Where did it come from
Blogger-hints-and-tips was originally going to be an on-line "yellow sticky" - getting all those bits of paper on my desk (and draft emails in my in-box) into one tidy place. Lots of them were useful fragments of HTML or, as I learned more, links to how-to articles that I knew needed to use "soon".Then I started having to find solutions for problems that (apparently) no one had solved before - because I couldn't find answers by googling. Problems like how to insert AdSense ads right inside Blogger posts, not just on sidebars. After figuring these out, I decided that keeping my notes about the right answer would be a good idea, in case I need the again later.
At the same time, I started answering some questions in the Google Help Forums (instead of just asking). I learned a lot, and found that I was writing the same thing over and over. So I made a few posts based on answers to common questions, or based on important facts that the usual answers leave out - for example the answer to "How do I transfer my blog to another owner" really does need to think about more than just Blogger.
And I wanted a real blog to test out some new things (well new to me). My main site is getting 10-30 visits a day, and I don't want to take the risk of it turning into custard for a few days while I undo a silly experiment. BHAT seemed like a good candidate.
And then I noticed a funny thing: without even trying, Blogger-Hints-and-Tips was getting search hits. And I realised that other people were probably facing the same problems I was, and getting the same lack of answers - or getting to my site.
What now?
Since then, I've put a lot more effort into the format and layout, and also into the contents on the site. Often I look at the ways Blogger can be used with other tools - but sometimes I write explanatory articles about basic topics too. In mid 2011, I started a total review of all posts, mainly reformatting, but also checking and updating the content. This review is about half-complete.
Blogger-HAT is still an experimental blog-site. It's a lot more organised than it was, with multiple ways of navigating within it, and articles that try to be in-depth and informative. It has a bit of a focus on hints for using blogger, especially with other tools, and is written from the perspective of an IT-analyst who's used to working on big-iron computer systems.
Related Articles:
How to insert AdSense ads right inside Blogger posts
Questions in the Google Help Forums
How do I transfer my blog to another owner.
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