Comments on: Slow Blog Death

By: M-H

M-H — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 08:01:13 +0000

I have you many other of the AoIR academics on a feed and read about once a week. I like to read about your life (dog pics included), what you’re thinking and and what you’re working on. I bookmark entries that are of particular interest to my PhD (which is about the value of blogging to the PhD process.) But I also know you’re a real person and enjoy reading about your wider life in another country, another culture.

By: jason

jason — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 12:25:33 +0000

Do you know that I read all your posts? Or just the ones where I visit your site? I get my Alex fix elsewhere.

But I think you miss the point. The point is to get as few readers as possible. That’s why I keep changing my blog name and address. If it gets popular then you start influencing people and people look to you for insight and direction. You might become an a-lister and get invited to big talks places. And how is that good?

That’s not how or why I got into blogging some time before 2001 (still can’t find the posts, but only references to them). These are tools for putting people in touch with people. They’re not broadcast tools. Though you can use a fork for broadcasting, so anything’s possible. I blog for myself, my friend, my family never reads it despite my invitations. I blog to note things that I want noted, cause I feel like noting them. As soon as I see myself trying to entertain an audience, it is time to move URLs again. But that is why I can never burn out. How do you burn out in terms of just doing what you want to do with the toys you got in front of you? But that’s how I do just about anything from cooking to guitar playing.

By: Suely

Suely — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 15:26:21 +0000

long posts can be problematic for those (like me) who read several blogs. Or for those (like me again) who read too many long texts with detailed arguments all day long.
So, why do I read your blog (and others, in fact)? To keep track of what and how someone I like is doing and, when possible, to interact with you (he/she/them).
In short: I use blogs as social tools. Thus, I like to read about your dogs, the frankenfruit, your students, your wife. I wish you could read my own blog too, but I dont even leave the address (it is in portuguese).
Just keep it going!