http://stormyscorner.com/2009/07/who-do-you-blog-for.html Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:13:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://stormyscorner.com/2009/07/who-do-you-blog-for.html/comment-page-1#comment-684 stormy Sun, 19 Jul 2009 18:14:01 +0000 http://stormyscorner.com/2009/07/who-do-you-blog-for.html#comment-684 Alexander, You are right - I probably blog for myself too. Before blogging and all the email I send, I used to keep a journal. It was very different than my blog but I bet my blog does fulfill some of the same need my journaling did. Alexander,
You are right – I probably blog for myself too. Before blogging and all the email I send, I used to keep a journal. It was very different than my blog but I bet my blog does fulfill some of the same need my journaling did.

]]> http://stormyscorner.com/2009/07/who-do-you-blog-for.html/comment-page-1#comment-683 stormy Sun, 19 Jul 2009 18:09:27 +0000 http://stormyscorner.com/2009/07/who-do-you-blog-for.html#comment-683 Jack, That's a really good point. I think the communities are obvious around blogs around a topic (digital photography, for example) but no less real around personal blogs. We're defining a community. Stormy Jack,
That’s a really good point. I think the communities are obvious around blogs around a topic (digital photography, for example) but no less real around personal blogs.
We’re defining a community.
Stormy

]]> http://stormyscorner.com/2009/07/who-do-you-blog-for.html/comment-page-1#comment-682 Alexander van Loon Sat, 18 Jul 2009 04:56:43 +0000 http://stormyscorner.com/2009/07/who-do-you-blog-for.html#comment-682 Possibly the best way to tell who I am is to define myself by telling about the work I do. I'm from the Netherlands and 22 years old. I study a History bachelor's programme, which is not really a true interest and more a way for me to get access to a master's programme in the field of Public Administration. Besides that I've also considered studying Computer Science, and I've worked as an assistant Unix system administrator because of my interests in computer hardware and software (FLOSS specifically). I'm reading this because, just like Richard, I'm interested in the development of GNOME, but also in the people participating in the project. I probably wouldn't have read your posts though if they didn't appear on Planet GNOME, not because they don't interest me, but because I don't read the foundation blog. A large weblog aggregator like Planet GNOME makes it more convenient. What makes you interesting is that you are one of the persons who's transforming GNOME to a more professional/formal organisation, after it started as an informal organisation of a few idealists not much longer than 10 years ago. Your blog posts about your work demonstrate your skill in executing your work, which I admire and give me another reason to read your weblog. Your posts not related to work covered interesting subjects, and I think you're relatively good blogger. But I have to confess that I also read it because I'm used to reading Planet GNOME, just reading for the sake of reading. Sometimes to my own disappointment, reading Planet GNOME and other weblogs/news websites is part of my daily routine, and I don't break with that routine, even though I probably spent too much time on it. I'm not an Internet addict however. The question for who you're blogging is an interesting one. On my weblog (see my URL) the first one of the reasons coming to mind was that I do it for myself. I know that reactions to my weblog are very scarce, but I blog anyway because I like to write, and because it eases my mind if I commit my thoughts to blog posts. Actually I was a bit surprised that you didn't mention that you blog for yourself? I expected that it would be one of the reasons for every blogger to write a blog. Besides blogging for myself, I think I have a very generic audience. Most of the time I'm writing about software related technical subjects for FLOSS enthusiasts like me, but I also write about travels and literature. Most of the time I write posts to give advice/recommend, share experiences, convince or in the hope that anyone will comment and give their opinion. It's unfortunate that you've received insulting comments. What must be especially tiresome for bloggers on Planet GNOME is to hear continually from commenters that their posts don't belong on Planet GNOME because the subject of their post isn't related to GNOME. Maybe it should be communicated more clearly on the Planet GNOME website that it's aggregated blogs cover the work and lives of the bloggers. But what's most disappointing is that commenters are so hostile. You mention your kids were insulted, and the commenters have recently reached a new low in the discussion concerning the Richard Stallman controversy. It's a shame people lack empathy, and possibly it's caused by impersonality of communicating through the Internet. Possibly the best way to tell who I am is to define myself by telling about the work I do. I’m from the Netherlands and 22 years old. I study a History bachelor’s programme, which is not really a true interest and more a way for me to get access to a master’s programme in the field of Public Administration. Besides that I’ve also considered studying Computer Science, and I’ve worked as an assistant Unix system administrator because of my interests in computer hardware and software (FLOSS specifically).
I’m reading this because, just like Richard, I’m interested in the development of GNOME, but also in the people participating in the project. I probably wouldn’t have read your posts though if they didn’t appear on Planet GNOME, not because they don’t interest me, but because I don’t read the foundation blog. A large weblog aggregator like Planet GNOME makes it more convenient. What makes you interesting is that you are one of the persons who’s transforming GNOME to a more professional/formal organisation, after it started as an informal organisation of a few idealists not much longer than 10 years ago. Your blog posts about your work demonstrate your skill in executing your work, which I admire and give me another reason to read your weblog. Your posts not related to work covered interesting subjects, and I think you’re relatively good blogger.
But I have to confess that I also read it because I’m used to reading Planet GNOME, just reading for the sake of reading. Sometimes to my own disappointment, reading Planet GNOME and other weblogs/news websites is part of my daily routine, and I don’t break with that routine, even though I probably spent too much time on it. I’m not an Internet addict however.
The question for who you’re blogging is an interesting one. On my weblog (see my URL) the first one of the reasons coming to mind was that I do it for myself. I know that reactions to my weblog are very scarce, but I blog anyway because I like to write, and because it eases my mind if I commit my thoughts to blog posts. Actually I was a bit surprised that you didn’t mention that you blog for yourself? I expected that it would be one of the reasons for every blogger to write a blog.
Besides blogging for myself, I think I have a very generic audience. Most of the time I’m writing about software related technical subjects for FLOSS enthusiasts like me, but I also write about travels and literature. Most of the time I write posts to give advice/recommend, share experiences, convince or in the hope that anyone will comment and give their opinion.
It’s unfortunate that you’ve received insulting comments. What must be especially tiresome for bloggers on Planet GNOME is to hear continually from commenters that their posts don’t belong on Planet GNOME because the subject of their post isn’t related to GNOME. Maybe it should be communicated more clearly on the Planet GNOME website that it’s aggregated blogs cover the work and lives of the bloggers.
But what’s most disappointing is that commenters are so hostile. You mention your kids were insulted, and the commenters have recently reached a new low in the discussion concerning the Richard Stallman controversy. It’s a shame people lack empathy, and possibly it’s caused by impersonality of communicating through the Internet.

]]> http://stormyscorner.com/2009/07/who-do-you-blog-for.html/comment-page-1#comment-681 Richard Fri, 17 Jul 2009 21:00:15 +0000 http://stormyscorner.com/2009/07/who-do-you-blog-for.html#comment-681 I read this because I'm interested in the health and future of GNOME. I blog for the future and posterity. I read this because I’m interested in the health and future of GNOME.
I blog for the future and posterity.

]]> http://stormyscorner.com/2009/07/who-do-you-blog-for.html/comment-page-1#comment-680 Jack Repenning Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:51:29 +0000 http://stormyscorner.com/2009/07/who-do-you-blog-for.html#comment-680 Maybe blogging is a bit different from publishing a book. You blog to create or build a community, not just to stumble upon it. I initially had a professional connection to you, Stormy, but have discovered a number of common interests (some professional, some not). To some degree, I'm not the same person who first read your blog: like any friendship, I've changed in little ways: I've read at you, just as much as you've written at me. Which, I think, means that diversity and eclecticism are especially important in blogging: you're not crafting the work to a fixed audience-concept, you're evolving a communal understanding of who "we," together, are. Jono Bacon says (<a href="http://www.artofcommunityonline.org/)" rel="nofollow">http://www.artofcommunityonline.org/)</a> people join communities in order to *belong*, to feel like they belong, to find somewhere to belong. Blogging (and most "social" media, perhaps) is offering potential community members a connection. Maybe blogging is a bit different from publishing a book. You blog to create or build a community, not just to stumble upon it. I initially had a professional connection to you, Stormy, but have discovered a number of common interests (some professional, some not). To some degree, I’m not the same person who first read your blog: like any friendship, I’ve changed in little ways: I’ve read at you, just as much as you’ve written at me.
Which, I think, means that diversity and eclecticism are especially important in blogging: you’re not crafting the work to a fixed audience-concept, you’re evolving a communal understanding of who “we,” together, are.
Jono Bacon says (http://www.artofcommunityonline.org/) people join communities in order to *belong*, to feel like they belong, to find somewhere to belong. Blogging (and most “social” media, perhaps) is offering potential community members a connection.

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