Who let the blogs out? / Biz Stone

Who let the blogs out?

category: commentary, author:

Biz Stone

original copyright 2004, read in May 2010

Agamedes' opinion: 5 out of 10

What can I say about this book? Nothing much... I only skimmed a few sections.

Not that it was bad (as far as I read). But it was dated. And a bit too gung ho name dropping I-know-all-ish for me. Still, PissWeakly is opinion. There is no promise of fact and no guarantee of relevance. So let's start with what little I can remember:

Read it as a history of blogs up to 2004. Biz Stone is founder and co-founder of various blog sites and systems -- and of Twitter. So he was there and involved. He knows what was happening and he may have written some of the truth. In a very glib fashion.

It's a readable book, especially if you want to learn about the history of blogs and blogging.

One thing that does come through -- in my skimming -- is the commercialisation of the web. There are stories of growing readership, rapid take-up -- and making money. The book is an indication of the direction of mainstream blogging.

"The modern blog evolved from the online diary, where people would keep a running account of their personal lives." That's from the Wikipedia article on blogs. That's what I remember, of the first blogs.

I was browsing blogs... many years ago... when I came across a real, online diary. A teenage boy in small-town America was documenting his life, including family and town events. It was fascinating! The blog -- as an online, public diary -- gave a glimpse of a small slice of real life.

What is a blog today? It's a means of making money.

Okay, perhaps there are still people out there who write an online diary. Perhaps I am prejudiced, because I have recently read several articles related to Google ads earning money for blogs. Perhaps there are still people who blog for pleasure.

Google adwords support lead me to a site -- a blog -- which provided top tips for earning money from your blog...

The blog author began his blogging career by providing tips on photography -- but realised that people reading tips on photography would already own a camera. So he started another blog -- reviewing photographic devices. If there is a new camera (for example) about to be released -- he will write a review. Even if he knows nothing, he will write a review. And he will provide a link to Amazon, where readers can pre-order that camera -- and the blog author will get a commission.

There is no special interest in photography, no hope to improve the knowledge of readers, no desire to share information -- just an over-riding urge to make money. No original thought required -- just enough words to wrap around a link to a potential commission.

Did you happen to find this post by a search on "photography"? Or even on "Pentax K100"? Surprise me: follow the link, buy the camera, earn me a commission. Oh yes, I do own a Pentax K100. And, in my opinion -- it's a very good camera. So there.

The PissWeakly Ethos

I write for fun. I write about books that I have read because I wanted to read that book. I hope that someone out there enjoys -- or at least reads -- what I write. It would be nice to make money. But I do not post articles solely to make money. It's all my opinions and I try to keep my opinions honest. If I don't like a book -- I will say so... and still provide a link to Amazon. After all, whether I like it or not, you may still want to buy it.

Enough ranting (I have a separate blog for that).

If you want to read a book about the origins of the blogging business, read Who let the blogs out? It's not a bad book and it's very easy to read. I just found that I was not particularly interested in the topic.

..o0o..

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