One of the small pleasures of having one's own weblog is that it's easy to add context or background information when you're quoted in a press story that you feel is incomplete. I think last week when InternetNews ran the story "Google Toolbar 'BlogThis' Rankles Rivals" there was probably a little more I wish had been communicated.
The point I was trying to make is that Google can (and should!) do whatever it can to get value out of its acquisition of Blogger. I think promoting blogging on the most useful toolbar that exists is only a good thing. Everything I said in the article was accurately quoted (except possibly the incoherent babble about "pound[s] of flesh") by Ryan, but the general gist of what I was trying to say was "I'm cool with the new GoogleBar" and I don't think that came across.
The points I was trying to make about Google were in the larger sense, that the search engine is really becoming a utility company for the web. I used to help run a water company years ago, and one of the worst parts of running a utility, especially a monopoly one, is that you're so tightly restricted in what you can do. I think that the common perception of Google as the plumbing of the 'net is going to result in that level of scrutiny over their actions, and though it didn't come across in the story, I think that sort of limitation on what Google can do would be a shame, not a positive outcome. Nobody does their best when everyone's staring at them and scrutinizing their every move. Except Olympic gymnasts. And frankly, Olympic gymnasts aren't really human anyway.
The other interesting thing I've learned in doing more press and being a "business person" now is that it's harder to get away with the somewhat irreverent sense of humor that I have. I had put a link up on my sidebar to the GoogleBar bug reporting page, saying that you could post a "lack of MT support" as a bug on that screen. It was a joke, people! It'd be great if someday some future version of the GoogleBar supports neutral posting to weblog systems. Right now, though, it just triggers the BlogThis bookmarklet, which makes perfect sense since, in case you didn't know, Google owns Blogger.
Anyway, for those of you who know how pathologically laid back I am, or are familiar with my sense of humor, sorry to have to explain myself at such length. For the rest of you, please keep the following things in mind whenever reading things I write:
- I love everyone!
- I kid because I love!
Everything clear now?
Every fifth or so time I mentally decry our soundbite culture, I recall that reporters mangle quotes all the time, as I've seen first hand. Therefore speaking in short, coded segments almost starts to make sense. That's one reason why weblogs are still so exciting in that folks can elaborate on their take.
You can always append your universal emoticon for extreme sarcasm: ":)" (note airquotes) or the ever popular :|
Personally, the anime smiley-face would add an ironic twist to your business development sensibilities, making you all "kawaii" and shit: ^_^
There are many milestones in a person's life (I was going to write 'landmarks', but it came out 'landmines'), when one suddenly finds oneself being taken wa-a-ay too seriously. Getting married, buying a house, getting a normal haircut for the first time, and any new job that is considered a 'step up'. In your new position with SixApart, you are not only getting that treatment, but you're getting it very very publicly, and with Andy's simply eloquent observation that "reporters mangle quotes all the time", may I add that the mangling will usually err on the side of way-too-seriousness. I don't agree with the use of emoticons (except as a pattern on your suit jacket, ala Matthew Lesko), but some kind of a trademark disclaimer may be useful (Please don't use "I kid because I love" or "YMMV" or "fuggetaboutit"). You could end every other sentence with "...but that's still in beta" or "...it's not on MY Amazon Wishlist" or "...still waiting for trackbacks" or "...that's two cents in my PayPal account" or "...it's all water over the blog."
In the blogosphere, no one can hear you joke. ":-)"
Anil, why do you hate Google so much?
yeah, as you go up the corp. totem pole, it is harder and harder to be irreverent or idosyncratic. The pressure to conform becomes higher.
Politicians understand this. That is why no polician would write anything remotely interesting until they are sure their career is effectively finished (I think Churchil was an exception. No one could accuse him of being unprovocative).
You are lucky in that you work in IT industry and that too in a weblog publishing system start up, where people can get away with a lot more than in most other sectors. The more matured industries value blandness!
I was going to say "Why do you hate America so much?" but since someone already paraphrased it, I'd like to say "The terrorists have already won!"
I won't be satisfied until I see a post from you entirely rendered in graphics on-the-fly by MT.
very interesting, thanks
It's a blog eat blog world out there!
So far you seem to have managed to stay on remarkably good terms with your "rivals" and long may this continue...
Your best hope is that Google will want to hold on to their good guy persona and I reckon they'll end up treating the other Blogging tools pretty decently...
Perhaps by letting the consumer decide what BlogThis! does for them, a bit like you can select to hear an audio file using Real Player or Media player?
What do you reckon?
Your best hope is that Google will want to hold on to their good guy persona and I reckon they'll end up treating the other Blogging tools pretty decently...
Why does everybody expect Google to act in the best interests of everybody else? They are a company and their motivation is making profits. Rest assured they will not sacrifice their own for others (ala AOL shafting Netscape).