be free of them.
When I was home, it took me like 80 years to load the Pajamas Media website, I bet that's why their readers aren't as diverse and are more Wester-based than anything.
Anyways, I hope ours loads fast enough for those with slow/filtered internet.
Dear K,
I AM NOT THE ONE WHO IS SCARING YOU,
THESE ISLAMIC REGIME IS.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE GRAVE SITUATION IRAN IS CAUSING? DO YOU THINK FOR ONE MOMENT THAT THIS ISLAMIC PEOPLE CARES ABOUT IT PEOPLE? OF COURSE NOT! IF THEY GET THEIR HANDS ON THE A BOMB, FIRST THEY WILL DO IS TO SET IRAN TO PATH OF DESTRUCTION. DON'T FOOL YOURSELF. USA LOVES IRAN.THEY WILL NEVER ATTACK.
FYI, the caps lock key is on the left.
Esra'a, The Mideast Youth page loads fine now. And now you know why my visits there were so limited lately. I am completely at the mercy of bandwidth allotment. Thanks for making the changes. And thanks for giving the "caps lock" tip. ;-)
BTW, Sean Paul Kelley, Your site is already filtered here. I am not sure why.
You may have noticed it in the list of filtered sites.
Yes, when I was in Iran late last year I noticed it was filtered. But my personal site. www.seanpaulkelley.com is not. I update it sometimes but most of it is just my travel writing. Anyway, I still like to link to your site and send readers to it, I think it helps make Americans realize that Iranians and those like yourself who live in Iran are human just like the rest of us.
I really feel bad to make this blog my blog, Sorry T. But I need to say this.
" USA LOVES IRAN.THEY WILL NEVER ATTACK". Is not true and you know it.
I don't like this regime at all, but if you think USA is doing all this because of love for Iranians you are so wrong.
Take care
Thanks for the tips-- it certainly helps to know those things. I imagine my farsi blog is pretty accessible, as I don't have any images/media on it except the background.
I've never commented before, but I've been following your blog for some time. :) I find it fascinating, especially the glimpses of ordinary life in Iran. I'm an American who loves Iran's culture, people and language, though I've never had an opportunity to go abroad.
Dear American Bolger,
1. Great; this is the 1st time that I read your web log and I will do it 4 ever. I really like it.
2. I live in Iran (and ... let me say, known as open minded one, so I am not one of those ...), against the Iran regime but believe me that the President is planning to attack Iran even if then congress is against it.
3. lots of things I have to say but maybe later because of my broken English and being short of time.
Love;
Ram.
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