Categories
Weblogging

Blogtank comments

Much of the discussion over at the new Blogtank is how to handle posts/comments from all the participants. Especially the comments.

If you’re a fairly regular reader then you know that I consider my comments and the interactivity between my readers to be the best part of weblogging. And I’ve been lucky to have great readers who are not shy about speaking their opinion, and do so regularly with wit, humor, skill, and passion.

(Though it’s been mighty quiet lately — whatsa matter? Cat got your tongue?)

The thing, though, is that all these comments, these pearls of great worth, are hidden; you can only find them if you click the little mousie indicator.

I’ve had people suggest using other formats, such as pages that open with my posting on top and the comments below, or streaming the comments into RSS. Or using a comment system that allows linking directly to a specific comment.

Good ideas. And not a chance.

This is a weblog. Hopefully, the reason people come here is because they like what I say. The comments, then, become a bonus and to get this bonus you have to do a little extra effort and click the comment link and open the comment window. If you want to reference a comment in your weblog, do so by linking through my weblog post, because the post does set the context (well, most of the time) for the comment discussion.

This isn’t MetaFilter. This isn’t Slashdot. This isn’t WikiWeb. This is, to quote a wonderful posting by bumr.net my fluff.

Categories
Diversity

Words, words, them damn words

Andrea wrote an extremely thoughtful discourse on why she doesn’t like to label herself as a feminist. Her posting follows from a link to another equally thoughtful posting on the “feminist” label at Anita’s.

As we’ve seen, the word “feminist” brings with it so much baggage, good and bad. When I say I am a feminist, and don’t explain what this means to me, you’re going to attach to me whatever baggage you attach to the word — so I better define what I mean by “feminist” if I use it.

And when you say you’re NOT a feminist, if you don’t provide a definition of what you mean by your rejection of that label, then I have no recourse but to think you must be rejecting qualities I hold dear.

Words. Words. Them damn words.

It’s interesting because I read Andrea’s posting just after I read some essays about words and their effect, pointed out at another posting. Steve Himmer linked to a essay on the language of terror, and quoted part of it:

Words are pivotal for keeping us in this mess. And words may be crucial for getting us out.

Words. Don’t try these at home boys and girls, you could get hurt.

Categories
Weblogging

The Blogtank RFP

Having an extraordinarily fun time coming up with an RFP (Request For Proposal) of the perfect technology that would support something like Blogtank.

I haven’t had this much fun in the longest time.

Come over and join the fun! Add your 0.02 worth!

This is what the web was meant to be!