The Technology, Games and PDA blogs are going to change later today, in ways that are partly cosmetic, and partly deep plumbing; both require surgery.
This means that from 4pm (BST) today you won't be able to leaves comments on the blogs. It may also mean that we completely futz up the posts (as in, slightly more than we do already) for a brief period while we get used to a different collection of levers around the back.
Comments might be working from 9pm (BST) tonight, if everything works OK. We won't be able to blog until that time.
Yes, I know, Apple announcement today, blah blah. But we chose this date a good while ago, and we were first. (Next time, Steve, just check with us before, OK?)
There will though be multiple benefits from the update for you, gentle reader and commenter: 1) Comments you make here will be integrated with those you make elsewhere on the Guardian site(s), using the Pluck system, so people will be able to see how wise and insightful you are on other blogs by following links in your chosen name; 2) Cross-posting between blogs becomes much easier for us, meaning that for you there won't be the annoyance of trying to decide whether to leave that comment about Microsoft's recalcitrance over the Xbox 360 on the Games or Technology blog - it'll be on both. 3) We'll be able to open up stories in Technology (which includes games of course) to comments, rather than having to do a separate blog post for them. I understand that some people prefer only to read the blog rather than follow links to technology stories, but it makes sense for us and for you not to have two things saying the same thing in different places. 4) new look, easier sharing, easily see what's being most-commented on and most read
For more on the changes, read 3,2,1...Blogs relaunch by Amber, which explains these things, with pictures.
Now I know that some of you may be worried about the old blog software. Don't worry - it's going to be taken out the back and shot , um, have a bolt fired through its head , ah, it's going to be set free to gambol in the fields with all the other furloughed blog software. So that's all right, then.
