Comments for the ubiquity of hacking

the ubiquity of hacking

2003-08-03T09:05:41Z

I'm kind of creeped out by how pervasive the weblog influence is in some circles... I had just hopped on a plane the other morning and was settling in when the guy next to me pulled his book out of his bag and I noticed that it was Google Hacks. I asked him what he thought of the book and he replied that he'd just started it, but that it seemed really good. I explained I was curious because I'd liked the book and knew the editor, and he became more effusive. As it turned out, the guy works at another search company and saw the book as a brainstorming guide.

I found the coincidence kind of amusing, and not all that surprising, until just before take off when another man sat down on the other side of the guy next to me. He shuffled around a bit, stowed his bag away, and took a look at the cover of the book the guy was reading. "Hey, Google Hacks! That's a cool book. What do you think of it?"

"It's good so far. And this guy knows the fellow who edited it." How many of these Google fans are there in any given airplane?

Odd enthusiasms aside, I suspect there wouldn't have been so much excitement about a book of Teoma hacks. Of course, it's not just the subject matter that makes the book so compelling. I'm thinking part of the reason the book is doing so well is because of the current resurgence in popularity of the Lord of the Rings books. I mean, don't the names "Tara Calishain" and "Rael Dornfest" sound like hobbits or something?

Maybe it's just me.

Comment from Liz on 2003-08-03

2003-08-03T13:47:08Z

Nope. (It's not just you.)

Sure wish that when I traveled my seat companions were reading Google Hacks. I tend to end up with the people who have screaming toddlers, Dr. Laura books, or Guideposts magazine.

Comment from jkottke on 2003-08-03

2003-08-03T14:57:13Z

What does Google Hacks have to do with "weblog influence"?

Comment from Anil Dash on 2003-08-03

2003-08-03T16:14:58Z

The weblog influence is that the primary word-of-mouth promotion of Google Hacks came through weblogs, most of the tips that make up the book came from people publishing ideas on their weblogs, and (I believe) Rael first became acquainted with Tara through her Research Buzz weblog.

It's a book that couldn't have happened *without* blogging.

Comment from Ross Mayfield on 2003-08-03

2003-08-03T17:30:30Z

So last week this guy ripped out some alien laptop which drew my eye. Then yesterday I was reading Biz 2.0 and an article on Best Buy's vertical intergration had picture of an alien desktop which drew me to read it. Then the guy, you, was cited as an influential endorser.

Comment from Tara Calishain on 2003-08-03

2003-08-03T18:39:16Z

Sorry, too tall to be a hobbit.

Comment from Zarqa on 2003-08-03

2003-08-03T22:03:27Z

cool to learn of the link between this book and blogging. personally i picked it up while doing some idle roaming through a bookstore. quite readable even for non-techie, searching freaks like me.

Comment from Adam on 2003-08-03

2003-08-04T01:54:45Z

Of course, it's not so surprising when you consider how "hip" Google is. Having hardly any advertising for a product can make it extremely popular fast.

Comment from Eszter on 2003-08-03

2003-08-04T02:16:13Z

"Search engine hacks" wouldn't have worked as well either. As I commented earlier http://www.esztersblog.com/archives/00000363.html "Google has become the high-culture status symbol of Web use." I suspect the people reading this particular book actually know something about the search engine so it is neat that you ended up next to them. However, I don't think all people who refer to Google necessarily know much about it. In fact, I now have some data to prove that it isn't the use of Google in particular that makes people good at finding things online but knowing how to use search engines (whichever ones). Regardless, it's neat that Google has managed to reach such popularity based mostly on recommendations.

On one of my flights to a job interview for a prof position I was seated next to a prof at the school where I was interviewing (completely different dept), which was pretty neat.

Comment from pb on 2003-08-04

2003-08-04T17:16:03Z

Still don't see the weblog connection.

Comment from Cam on 2003-08-04

2003-08-05T02:16:20Z

I just wish my blind dates would stop Googling me. Sometimes I feel like I need a pseudonym.

Comment from Digital Hamster on 2003-08-04

2003-08-05T03:53:05Z

Weblog influence or not, I'm going to check out this book.

Hmm.. I guess I was just influenced?