Month: May 2002

Categories
Writing

Dave Winer’s ‘help’ with book

Recovered from the Wayback Machine.

Wow. Generosity itself. Dave wants to try and “salvage” O’Reilly’s weblogging book, by putting together his own mailing list rather than let O’Reilly go through the usual editing process.

According to the intro page at the list, Dave writes:

I was hoping this book would start like the WebMonkey survey of blogging software and go deeper into the relative merits of each of the products. I think ultimately it’s going to be difficult to get this book into shape in time, probably would have been a better idea to have just a couple of authors who really understood all the products (Radio, Blogger and Movable Type) and give them more time to really get it right. The products all took years to develop. A quick treatment like this is bound to miss the spot. This book really does miss the point, at least as far as our software is concerned. Perhaps this new mail list can do something heroic and rescue the chapters. Not sure what to recommend to O’Reilly at this time.

I’m sure that Tim O’Reilly, who knows very little about the publication business and books and writing and that sort of thing will be extremely grateful for Dave’s support.

I hesitate, though, at chopping the Blogger chapters down to, “Don’t use it. Use Userland Radio, instead” next to a graphic of a coffee mug.

Categories
Writing

Morality

Yes, I said I was taking a few days off from the weblog, and I am. However, I have these words banging at the top of mouth screaming “Let me out! Let me out!”, pulling at my tongue, digging into the roots of my teeth. I know I will get no peace until I let the little bastards out.

William Bennett wrote an article, Moral Clarity isn’t Simplistic.

I’m not going to argue about this article eloquently – I leave that to AKMA. And I’m not going to argue about it beautifully – I leave that to Steve.

What I am going to say is that those who use moral arguments as axes to chop the world into finer and finer bits, cutting away all who disagree with them, will soon find themselves surrounded only by like minds and like voices. And I wish them joy of it.

 

Categories
Weblogging Writing

Essential blogging

BTW, since Dave Winer only pointed to the Radio chapters (?) when he mentioned the Essential Blogging book from O’Reilly, note that the book covers Movable Type, Blogger, and Blosxon weblogging tools, as well as other material.

If you’re a Blogger user, I wouldn’t mind your input into my chapters — what should I cover in more detail? What should I leave out?

And the other authors would appreciate your feedback on their chapters.

Categories
Weblogging

The debates

In debate, when your opponent is reduced to attacking your character rather than your words, you know you’ve won.

I should have remembered this yesterday when I became so angry. Blame my reaction a bit on the move. And the fact that I’m not called Burningbird because I coo like a dove.

I had a note from Sheila Lennon from projo.com, who wrote up a nice summary of the realtime blogging phenomena. I particularly like:

An image arises of tourists who photograph everything but experience little of what they record. They collect the present, rather than create it.

I do not like using technology just to use it. I don’t like seeing good technology being badly or inappropriately used. And I don’t approve of mediocre technology given prominance because a group of people dance up and down, clapping their little techie hands together in abandoned glee over a new toy.

And when I write about the technology and its use or misuse, and you respond by writing about me, I will always win, and you will always lose.

Coo. Coo.

Categories
Just Shelley

Pearly nights

I’m sitting here in my living room with the lights off, looking out on to the Bay. The moon must be nearly full because its light combines with the fog to cast a pearly quality over the water. In the Bay one of the dinner boats is floating by, bright golden lights marking its outline.

I lean my head on my hands, elbows on the table next to a bouquet of flowers I got at the Market last week. My favorites, daisies and sweet william.

I call these moments “found gifts” because they can’t be bought, you can’t plan them, they just happen — unexpected gifts from the cosmos. Just smile sweetly and say thank you to the air, spill a drop of wine to the spirits.

Tomorrow is the start of Memorial Day weekend in the States and I’m taking a few days off. Time to smell the flowers. Look out the window. Dream.