June 24, 2007

Sitemeter: Gone (Sigh).

Warning: this is a rambling Sunday post about Blog Things. Regulars know that Crabby is even Slackier than usual on the weekends. Sorry, newcomers, posting will be much more health related during the week. In the meantime: check the Archives for actual health posts, or find another fine blog on the sidebar to visit!

So Crabby confessed earlier that she has a serious Sitemeter Addiction. What is Sitemeter? It's a free software program that compiles statistics and tells narcissistic bloggers whether anyone is visiting them.

So when narcissistic blogger asks, "Sitemeter, please tell me, is anyone looking at me?"

Reassuring sitemeter says: "Yes, Crabby. Three people are indeed looking at you this very moment."

"Hooray," cries Crabby, "They see me! They see me! My very existence is validated! Thank you, dear Sitemeter."

"No problem," says Sitemeter. "Happy to help."

(Brief Pause).

"Uh, Sitemeter? How about now? Is anybody looking at me now?"

This is sort of how the whole day goes between Crabby and Sitemeter.

Crabby will admit--she's had an infatuation with Sitemeter that some might consider unwholesome.

So come to find out--Sitemeter is not quite the benevolent suitor Crabby believed she was dallying with!

Crabby recently received news that her Very Special Friend has been getting a bit too cosy with Visitors. Rumor has it that new tweaks in the Sitemeter software are getting snoopy, and may even be trying to track people. Is this true, is it bad, is it serious? Crabby, frankly, isn't entirely sure. But she read a post by another blogger who dug around a bit more, and it raised some concerns.

Crabby loves her visitors and doesn't want them spied upon. Also, selfishly, she does not want to been seen as "unclean," her blog home infested with Cooties.

So Crabby, sadly, had Sitemeter escorted out the back door of Cranky Fitness. She mourned for a bit, then switched to a Cootie-free program, Statcounter, instead.

But it just isn't the same.

Crabby, sadly, still pines for Sitemeter.

Statcounter looks different. Statcounter works in a slightly different way. Statcounter speaks in an unfamiliar voice, one not as soothing. While Sitemeter and Crabby shared a history; Statcounter has no idea who Crabby is or that were days when she had many visitors.

Statcounter thinks Crabby is a nobody! It thinks she never had any visitors before.

"Statcounter? Statcounter? Is anybody looking at me?"

"Not at this time, Crabby. It's the weekend, for crying out loud. People have better things to do than read your blog. And you have better things to do than watch them not come here. Remember those posts you just wrote about 'balance?' Go outside and play!"

Oh.

Statcounter is not as nice as Sitemeter--but perhaps that's a good thing.

20 comments:

  1. I can absolutely relate with you Crabby!! I have to track stats for work, and I get so addicted to checking all of the different stats! I'd say I'm most addicted to the world map, and the pages that say where they came from and what they searched for. Wow, now that I say all of this out loud, I feel like a mega-stalker. And I don't even know my victims!!

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  2. Have you tried Google Analytics? That's my personal fav. MyBlogLog is fun, too.

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  3. Congratulations, Crabby. You have taken an important step toward overcoming your self-confessed narcissism and are on the road to finding Inner Validation. Years ago, my then-partner and I threw four parties a year. I was obsessed with counting how many guests attended each party. I remember the thrill I felt early one morning, after our last friend had staggered merrily out the door, when I tallied 70 revelers. That was my indicator of success as a social butterfly. Now I live in a different state in a small apartment and can't really host more people than are in my writers group (8). And I don't feel the lack of those impressive numbers, simply because they're not possible. I'm confident that you, too, dear Crabby, will one day look upon your past as a Sitemeter addict and shake your head in wonder.

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  4. Hi Jessica!
    Actually, your addiction sound more like healthy voyeurism and less like unhealthy narcissism. But I'm like you--I find the international aspect of the web fascinating. It's so weird to think that we can visit each other all over the world so easily. (And search terms are indeed a kick. I hate to think of people looking at mine!)

    Hi Bunnygirl,
    Google Analytics is indeed very helpful. But it doesn't lend itself as easily to addiction because it's not real-time; you have to wait a day to find out where your traffic comes from. (Unless I'm just using it wrong; always possible). The seductive part for me about Sitemeter is getting to see who's here RIGHT NOW!

    Appleton,
    I love the party-guest counting! Alas, I'm afraid that whole mature Inner Validation thing that you've obtained is still a long ways off for this Crab. Well, in some aspects of life, I feel quite at peace and couldn't give a crap about my party-guest numbers. But in others, I tally every one. On the bright side, I get all the cheap thrills of a gambler in Vegas when the numbers are on the upswing--with none of the financial risk. But I greatly admire you More Evolved folks.

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  5. Hey now. I like statcounter. They are a good group and you'll get used to them soon enough. I think it's good you switched if it's true that sitemeter is a spyish thing (I don't know though). But I hate being spied on. Nothing turns me off to a blog quicker than when I get on the blog and a message pops up that says, "Welcome visitor from Vancouver, Washington". I'm not secretive about where I live or anything -- but it totally creeps me out and I won't go back. I mean what else are they tracking.

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  6. Statcounter is good, Crabby. It's kind and caring and will never snoop at the back of sock drawer. It's real time which is good although it doesn't sound as if it is quite so up to the minute as snoopy site meter. A little like an aranged marriage - you will learn to love it dearly!

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  7. I use StarCounter too...and I love checking mystats!! It is a bit narcissistic, isn't it!

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  8. Hi Jennifer, Dawn, & Cindy!
    Sorry to lump you all together, but I'd probably end up repeating myself since you're all devoted Statcounter fans.

    Thank you all so much for trying to ease my broken heart during this difficult time. I'm sure I'll come to love Statcounter just as much as i did Sitemeter...someday (sigh).

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  9. Crabby,

    Best wishes with your switch. I am proud to read this blog, knowing you wouldn't spy on me...

    I'm officially adding you to my blogroll!
    ;)

    Sylvia C.

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  10. Hi Crabby.
    Did you have to post this on a Sunday of all days? (sigh). I, (grumbling the entire time mind you), made the switched today too.

    Thanks for the information though, I can sympathize completely. However, my technical advisor and I have sat down and taken an in-depth look at it's features, and I have to admit that the new friend has some stuff that sitemeter didn't. It's all about navigation. I'll just have to get use it...which'll mean more practice...which means I should probably check it 50 times aday as opposed to 20. You know, just to be fair.

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  11. Hi Sylvia,
    Thank you so much! And I'm due for a blogroll update pretty soon as well, as I've met some great nice new blog friends like you of late. Will try to get around to it before too long.


    Katieo! You too, huh?

    I know, Statcounter has plenty of cool functions. But as you said, it's all about navigation. I miss the rollover function. It's not as easy to find my way around. Also, does it seem like it's counting the same people more than once? The "unique visitors" actually seem a little more generous than sitemeter, but I guess I won't complain about that.

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  12. LOL too funny at least I'm not the only one who is kinda obsessive about visitors - but I had used the blog stats on wordpress - this stat counter thingy. Sorry you had to lose your beloved site meter but sounds like it was for the best.

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  13. Crabby FYI your stumble button is not linked properly - I tried to promote you but it said couldn't find url. You definitely need to be promoted all over the web so thought you should know so it could be fixed

    Lady Rose

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  14. Lady Rose,
    Thanks for your visit and for alerting me to the Stumble Upon problem! I'll look into it as soon as I can--for someone obsessive about visitors, I need all the help I can get!

    And thank you for so much for trying to "Stumble" me!

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  15. Thanks for this post! I use SiteMeter on my blogs. *sigh* I hate the idea of being spied upon, and I certainly don't want that reprehensible activity to be aided and abetted in any way through my blog. Ugh...

    I think it's time for me to switch to StatCounter.

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  16. Hi Thomma Lyn,
    I know, it's kind of a surprise isn't it? It's such a common program. I think there's a way to keep it, and switch to an non-spyware version of it--but then the danger is that people will think anyone with a Sitemeter logo down below is spying, even if you're not.

    I'm still not used to Statcounter yet. I miss Sitemeter!

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  17. you and me both! I love my sitemeter, although, don't you wish they could tell you the exact PERSON looking at your page? *sigh.

    Good luck bonding.

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  18. Hi Lacy,
    Yes me too! I want to actually SEE the person on the other end. Good thing they don't let us design this stuff!

    And no, alas, I'm still not bonding with Statcounter. But it's good; I've stopped checking so often.

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  19. If StatCounter had Sitemeter's more intuitive interface, I'd be very happy. I am also addicted to stats to my site..

    http://www.thingsivenoticed.com

    But it fades with time as you get more traffic than you can keep track of mentally.

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  20. Thanks, AHP!
    Good to know I may eventually be free of my addiction. You're right--sitemeter has a much more intuitive interface.

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