Archive link

Adding an archive link to the portrait menu on the dashboard would allow quicker access to the blog’s previous posts. The menu currently lacks direct interaction with the blog’s content.

Post text cannot be edited

The body, captions and descriptions attached or added by the original poster and rebloggers of a post shouldn’t be editable when reblogging. Whilst posts shouldn’t be open to edit, any text added by anyone excluding the original poster may be deleted by the reblogger.

Tumblr is built on the ability to reblog posts, but a post includes all content, the media and the text (excluding tags and possibly the content source, should it be wrong). A number of posts with a large note count are often changed, leading people to falsely believe that the edited version of the post is what collected the notes. Text, links and other text-based posts aside, photos, photosets, videos and audio are often taken out of context without the original captions.

Content source next to tags on new post form

The source of a post is much more important than the tags. Naturally, it surprises me that the content source is hidden in a menu which can only be revealed by clicking a tiny cog in the top right corner. Tumblr needs to be encouraging the use of content sourcing because too many posts go unsourced leaving creatives uncredited.

More color options for theme variables

With the introduction of the new like and reblog theme variables, I was disappointed to find they’re only available in three colors: black, grey and white. The {LikeButton} variable appends an iframe with an SVG path for the heart inside, a custom color could easily have been applied to the heart through a query string in the iframe’s URL.

These color variables would accept any valid CSS color entry, ie. ‘#b8bfc5’, ‘rgb(184,191,197)’, ‘rgba(184,191,197,0.5)’ or ‘grey’.

Quicker access to other post types in create a new post

When clicking a new post button, the buttons are replaced with the appropriate new post form. However to change post types from the new post form, one must click ‘Close’ then click the new post button again. Instead, clicking a new post button should toggle the new post form below it, allowing one to change the post type by clicking the desired type above the form.

Moving the blog selector to the bottom next to the publish button is more convenient since both control the post’s whereabouts. The line reads appropriately: ‘Publish to [blog name]’, ‘Queue to [blog name]’, ‘Save draft to [blog name]’, etc.

The sharing options - Twitter and Facebook are moved to the options menu next to the ‘Close’ button.

Split note count variables

Split the note count variable into reblogs, likes and replies for use in themes. The three split variable options may or may not be used in combination with the regular note count variable. The options allow for more specific information for posts.

The following:

{block:ReblogCount}{ReblogCountWithLabel},<br />{/block:ReblogCount}
{block:LikeCount}{LikeCountWithLabel},<br />{/block:LikeCount}
{block:ReplyCount}{ReplyCountWithLabel}<br />{/block:ReplyCount}

Will output:

69 reblogs,
101 likes,
23 replies

Drop a photo (or multiple photos for a photoset) on the new photo post icon in the post bar to upload it. Same applies for video and audio files.

I would have uploaded a gif but it was totalling 15 MB, 14 MB too many for Tumblr.

Theme blocks that allow more photoset customization, opening up the ability to render HTML on individual photos in the photoset.

Example - Add a class to the first photo in the photoset:

{block:Photoset}
    <div id="photoset">
        {block:Photos}
            <img src="{PhotoURL-500}" alt="{PhotoAlt}" width="{Photo500-Width}" height="{PhotoHeight-500}" class="{block:Photo1}first{/block:Photo1}" />
        {block:Photos}
    </div>
{/block:Photoset}

Example - Only show the first photo in the photoset on the index page (and the entire photoset on the permalink page):

{block:Photoset}
    <div id="photoset">
        {block:IndexPage}
            {block:Photo1}
                <img src="{PhotoURL-500}" alt="{PhotoAlt}" width="{Photo500-Width}" height="{PhotoHeight-500}" />
            {/block:Photo1}
        {/block:IndexPage}
        {block:Permalink}
            {Permalink-500}
        {/block:Permalink}
    </div>
{/block:Photoset}

This would enable better social integration for photosets which are currently difficult to share on sites like Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest:

{block:Photoset}<meta property="og:image" content="{block:Photo1}{PhotoURL-500}{/block:Photo1}" />{/block:Photoset}

When sharing the photoset, the first photo from the photoset would be used in previews.

Preference option to display your name in search results on Google etc and variable for themes. Entering a name (in this case ‘Andrew Stichbury’) in the field will automatically add <meta name="author" content="Andrew Stichbury"> between the <head> … </head> on the permalink of all the posts you make to the blogs associated to your account. Search results in Google and other search engines will display your name and a link to more posts by you (note: this would probably require a Google+ profile, linked to your Tumblr account).

A theme variable will allow theme designers to add a user’s full name within posts if the author has defined one.

Read more about the author attribute, it’s an essential for all self-respecting bloggers.

Better follower search. As you type a URL or blog title, any blogs containing the search term that follow you appear. A link at the bottom of the list sends you directs you to the improved blog search recently introduced with all blogs containing your search term, regardless of whether they follow you.

Order your followers by date of follow or name in alphabetic order. 

Disconnected post controls, underneath the post to match the radar. In accordance to the informative avatars and no post headers.

The avatar of the blog reblogged from appears beneath the reblogger’s avatar along with shortcuts to follow, ask or send fan mail to them.

Note: The post’s controls (like, reblog and note count) are moved in this concept. The whereabouts are unknown. Cliffhanger.

Display view and play count for videos and audio posts on the Dashboard.

The theme variables for location based posts, adding the ability to include an iframe embed from Google Maps (or other map services) of the location the post was made from.