Geek Bloggers on the Endangered Species List !
I just read this article ref'd on Slashdot that claims "geek bloggers" are going extinct. The basic idea here is that since blogs have gone "mainstream," the geeky blogs that started it all are falling in popularity. The article points out three generations of bloggers and, by extension, three audiences for these blogs. The first blogs were blogged by true geeks--after all, they're the only ones who knew about blogging and had the know-how to deal with the primitive, user "unfriendly" interfaces of the early days. Later, of course, blogging got so simple until "anybody could do it," and now blogging has gotten so mainstream that it's no longer subsersive...CNN, Fox, ABC, etc., have their "bloggers" on payroll.
Now that blogs aren't revolutionary, or even chic, really, will they join the moo as but another "been there, done that?" What online writing environment (if any) will true geeks turn to to express themselves? Wikis, perhaps?
- Matt Barton's blog
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Geek Bloggers going extinct
Matt, i don't know where folks get these figures but I'm rather new to blogging and have already experienced the various interfaces that you mentioned. However, what CNN does only confuses the truly nonGeeky blogger. People who spend most of their time writing blogs, creating new interfaces or personalizing their accounts and reading other blogs can keep up with that segment but I think it only skims the surface of the blogging world.
Lusa Rodriguez
Ass't Professor
Writing Program Director
University Detroit Mercy
Mainstream
Now, Podcasting is mainstream and blogs are "yesterday." Asking my students if any blogged or read blogs, only two read them. As one said, "Why? They're just fake anyway." I think that shows a lot of insight into the 17-21 mindset.
The strangest thing I am noticing -- students making a "statement" by not owning or using cell phones. Pretty cool, if you ask me. I know I leave mine behind more often, so I'm finally trendy again.
Vidcasting / Webcasting / Podvid are all terms I have read for the new video blogs. Again, I suppose these will be hijacked by CNN and Fox or even the UPN to promote shows somehow. A little postage-stamp size five-minute short you can't see on TV will be used to promote a show.
We actually had a discussion of Wiki tonight, too. The students asked how I could be so lame. As one said, "I can edit the thing. Do you really want to trust it?" The class laughed, but was split about 50/50 on the value of Wiki projects.
They are a cynical group. They are really aware of viral market-bots. (I had not even heard the term "market-bot" until today. A bot that tries to seem like a real member of various blogs, but is nothing but a chatbot variant.)
More to ponder...