Hi, I am new to SmugMug and like Nicole, I want to leverage the full potential and power of Facebook. I have followed this entire thread with great interest. There are at least two or three "quirks" about SmugMug that -- like it or not, SmugMug -- are inhibitors not only to our viewers and to us site-owners, but also to your company's viral opportunities.
1) Why are you forcing Facebook users to allow SmugMug to access their information? This should not be necessary. They should only need to be logged into Facebook. The majority of web-surfers (our customers) are not willing or accustomed to allowing apps to do anything. Why not use a common sharing plug-in like this one:
While you are at it, SmugMug should partner (or API) with a URL shortening service (like what happens with your Twitter shares) that automatically shortens those long, unattractive, "in-elegant" links, again, not what users and viewers are accustomed to seeing. The whole Facebook experience is it stands today (for our potential customers) risks diminishing SmugMug's image and stature.
By the way, I get the same problem of screen freeze-up, using Firefox. I do not want to go over to Safari or find a Windows computer.
2) The "Like" button works, but it is awkward. On Facebook it reads like this:
It should just say, "Claude likes photos.blackfives.com" ... or if anything:
"Claude likes photos.blackfives.com/thisparticularphoto.jpg on photos.blackfives.com"
3) My few Help Desk encounters so far have been very helpful, but with Facebook questions there seems to be a certain level of "that's just the way it is," as if that should be acceptable, or "it's just the way Facebook is" when really it is not necessarily a Facebook issue. If it were not for this thread, I might have thought I was "wrong" for wanting or expecting these nuances.
But on a positive note, were it not for this Forum we would all be up sh&^%'s creek. So, this kind of discussion is a good thing. I think SmugMug welcomes this kind of open passionate "requesting" or else they wouldn't have created a Forum, and it probably makes them a better company as a result because it ultimately makes users happier.
Hi, I am new to SmugMug and like Nicole, I want to leverage the full potential and power of Facebook. I have followed this entire thread with great interest. There are at least two or three "quirks" about SmugMug that -- like it or not, SmugMug -- are inhibitors not only to our viewers and to us site-owners, but also to your company's viral opportunities.
1) Why are you forcing Facebook users to allow SmugMug to access their information? This should not be necessary. They should only need to be logged into Facebook. The majority of web-surfers (our customers) are not willing or accustomed to allowing apps to do anything. Why not use a common sharing plug-in like this one:
While you are at it, SmugMug should partner (or API) with a URL shortening service (like what happens with your Twitter shares) that automatically shortens those long, unattractive, "in-elegant" links, again, not what users and viewers are accustomed to seeing. The whole Facebook experience is it stands today (for our potential customers) risks diminishing SmugMug's image and stature.
By the way, I get the same problem of screen freeze-up, using Firefox. I do not want to go over to Safari or find a Windows computer.
2) The "Like" button works, but it is awkward. On Facebook it reads like this:
It should just say, "Claude likes photos.blackfives.com" ... or if anything:
"Claude likes photos.blackfives.com/thisparticularphoto.jpg on photos.blackfives.com"
3) My few Help Desk encounters so far have been very helpful, but with Facebook questions there seems to be a certain level of "that's just the way it is," as if that should be acceptable, or "it's just the way Facebook is" when really it is not necessarily a Facebook issue. If it were not for this thread, I might have thought I was "wrong" for wanting or expecting these nuances.
But on a positive note, were it not for this Forum we would all be up sh&^%'s creek. So, this kind of discussion is a good thing. I think SmugMug welcomes this kind of open passionate "requesting" or else they wouldn't have created a Forum, and it probably makes them a better company as a result because it ultimately makes users happier.
So is the "Be Social" function not working? Here's an e-mail I received from a client:
Ok, I tried using the tab that says "be social" on the top right hand corner of the pictures. Then I click on the facebook tab and it has me log into facebook. Then the smugmug application box pops up where you have to click allow or don't allow. This is the part that's giving me problems because it doesn't let me click anything.
If I click the like tab under a picture, should it post the picture on my facebook or what will it do?
It works for me, but apparently my client can't get the "allow/don't allow" buttons to work for her.
~Kathy
Success Coach, Motivational Speaker, Professional Photographer
"Enriching Lives through Images and Inspiration" www.kathleendavenport.com
You might want to ask if they are allowing 3rd party cookies in their browser. I have tested this morning and it is working at this time.
The problem once again is that many people obviously have problems using this feature and are likely not going to contact us and/or make changes to their browser and/or approve of facebook apps in order to use this feature.
Early January now, any updates please? Still unable to make SmugMug and Facebook play nicely together. And what's with this SmugMug Facebook app - http://apps.facebook.com/smugmug/ ? Am I the only one not seeing anything there?
Early January now, any updates please? Still unable to make SmugMug and Facebook play nicely together. And what's with this SmugMug Facebook app - http://apps.facebook.com/smugmug/ ? Am I the only one not seeing anything there?
We have new stuff coming - promise! It's getting very close Stay tuned on http://news.smugmug.com
Early January now, any updates please? Still unable to make SmugMug and Facebook play nicely together. And what's with this SmugMug Facebook app - http://apps.facebook.com/smugmug/ ? Am I the only one not seeing anything there?
I don't see anything there either. Not sure what that is.
i've seen this happen before, but thought i would point it out since i was told i must be doing something to create this behavior. all i did was create a new gallery and upload one photo
i've seen this happen before, but thought i would point it out since i was told i must be doing something to create this behavior. all i did was create a new gallery and upload one photo
Shouldn't be the case. Please write our Support Heroes with details of the uploader you are using and the link from which you are starting, exactly.
If I try to use the share feature for facebook it asks me to approve the Smugmug app (still a bad idea to have to approve an app) and then when I click "post to wall" it gives me what appears to be a waiting bar and never completes or posts to the FB wall.
And I see now you have to approve a SmugMug app to use for Twitter as well.
I know we've discussed before that most users not familiar with SmugMug are extremely hesitant and suspicious to approve outside apps. It is actually something people are advised against.
Is this feature going to stay in this manner where our site visitors are going to have to approve a third party app in order to "share"?
Until Facebook or Twitter gives us the ability to do what we need to do w/o having people installing an app, we have out hands tied. And sadly, it seems that facebook is moving away from that having just stopped promoting their generic share button. However, if you enable quicksharing, people can use the tweet and like buttons underneath the photo and in the lightbox to share w/o any permissions. And Liking something now publishes a full feed story.
If you PM me a link to whatever gallery you're having issues with on besocial I will take a look at it. I would also double check to make sure that you have 3rd party cookies enabled in your browser. It seems to be the cause to 95% of any issues involving facebook.
And I see now you have to approve a SmugMug app to use for Twitter as well.
I know we've discussed before that most users not familiar with SmugMug are extremely hesitant and suspicious to approve outside apps. It is actually something people are advised against.
Is this feature going to stay in this manner where our site visitors are going to have to approve a third party app in order to "share"?
It was the third party cookies, thank you. This is probably something a lot of visitors will run into. Maybe the site should advise visitors they must have third party cookies enables in order to use this feature. Otherwise it appears to be a non-functioning feature that simply stalls out.
Unfortunately, almost a year later, I am still left without a good way for users to share on Facebook in any gallery that uses thumbnail style.
To someone not familiar with the site, the "share" option does not work properly (as explained here http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=164931) and forces visitors to approve a third party app that may not work for many visitors because of the cookie issue.
And as shown here http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=191535&page=2 , the "like" button does not work as it should in thumbnail style gallery as the link posted on facebook takes users to the gallery rather than the photo.
Until Facebook or Twitter gives us the ability to do what we need to do w/o having people installing an app, we have out hands tied. And sadly, it seems that facebook is moving away from that having just stopped promoting their generic share button. However, if you enable quicksharing, people can use the tweet and like buttons underneath the photo and in the lightbox to share w/o any permissions. And Liking something now publishes a full feed story.
If you PM me a link to whatever gallery you're having issues with on besocial I will take a look at it. I would also double check to make sure that you have 3rd party cookies enabled in your browser. It seems to be the cause to 95% of any issues involving facebook.
We are constantly trying to improve sharing, and I am going to see if there is some magic we can make happen to enable like buttons in a more consistent manner in thumbnail view. Many of the issues though relate to what is possible to do on facebook, and the limitations of the viewing style you've picked...
It was the third party cookies, thank you. This is probably something a lot of visitors will run into. Maybe the site should advise visitors they must have third party cookies enables in order to use this feature. Otherwise it appears to be a non-functioning feature that simply stalls out.
Unfortunately, almost a year later, I am still left without a good way for users to share on Facebook in any gallery that uses thumbnail style.
To someone not familiar with the site, the "share" option does not work properly (as explained here http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=164931) and forces visitors to approve a third party app that may not work for many visitors because of the cookie issue.
And as shown here http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=191535&page=2 , the "like" button does not work as it should in thumbnail style gallery as the link posted on facebook takes users to the gallery rather than the photo.
I'm trying to share this gallery via FB and I'm having a problem: http://www.moose135photography.com/American-Airpower-Museum/Eastern-Pan-Am-DC-7/16112158_ctaeS
I click on Share>Be Social, and I get the pop-up with the various media choices. When I pick FB, I don't get the "Post to your wall" button, so I have no way of posting once I've entered a message and picked a photo. I see Tecnicole mentioned a SM app that needs to be approved - is that something I have to do now? I can't find anything like that, not sure where to go next...Help!
Moose, be sure to be logged into facebook the first time you try to make a new post from SmugMug. You should see a message appear from Facebook asking you to allow SmugMug to post to your wall. You do have to allow that for the post to appear.
moose135, can you try it again when you have a chance? Facebook was down for awhile last night, and that was resulting in the button not showing it up. It seems to all be good now though...
I'm trying to share this gallery via FB and I'm having a problem: http://www.moose135photography.com/American-Airpower-Museum/Eastern-Pan-Am-DC-7/16112158_ctaeS
I click on Share>Be Social, and I get the pop-up with the various media choices. When I pick FB, I don't get the "Post to your wall" button, so I have no way of posting once I've entered a message and picked a photo. I see Tecnicole mentioned a SM app that needs to be approved - is that something I have to do now? I can't find anything like that, not sure where to go next...Help!
Thanks for getting back, Doc - I am logged into my FB account, and have been able to share galleries in the past. I recently switch to FB's "secure browsing" option - could this be a hangup? I was able to click the "Like" button on one of the photos, which posted it on my FB page with a link back to the gallery, but obviously, without the ability to include a comment.
Scott, I just tried it again, logging out of FB then back in, followed by opening my SM site in a new tab (I'm running FF 3.5.2 on Win Vista)
It should work fine with the secure browsing option. So when you're looking at the facebook window, underneath the box where you type in your message, there is no blue facebook button, or Post to wall button, it's just blank? Very strange. And is it only on that gallery, or is this on all galleries?
Thanks for getting back, Doc - I am logged into my FB account, and have been able to share galleries in the past. I recently switch to FB's "secure browsing" option - could this be a hangup? I was able to click the "Like" button on one of the photos, which posted it on my FB page with a link back to the gallery, but obviously, without the ability to include a comment.
Scott, I just tried it again, logging out of FB then back in, followed by opening my SM site in a new tab (I'm running FF 3.5.2 on Win Vista)
I had tried a few different galleries with the same result - and yes, there were no FB or Post to Wall buttons. I just tried one more time, and got a pop up asking me to approve the app to allow access. It looked like it was related to the secure browsing settings I had on FB. Once I approved it, I got the correct buttons appearing. Not sure why I didn't get the pop up earlier. I am running AdBlockPlus, and it wasn't until this last time that it gave me a pop up message. Once I OKed that, I saw the FB app appear. Thanks for the help!
Tecnicole, we pushed a fix this afternoon that should enable Like Buttons to work with Lightbox. Now, if a viewing style is anything but SmugMug, the link posted to Facebook will open in the lightbox view.
I think this should resolve your problem, but please let me know....
It was the third party cookies, thank you. This is probably something a lot of visitors will run into. Maybe the site should advise visitors they must have third party cookies enables in order to use this feature. Otherwise it appears to be a non-functioning feature that simply stalls out.
Unfortunately, almost a year later, I am still left without a good way for users to share on Facebook in any gallery that uses thumbnail style.
To someone not familiar with the site, the "share" option does not work properly (as explained here http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=164931) and forces visitors to approve a third party app that may not work for many visitors because of the cookie issue.
And as shown here http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=191535&page=2 , the "like" button does not work as it should in thumbnail style gallery as the link posted on facebook takes users to the gallery rather than the photo.
Tecnicole, we pushed a fix this afternoon that should enable Like Buttons to work with Lightbox. Now, if a viewing style is anything but SmugMug, the link posted to Facebook will open in the lightbox view.
I think this should resolve your problem, but please let me know....
Thanks,
Scott.
Just to clarify... Is this the new behavior when clicking "Like" from the Lightbox, regardless of viewing style of the source gallery (even if the photo is in a SmugMug style gallery)?
Comments
Portfolio • Workshops • Facebook • Twitter
Any possible ETA or date range?
I really don't want to fully launch my site until I can utilize the full potential of facebook.
1) Why are you forcing Facebook users to allow SmugMug to access their information? This should not be necessary. They should only need to be logged into Facebook. The majority of web-surfers (our customers) are not willing or accustomed to allowing apps to do anything. Why not use a common sharing plug-in like this one:
While you are at it, SmugMug should partner (or API) with a URL shortening service (like what happens with your Twitter shares) that automatically shortens those long, unattractive, "in-elegant" links, again, not what users and viewers are accustomed to seeing. The whole Facebook experience is it stands today (for our potential customers) risks diminishing SmugMug's image and stature.
By the way, I get the same problem of screen freeze-up, using Firefox. I do not want to go over to Safari or find a Windows computer.
2) The "Like" button works, but it is awkward. On Facebook it reads like this:
"Claude likes photos.blackfives.com on http://photos.blackfives.com."
It should just say, "Claude likes photos.blackfives.com" ... or if anything:
"Claude likes photos.blackfives.com/thisparticularphoto.jpg on photos.blackfives.com"
3) My few Help Desk encounters so far have been very helpful, but with Facebook questions there seems to be a certain level of "that's just the way it is," as if that should be acceptable, or "it's just the way Facebook is" when really it is not necessarily a Facebook issue. If it were not for this thread, I might have thought I was "wrong" for wanting or expecting these nuances.
But on a positive note, were it not for this Forum we would all be up sh&^%'s creek. So, this kind of discussion is a good thing. I think SmugMug welcomes this kind of open passionate "requesting" or else they wouldn't have created a Forum, and it probably makes them a better company as a result because it ultimately makes users happier.
Claude Johnson
Black Fives Photo Archive
photos.blackfives.com
Ok, I tried using the tab that says "be social" on the top right hand corner of the pictures. Then I click on the facebook tab and it has me log into facebook. Then the smugmug application box pops up where you have to click allow or don't allow. This is the part that's giving me problems because it doesn't let me click anything.
If I click the like tab under a picture, should it post the picture on my facebook or what will it do?
It works for me, but apparently my client can't get the "allow/don't allow" buttons to work for her.
Success Coach, Motivational Speaker, Professional Photographer
"Enriching Lives through Images and Inspiration"
www.kathleendavenport.com
http://help.smugmug.com
The problem once again is that many people obviously have problems using this feature and are likely not going to contact us and/or make changes to their browser and/or approve of facebook apps in order to use this feature.
So is there an ETA or range that we can look out for these changes?
Sure. After the holiday I expect. Like early January.
Portfolio • Workshops • Facebook • Twitter
We have new stuff coming - promise! It's getting very close
Portfolio • Workshops • Facebook • Twitter
DayBreak, my Folk Music Group (some free mp3s!) http://daybreakfolk.com
http://help.smugmug.com
please please please....been waiting to work on my site forevvvvvver
I just uploaded a photo, and it provided me with this link after upload:
http://humansafterall.smugmug.com/Parties/Randoms-and-Wronguns/15575029_dojDw#1166920438_Kt4u3-A-LB
after i close the photo, the gallery link has changed itself to:
http://humansafterall.smugmug.com/Parties/Randoms-and-Wronguns/15575029_dojDw#1166920438_Kt4u3
rather than my custom domain.
i've seen this happen before, but thought i would point it out since i was told i must be doing something to create this behavior. all i did was create a new gallery and upload one photo
Shouldn't be the case. Please write our Support Heroes with details of the uploader you are using and the link from which you are starting, exactly.
Portfolio • Workshops • Facebook • Twitter
If I try to use the share feature for facebook it asks me to approve the Smugmug app (still a bad idea to have to approve an app) and then when I click "post to wall" it gives me what appears to be a waiting bar and never completes or posts to the FB wall.
I know we've discussed before that most users not familiar with SmugMug are extremely hesitant and suspicious to approve outside apps. It is actually something people are advised against.
Is this feature going to stay in this manner where our site visitors are going to have to approve a third party app in order to "share"?
If you PM me a link to whatever gallery you're having issues with on besocial I will take a look at it. I would also double check to make sure that you have 3rd party cookies enabled in your browser. It seems to be the cause to 95% of any issues involving facebook.
Unfortunately, almost a year later, I am still left without a good way for users to share on Facebook in any gallery that uses thumbnail style.
To someone not familiar with the site, the "share" option does not work properly (as explained here http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=164931) and forces visitors to approve a third party app that may not work for many visitors because of the cookie issue.
And as shown here http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=191535&page=2 , the "like" button does not work as it should in thumbnail style gallery as the link posted on facebook takes users to the gallery rather than the photo.
Are these things that can or will be resolved?
I click on Share>Be Social, and I get the pop-up with the various media choices. When I pick FB, I don't get the "Post to your wall" button, so I have no way of posting once I've entered a message and picked a photo. I see Tecnicole mentioned a SM app that needs to be approved - is that something I have to do now? I can't find anything like that, not sure where to go next...Help!
http://www.moose135photography.com
http://help.smugmug.com
Thanks,
Scott.
Scott, I just tried it again, logging out of FB then back in, followed by opening my SM site in a new tab (I'm running FF 3.5.2 on Win Vista)
http://www.moose135photography.com
Thanks,
Scott.
http://www.moose135photography.com
I think this should resolve your problem, but please let me know....
Thanks,
Scott.
Just to clarify... Is this the new behavior when clicking "Like" from the Lightbox, regardless of viewing style of the source gallery (even if the photo is in a SmugMug style gallery)?