What am I talking about? Really it's a blog on Blogger that has all diary intros, titles, tags and links from the eKos database posted in a nice, shiny, easy to navigate format.
This is my way of making the eKos database available for public viewing. It is not meant to replace or compete with anything. Every post at the blog has a link back to the Daily Kos diary at the end of the intro. Nothing is posted from the body of your diary. Think of it as a repository for Daily Kos eco-diary information, with easy access back to those diaries.
Sure, you can always use the Daily Kos search engine to find those older diaries on DK, but I think you'll find that this has some advantages, some of which I'll describe beneath the fold.
A few features
As you'll notice above, Blogger has a handy archive sorter, so you can peruse all of the eKos diaries by date. We were also able to import the tags from the database, so that you can look through those as well. (I'm still wondering why the eKos tag isn't at the top of that list, though having Recommended there instead is pretty cool!)
The search tool in the top left corner is handy, too. It displays the results in the blog format, and is fast and painless. The search tool in the side bar isn't working as well for some reason, though it may take a few days to get going.
Why eKos?
I hope that this will become yet another reason for everyone to tag those eco-diaries eKos! It's such a simple act, just four little letters, and yet has so many benefits. The tag allows our Twitter account to automatically broadcast your diary to an ever-growing following. Our RSS widget picks it up for perusal in diaries in which it is posted:
Get the eKos widget code!
The tag also allows us to add it to our database, which is at the heart of the eKos Earthship series, as well as the new library.
Ask me questions!
I'm not going to go in to all the technical details, but feel free to ask any burning questions in the comments! I'll go ahead and answer a few possible questions about the new blog/library right off the bat:
- No, it doesn't automatically update. I have streamlined the process greatly using some python code, but Blogger makes it very difficult to automate blog posts. I'll try to update it every day or two, since it only takes about a minute to do so.
- Older posts do not include formatting, pics, or vid. Only text. That changed with today and yesterday's posts. Future posts will all include formatting from the intro.
- Still a work in progress, so I may have some bugs to work out as I go, but everything seems to be working well so far.
- Yes, you can have your diaries removed from any and all eKos distribution services if you like, including the library. Just e-mail eKos350atgmaildotcom, and make sure not to use the eKos tag. We'll make sure our Rangers know not to tag your diaries if you don't want to have anything to do with the project, and there will be absolutely no hard feelings.
- We understand that all of this content is from you, the Daily Kos eco-community. Thus, this library and everything else eKos belongs to you. We try to make this all as transparent and open as possible. If you ever have any questions or concerns about what we are up to, please send them our way.
About eKos
The Idea
This project was inspired by the Earth Day @ DKos Blogathon. In case you missed it, we had 31 participating environmental diaries, all of which were linked to in the Mothership. During the event we had several requests for an eco-mothership diary series in the mould of the Earth Day effort.
The Mission
eKos is all about promoting community eco-diaries. Daily Kos already showcases several series, but sometimes the work of dedicated green diarists pass off the recent diary list hardly noticed. Our goal is to make these diaries more accessible. In the process we hope to build community and bring in a broader audience to the exceptional environmental writing here at DK.
How eKos Works
If you want a diary included in the list, please let us know by leaving a comment. We'll do our best to search out green diaries, but are bound to miss a few. For eKos to live up to it's full potential, eco-diarists should post a link to the Earthship, or place the widget at the end of their diary. This will provide readers with easy access to other recent environmental diaries.
Tag Rules
If you want to help out with tagging, here are a few simple rules to follow:
- If you see an eco-diary or front page story, tag it 'eKos'. and inform the diarist.
- Fix the tag if it is wrong (e-kos or ecos tags won't help).
- Watch out for tag abuse. eKos is meant to be inclusive, but if you see writing that is clearly not friendly to environmental causes, or which breaks site rules that has been tagged, please remove it.
- Don't tag diaries that call-out or in any way directly criticize other Kossacks or diaries. It is fine if it addresses a meme or argument, but it cannot specifically mention or link to any comment or diary.
- If someone removes the tag without justification, please put it back. If they persist, report them.
- If there are any issues, please e-mail ekos350atgmaildotcom.
Contact
You can follow us on Twitter
If you are interested in becoming an eco-ranger for eKos, or just want some more info, e-mail ekos350atgmaildotcom
eKos Rangers
In no particular order:
Regina in a Sears Kit House
boatsie
Hopeful Skeptic
RLMiller
patrickz
Earthfire
Ellinorianne
A Siegel
dRefractor
SolarMom
Please give them some mojo if you see them, they deserve it!
Get the eKos widget code!