WordPress.com: Snap Preview Live Anywhere, Everywhere

14 Jan
2007

Posted by David Peralty as WordPress News

Against what I consider their better judgement, the folks over at WordPress.com have released the Snap Preview Live Anywhere plug-in into the general WordPress.com population.

I am not a fan of the plug-in. I think it degrades the user experience by not only adding what is basically extra javascript we don’t need, but I am the type of reader that highlights text as I go. I don’t want a bubble image of a website messing up my reading and distracting me.

If you think like me though, you have an option. Head on over to Presentation and then Extras, and just uncheck the box relating to this feature. Watch as your blog loads slightly faster, and you get a thumbs up from me.

Don’t get me wrong, I am all about having choice, and I understand that some people love the plug-in, but I hope more people turn it off, rather than keep it on. I hope to see more useful plug-ins added to WordPress.com over the next while.

Do you like this article? Submit it to Blogosphere News!

10 Responses

Thássius Veloso

January 14th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
1

I hate this plugin. Over all, it makes the navigation slower and more difficult.
David Peralty

January 14th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
2

Thanks Thássius, glad to see someone is on my side…
Matt

January 14th, 2007 at 4:37 pm
3

Have you seen how many hundreds of positive comments that thing gets? It’s crazy.
Chris Galfi

January 14th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
4

I wish this plug-in was not enabled by default.
Danny Foo

January 14th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
5

I think why many like it is because it’s cool and something of new to them.

Usability wise as we here know it contradicts itself. The good is people would know where they are going however it degrades the readability if the person’ mouse doesn’t move away from the link.

Maybe we could use a resize feature in it or a disable image but display URL for convenience.
Noel Hurtley

January 15th, 2007 at 1:29 am
6

Agreed! I hate the feature.
Vernon

January 15th, 2007 at 10:54 am
7

I’m another that hates the plug-in. I don’t highlight the text that I read but I seem to habitually follow around things with my mouse and I hate when I’m reading a sentence and a stupid window pops up to show me the site. Aaaagh!
David Peralty

January 15th, 2007 at 11:14 am
8

You all bring a tear to my eye, as I thought I was going crazy as the only one that didn’t like the plug-in.

I think they enabled it by default so that those that like it don’t have to “learn” anything, but those that hate it will look to find how to shut it off.
Patricia Müller

January 22nd, 2007 at 10:58 am
9

It’s so refreshing to find others who don’t like it. It’s too intrusive for me - I highlight text sometimes and follow the text with the mouse too. (mmm… Now I’m wondering how most people read…)

And it seems like Snap Preview is everywhere these days. I will not say it can’t be useful sometimes, but for me that’s the exception, not the rule, so having it all over the place is more of an annoyance rather than a convenience. It particularly bugs me when mousing over links in a blogroll.
enars

July 4th, 2008 at 3:42 am
10

I found one useful way to use Snap Preview - for Amazon product links. In the pop-up window you see the details of the product and text is readable. I left Snap Preview for my links exchange page so that visitors can get some impression of the websites listed. Otherwise I agree that it is not a good idea to use it anywhere - just for information that can be readable in the pop-up window.