If you’re a blogger who uses FeedBurner for your RSS feed, have you noticed occasional FeedBurner glitches that result in large fluctuations in the number of reported subscribers for your site? We sure have. Numbers seem to have stabilized lately, but it isn’t uncommon to read complaints from bloggers whose subscriber counts have fluctuated dramatically on occasion. Some bloggers that are considering publishing their subscriber count might hesitate to do so when they realize how erratic these numbers can be when the inevitable glitch strikes.
The site Cats Who Blog has some PHP code you can use in a WordPress blog to take an average of your subscriber count for 7 days, and publish it on your site. The site also provides instructions on how to use a different time window, if you want a time period other than 7 days. The site also explains how to get round numbers, and what will display on the site:
On my sidebar, I’m using my “average feed readers” function to display an estimate of my RSS readers. In order to have a better display, I have replaced the last two numbers by zeros and added a plus sign.
This way, if I have 1287 readers, you’ll see “1200+ readers” instead.
Hit the link for full instructions.
How to Get a More Relevant Feedburner Count [Cats Who Blog]
Traitorware: The EFF Condemns Apple’s New Proposal for Device “Security”
As some of you have no doubt heard, Apple has recently applied for a patent entitled: Systems and Methods for Identifying Unauthorized Users of an Electronic Device. This technology is, ostensibly, supposed to give Apple the power to help you protect yourself in the event someone else has gotten a hold of your iPhone. It also gives Apple the power to remotely wipe your iPhone if you have Jailbroken your device — the legality of Jailbreaking notwithstanding.
Just that last detail is enough to get many people up in arms, but it is the method in which Apple wants to implement its new Big Brother feature that has people truly freaked out. After taking a bit of time to think about it and consider the implications, I have decided that I am one of those people.
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