Comments on: Blogging is the hardest “conversation” I’ve ever had http://dubroy.com/blog/2008/08/26/blogging-is-the-hardest-conversation-ive-ever-had/ on programming, usability, and design; by Patrick Dubroy Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:45:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Danielle Fong http://dubroy.com/blog/2008/08/26/blogging-is-the-hardest-conversation-ive-ever-had/#comment-17344 Sat, 30 Aug 2008 01:15:42 +0000 http://dubroy.com/blog/2008/08/26/blogging-is-the-hardest-conversation-ive-ever-had/#comment-17344 <p>Because a blogpost is written to a less specific audience, I put far more effort into linking, footnotes, and context. They're also far longer, and are edited more thoroughly: I try to maximize the accessible information density, or at least the surprise/entertainment value.</p> Because a blogpost is written to a less specific audience, I put far more effort into linking, footnotes, and context. They’re also far longer, and are edited more thoroughly: I try to maximize the accessible information density, or at least the surprise/entertainment value.

]]> by: Erigami http://dubroy.com/blog/2008/08/26/blogging-is-the-hardest-conversation-ive-ever-had/#comment-17226 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:35:25 +0000 http://dubroy.com/blog/2008/08/26/blogging-is-the-hardest-conversation-ive-ever-had/#comment-17226 <p>I'd add another cost to using a blog as a conversational tool: the blog writer has to provide enough context for their readers to understand the conversation at the point they're picking it up. That adds a lot of overhead to the writing the post. </p> <p>Pingbacks and trackbacks are supposed to add to the conversational transparency, but I'm not convinced that they work well in that context.</p> I’d add another cost to using a blog as a conversational tool: the blog writer has to provide enough context for their readers to understand the conversation at the point they’re picking it up. That adds a lot of overhead to the writing the post.

Pingbacks and trackbacks are supposed to add to the conversational transparency, but I’m not convinced that they work well in that context.

]]> by: Patrick http://dubroy.com/blog/2008/08/26/blogging-is-the-hardest-conversation-ive-ever-had/#comment-17217 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:39:28 +0000 http://dubroy.com/blog/2008/08/26/blogging-is-the-hardest-conversation-ive-ever-had/#comment-17217 <p>@ Michael Hoisie: Good point. Using an RSS reader probably makes it even harder to comment on a blog post. But maybe if it was easier to follow conversations as they happened, then the conversations would be more engaging?</p> <p>@ Danielle Fong: The time you're referring to is overhead that's independent of the medium. If you were writing an email of the same length, it would take you just as long, right? Or because a blog post seems somehow more permanent, do you think you spend more time on it than you would an email?</p> <p>@Scott Frey: Thanks for the pointer.</p> @ Michael Hoisie:
Good point. Using an RSS reader probably makes it even harder to comment on a blog post. But maybe if it was easier to follow conversations as they happened, then the conversations would be more engaging?

@ Danielle Fong:
The time you’re referring to is overhead that’s independent of the medium. If you were writing an email of the same length, it would take you just as long, right? Or because a blog post seems somehow more permanent,
do you think you spend more time on it than you would an email?

@Scott Frey:
Thanks for the pointer.

]]> by: Scott Frey http://dubroy.com/blog/2008/08/26/blogging-is-the-hardest-conversation-ive-ever-had/#comment-17200 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 06:28:46 +0000 http://dubroy.com/blog/2008/08/26/blogging-is-the-hardest-conversation-ive-ever-had/#comment-17200 <p>Everyone should check out Disqus's new "Rebloging" feature that turns any comment into its own blog post.</p> Everyone should check out Disqus’s new “Rebloging” feature that turns any comment into its own blog post.

]]> by: Scott Frey http://dubroy.com/blog/2008/08/26/blogging-is-the-hardest-conversation-ive-ever-had/#comment-17196 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 05:19:02 +0000 http://dubroy.com/blog/2008/08/26/blogging-is-the-hardest-conversation-ive-ever-had/#comment-17196 <p>I really liked your post. I even extended the conversation on my blog. I just signed up for coComment, and will stream it over to my Friendfeed account. In my opinion, social aggregators are the best bet for having a more complete conversation, but they still could do better.</p> I really liked your post. I even extended the conversation on my blog. I just signed up for coComment, and will stream it over to my Friendfeed account. In my opinion, social aggregators are the best bet for having a more complete conversation, but they still could do better.

]]> by: The Grand Discussion « Scott T. Frey http://dubroy.com/blog/2008/08/26/blogging-is-the-hardest-conversation-ive-ever-had/#comment-17195 Wed, 27 Aug 2008 05:13:53 +0000 http://dubroy.com/blog/2008/08/26/blogging-is-the-hardest-conversation-ive-ever-had/#comment-17195 <p>[...] 26, 2008 · No Comments I happened across an interesting article after clinic today, and I puzzled over it on my way totry out yet another burrito restaurant. I have to agree whole heartedly with the author. Blogs are fantastic launch pads for conversation, but could use some help supporting and enhancing debate. The development of discussions surrounding a post is limited by the community that a given article can reach, and is further hindered because conversation will not exist in a singular forum where it would have its fullest growth. [...]</p> […] 26, 2008 · No Comments I happened across an interesting article after clinic today, and I puzzled over it on my way totry out yet another burrito restaurant. I have to agree whole heartedly with the author. Blogs are fantastic launch pads for conversation, but could use some help supporting and enhancing debate. The development of discussions surrounding a post is limited by the community that a given article can reach, and is further hindered because conversation will not exist in a singular forum where it would have its fullest growth. […]

]]> by: Danielle Fong http://dubroy.com/blog/2008/08/26/blogging-is-the-hardest-conversation-ive-ever-had/#comment-17174 Tue, 26 Aug 2008 22:49:44 +0000 http://dubroy.com/blog/2008/08/26/blogging-is-the-hardest-conversation-ive-ever-had/#comment-17174 <p>It takes a while for me to write a well crafted post. The first draft takes around a 4 hours for me, for a 3000 word post. Then finding images takes another 30 minutes, finding links and referencing things properly and making footnotes takes around two hours. Editing takes at least as long as the writing. Then I ask my friends to read it, refine it based on their input, and then release it and evangelize it a bit, that's around another three hours. I read it over and over, and make updates as I think of them and as correspondence dictates. Keeping 'online' takes around six hours.</p> <p>All told, crafting a decent post takes around 20 hours of work for me, and that's <em>after</em> the research phase, where I gather links, quotes, images, ideas, false starts, design, and try out some of the concepts in conversation. But I wouldn't be satisfied with anything less.</p> It takes a while for me to write a well crafted post. The first draft takes around a 4 hours for me, for a 3000 word post. Then finding images takes another 30 minutes, finding links and referencing things properly and making footnotes takes around two hours. Editing takes at least as long as the writing. Then I ask my friends to read it, refine it based on their input, and then release it and evangelize it a bit, that’s around another three hours. I read it over and over, and make updates as I think of them and as correspondence dictates. Keeping ‘online’ takes around six hours.

All told, crafting a decent post takes around 20 hours of work for me, and that’s after the research phase, where I gather links, quotes, images, ideas, false starts, design, and try out some of the concepts in conversation. But I wouldn’t be satisfied with anything less.

]]> by: Michael Hoisie http://dubroy.com/blog/2008/08/26/blogging-is-the-hardest-conversation-ive-ever-had/#comment-17162 Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:35:36 +0000 http://dubroy.com/blog/2008/08/26/blogging-is-the-hardest-conversation-ive-ever-had/#comment-17162 <p>Yeah, it is a disconnected conversation. I think the main reason is that blogs have startingly low engagement compared to other services on the web, especially social networks. And it seems to be this way by design -- blog content is meant to be consumed as fast as possible (just look at the point of rss readers). It's not uncommon for people to crank through a blog post in half a minute through Google Reader. They just don't have the patience to seek out related stuff.</p> Yeah, it is a disconnected conversation. I think the main reason is that blogs have startingly low engagement compared to other services on the web, especially social networks. And it seems to be this way by design — blog content is meant to be consumed as fast as possible (just look at the point of rss readers). It’s not uncommon for people to crank through a blog post in half a minute through Google Reader. They just don’t have the patience to seek out related stuff.

]]>