The end is nigh…
March 29th, 2009 . by TANcast AdminUpdate: The change has come. TANcast is now using the Blubrry Powerpress plugin to run our podcast. The feeds seem to be working, but shit always seems to happen right when I think everything is copacetic. I’ll do more on this tomorrow (like removing all the crap) but if you have any problems please let us know ASAP.
The end of TANcast using the PodPress plugin for WordPress is rapidly approaching.
Blubrry has just released version 0.7.1 of their Powerpress plugin with a ton of new features, including PodPress migration.
As we’ve said before, PodPress has essentially stood still for 15 months, breaking features in recent revisions of WordPress. Someone else patched this major issue about a month ago, but it’s too little, too late. Powerpress now has better features and cleaner code, and is actively being maintained and improved, not patched by 3rd parties to fix defects more than 8 months after the signs of breakage are demonstrated.
On top of everything else to date, PodPress is now saving our “include this file in our Podcast RSS feed” settings for each post, but not reading that setting back out of the database when we re-open the same post to update something. As such, the checkboxes in our editor interface that control whether the audio file gets included (i.e. whether this post will register as an episode in iTunes, etc.) load as un-checked. If we forget to re-check them and save (or the editor auto-saves), the post stops publishing an audio file and we look like we lost an episode. Awesome!
The only question now is: When?
The answer: Tick Tock…
I always seem to break TANcast in some unexpected way when I upgrade things (including every WordPress upgrade), so I wanted to toss out this heads-up at least 2 days before I throw the switch. When it happens, this post will be updated again to note that fact. At that point, if you see any breakage, please leave a comment on this post and/or send a message to @Mysterious_Andy on Twitter.
We’ll try to fix any issues before the heat death of the universe.
March 17th, 2009 at 11:44 pm
Big Rip, Big Crunch, Big Bounce,and Big Bang? Sounds like Taco Bell’s new 6th (Ultimate X-TrEme F8 o’ the Universe ) Meal. You hairy, Michelin Man, you.
March 18th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Damnit.
Now I want Taco Bell…
March 18th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
BTW, you forgot the 5th one: Big Rape.
That’s the one where God decides that He’s done with the whole Him-damn thing and fucks the Universe out of existence.
There are some who believe this has already happened.
March 20th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
No wonder I always feel sore.
March 21st, 2009 at 6:41 am
By the way, Andy, I don’t know if you say what happened after I Tweeted to ask about website listeners (Powerpress claiming that 50% of podcast listeners listen online) – Blubrry tweeted to ask me where they’d made this claim. I told them (4th sentence on their Powerpress website).
No reply tweet. No change to their website. But it did suggest taht not even they believe their statement.
March 30th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
Does this mean no new TANcast for Monday?
March 30th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
No and yes.
No – TANcast shouldn’t (knock wood) be delayed by the switch.
Yes – TANcast will be delayed because Tim couldn’t work late this weekend to do the edits on the latest show (he had house-guests and, I think, comedy to do). I think he started last night, so it might be up later today.
March 30th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Murray, I did see the conversation on Twitter (I was curious to see what would happen) and the lack of update on the website. All I can think is that maybe their customer service/Twitter guy didn’t have all the stats that whoever wrote that line does or else s/he doesn’t have the time/energy/clout to get the page updated.
March 30th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
Yes TANcast should be up today. I’m editing the second half now
March 30th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
I’ve pulled the other MP3s from the feed. It seems to be all fixed!
Now I just need to clean out all those [display_podcast] bits…
March 30th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
Damnit with the Taco Bell again. Now you guys got me thinking about all kinds of food from the states. In n Out, hooters, Steak houses, popcorn and beer from Disney’s Californnia Adventure! Damn you guys
March 30th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Well we can send you a taco on some drie ice if you want 😛
March 30th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
If it makes you feel better, Gino, there appears to be no In -N-Out Burger east of Arizona, so you’ll probably have some before I do.
March 30th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
This does make me feel better. And tacos on dry ice, sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet