Comments on: No More Excuses http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/414/no-more-excuses Mac & Technology Writings by Daniel Jalkut Fri, 5 Sep 2008 16:02:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: David Van Brink http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/414/no-more-excuses#comment-133961 David Van Brink Mon, 08 Oct 2007 23:31:39 +0000 http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/414/no-more-excuses#comment-133961 ^^^ Mike -- Your product is so specialized that it seems inevitable that you'll have some deep insights into that problem domain, the protocols and usages and all that, that others won't have. As well as things which apply specifically to your product. A perfect opportunity to inform and to sell... ^^^ Mike — Your product is so specialized that it seems inevitable that you’ll have some deep insights into that problem domain, the protocols and usages and all that, that others won’t have. As well as things which apply specifically to your product. A perfect opportunity to inform and to sell…

]]> By: Michael Kirkham http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/414/no-more-excuses#comment-133936 Michael Kirkham Sun, 07 Oct 2007 15:06:05 +0000 http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/414/no-more-excuses#comment-133936 This post definitely could have been written at me. I have been good at using the blog for release notices since I set it up, at least, but I've yet to get into the swing of other types of blog posts (articles, etc). I guess you could say my excuse is sort of in the "I don't have time to blog" class. But it's more subconscious than that. I know I need to make time to blog, but I've had so many things going on lately that I'll sit down at the computer and before I know it the sun has set and risen again. I just forget and time flies. :) Hopefully that'll lessen a little bit when recently hired staff gets up to speed and I can delegate more. Two things I really should focus on doing are committing myself to a 30 minute time slot every week for blogging (even if it's just brainstorming), and spending a little extra time with support/pre-sales inquiries turning the answers into a suitable form for a blog post. This post definitely could have been written at me. I have been good at using the blog for release notices since I set it up, at least, but I’ve yet to get into the swing of other types of blog posts (articles, etc).

I guess you could say my excuse is sort of in the “I don’t have time to blog” class. But it’s more subconscious than that. I know I need to make time to blog, but I’ve had so many things going on lately that I’ll sit down at the computer and before I know it the sun has set and risen again. I just forget and time flies. :) Hopefully that’ll lessen a little bit when recently hired staff gets up to speed and I can delegate more.

Two things I really should focus on doing are committing myself to a 30 minute time slot every week for blogging (even if it’s just brainstorming), and spending a little extra time with support/pre-sales inquiries turning the answers into a suitable form for a blog post.

]]> By: Douglas Anders http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/414/no-more-excuses#comment-133933 Douglas Anders Sun, 07 Oct 2007 10:42:18 +0000 http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/414/no-more-excuses#comment-133933 Your post is completely correct. Several years ago, I was desperately looking for a source of news about Frank Lloyd Wright events and sites. I never found it, but (after looking for over a year) It occured to me that I should just do it myself. I was sure I would suck at it, but since the primary purpose was to amuse myself and stay informed, I figured that the qualilty of the blog wouldn't matter much. Today, while my audience is still small, it includes a few scholars, a film-maker who made a FLW documentary (not Ken Burns) and well-known author and photographer of Wright's work and several people who manage Wright's buildings as museums. Absolutly, great for the ego! Your post is completely correct. Several years ago, I was desperately looking for a source of news about Frank Lloyd Wright events and sites. I never found it, but (after looking for over a year) It occured to me that I should just do it myself. I was sure I would suck at it, but since the primary purpose was to amuse myself and stay informed, I figured that the qualilty of the blog wouldn’t matter much.

Today, while my audience is still small, it includes a few scholars, a film-maker who made a FLW documentary (not Ken Burns) and well-known author and photographer of Wright’s work and several people who manage Wright’s buildings as museums. Absolutly, great for the ego!

]]> By: Trausti Thor http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/414/no-more-excuses#comment-133930 Trausti Thor Sun, 07 Oct 2007 02:59:31 +0000 http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/414/no-more-excuses#comment-133930 Whoot. Agree totally Whoot. Agree totally

]]> By: Trausti Thor http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/414/no-more-excuses#comment-133929 Trausti Thor Sun, 07 Oct 2007 02:45:22 +0000 http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/414/no-more-excuses#comment-133929 I try to make a great mac software, and write a once in a while blog, how am I doing ? http://traustithor.blogspot.com/ I try to make a great mac software, and write a once in a while blog, how am I doing ? http://traustithor.blogspot.com/

]]> By: Daniel Jalkut http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/414/no-more-excuses#comment-133928 Daniel Jalkut Sun, 07 Oct 2007 02:44:48 +0000 http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/414/no-more-excuses#comment-133928 Adam - shameless self promotion is often appropriate, but even if you stop short of that, you can get new readers just by participating in the comments of like-minded blogs, and leaving your URL so your name is clickable. It's one of the really beautiful things about blogs with comments, I think. Adam - shameless self promotion is often appropriate, but even if you stop short of that, you can get new readers just by participating in the comments of like-minded blogs, and leaving your URL so your name is clickable. It’s one of the really beautiful things about blogs with comments, I think.

]]> By: Daniel Jalkut http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/414/no-more-excuses#comment-133927 Daniel Jalkut Sun, 07 Oct 2007 02:43:18 +0000 http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/414/no-more-excuses#comment-133927 David - I tend to think it's better to at least have a predominant theme for a blog, and not to stray too far or too often from that theme. For instance, I tend to not talk about my hobbies or non-computer interests here, unless I can pull it back into something vaguely tech or business related. I managed to talk a bit about sailing by putting it into a general goal-pursuing context. But you're right, it does take more work to run more than one blog. Of course a tool like MarsEdit makes it a lot easier. Peter: I agree that it's more important for people who are trying to establish new presences, but I also thing that individual developers from more established companies can do themselves and their employers a good service by being an active part of the community. Especially when it comes the sharing source code or ideas about developing the business, I know I respect and appreciate companies whose employees do this, whether they are 1 employee or thousands of employees strong. David - I tend to think it’s better to at least have a predominant theme for a blog, and not to stray too far or too often from that theme. For instance, I tend to not talk about my hobbies or non-computer interests here, unless I can pull it back into something vaguely tech or business related. I managed to talk a bit about sailing by putting it into a general goal-pursuing context.

But you’re right, it does take more work to run more than one blog. Of course a tool like MarsEdit makes it a lot easier.

Peter: I agree that it’s more important for people who are trying to establish new presences, but I also thing that individual developers from more established companies can do themselves and their employers a good service by being an active part of the community. Especially when it comes the sharing source code or ideas about developing the business, I know I respect and appreciate companies whose employees do this, whether they are 1 employee or thousands of employees strong.

]]> By: Adam http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/414/no-more-excuses#comment-133926 Adam Sun, 07 Oct 2007 02:40:25 +0000 http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/414/no-more-excuses#comment-133926 All good points. That's why I finally decided to write a real post on my cocoa blog. I installed WordPress over a year ago, and finally started writing posts about three months ago. They are boring posts about new releases and why I wasn't blogging, and why no one knew I wasn't blogging because no one would read a blog by someone explaining this recursive paradox. So, one thing I think is missing from your list is not blogging because no one will even discover your blog to know if it sucks or not. I guess the only solution is shameless self promotion. <a href="http://www.caffeinatedcocoa.com/blog/" rel="nofollow">How do I do that?</a> All good points.
That’s why I finally decided to write a real post on my cocoa blog.

I installed WordPress over a year ago, and finally started writing posts about three months ago. They are boring posts about new releases and why I wasn’t blogging, and why no one knew I wasn’t blogging because no one would read a blog by someone explaining this recursive paradox.

So, one thing I think is missing from your list is not blogging because no one will even discover your blog to know if it sucks or not. I guess the only solution is shameless self promotion.

How do I do that?

]]> By: Peter D. http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/414/no-more-excuses#comment-133922 Peter D. Sat, 06 Oct 2007 23:12:21 +0000 http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/414/no-more-excuses#comment-133922 Most developers really are too busy making Mac products to bother with being a "significant member of the Mac developer community". It's generally the up-and-comers, rather than established developers, that try to make a presence for themselves through blogging. Blogging and developing are two entirely different things. Sure, there is overlap, but that's marketing. The question shouldn't be "do I want to be a significant member of some community", but "what do I want to create?". "Communities" are fickle things; fads and darlings come and go. But solid products with a strong support, they last. Most developers really are too busy making Mac products to bother with being a “significant member of the Mac developer community”. It’s generally the up-and-comers, rather than established developers, that try to make a presence for themselves through blogging.

Blogging and developing are two entirely different things. Sure, there is overlap, but that’s marketing.

The question shouldn’t be “do I want to be a significant member of some community”, but “what do I want to create?”.

“Communities” are fickle things; fads and darlings come and go. But solid products with a strong support, they last.

]]> By: David Van Brink http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/414/no-more-excuses#comment-133921 David Van Brink Sat, 06 Oct 2007 22:53:03 +0000 http://www.red-sweater.com/blog/414/no-more-excuses#comment-133921 "You can write more often and you can choose a topical area to focus on. -- ... -- will gain a readership as long as you keep working at it." Say, here's the problem I've been wrestling with, mostly in terms of technical implementation but partly also blog-career-wise. The problem is: I have multiple interests. So I make parallel bloggable progress on multiple fronts, obviously sometimes more on one than another in any given timespan. So my blog ends up apparently scattered. This probably does little to attract interested readers, since they won't have all the same interests. As a reader of blogs, I find blogs on topics I like, and it's fine if each one's output is only occasional. Should I just run multiple blogs? That seems tedious. Are there Wordpress tricks or design choices to make sort-of-separate blogs, so readers can find the track they like? Any tips appreciated, O Purveyor and Inspirer of Blogging! (signed) Scattered in 831 “You can write more often and you can choose a topical area to focus on. — … — will gain a readership as long as you keep working at it.”

Say, here’s the problem I’ve been wrestling with, mostly in terms of technical implementation but partly also blog-career-wise. The problem is: I have multiple interests. So I make parallel bloggable progress on multiple fronts, obviously sometimes more on one than another in any given timespan. So my blog ends up apparently scattered. This probably does little to attract interested readers, since they won’t have all the same interests.

As a reader of blogs, I find blogs on topics I like, and it’s fine if each one’s output is only occasional.

Should I just run multiple blogs? That seems tedious. Are there Wordpress tricks or design choices to make sort-of-separate blogs, so readers can find the track they like?

Any tips appreciated, O Purveyor and Inspirer of Blogging!

(signed) Scattered in 831

]]>