Jun 8: blogs.oracle.com, Oracle Ace, OTN, does any of it matter?
Many of you will remember the ongoing shenanigans around Justin Kestelyn's complaints about how Oracle is perceived by the Web 2.0 community. I had my little rant and, having thought it through for longer and talked to a few friends, had already been planning on revisiting the subject soon with some new thoughts. (This could take a while, so I might spread it over two parts.)
Then I noticed a comment on a posting about an Oracle Ace award from Kevin Closson a couple of days ago.
"Hell, I'm still trying to figure out why they yanked my blog ref from blogs.oracle.com"
I suggested Kevin get in touch with OTN but he was right to point out that it's not entirely obvious who you would contact if you want to raise something like this. In the end, Kevin blogged about it and he's on there now. Whatever the criteria for inclusion might be, it's blindingly obvious that Kevin meets them.
He was labelled a 'DBA' at first, but I see that's been changed to 'Architect' now. Personally, as a DBA, I thought the DBA moniker was an unexpected promotion for him and Mogens Norgaard!
Anyway, enough of the fun, there are some important issues here in Kevin's genuinely interesting blog. I'm going to deal with his blog bottom-to-top, because I feel like it!So, the popularity contest ...
What does that Technorati sample in Kevin's blog say to me? In the end, the natural democracy (anarchy?) of the net will win through. Because both Jonathan Lewis and Kevin are writing interesting things that people want to read and then tell their friends and colleagues about, they'll become popular quite naturally and, as Kevin points out, very quickly. Being on blogs.oracle.com or otnsemanticweb might bring in a few readers here and there, but I suspect word of mouth is more important. The public get what the public want (even if it happens to be to their detriment sometimes) and the Oracle community can recognise when someone knows what they're talking about. Who's a better judge of Kevin's community contribution - OTN or the community at large?
Who really cares if your blog is included on blogs.oracle.com or not? People are never going to believe this, but I can only tell you the truth. I'm spectacularly uninterested in my Technorati 'ranking'. The only time I'm really aware of it is when Andy C mentions this stuff occasionally - that man is obsessive! Is it really so weird to just write what you want to write, have a good time doing it and occasionally help someone a little bit (although I tend to leave that to others who do the job better)? It's what millions of 'Indie' bands do, as well as the more natural bed-fellows of bloggers - fanzine writers. They write for their own little publications because they like it that way and don't *want* a job with 'Rolling Stone' or the 'NME'.
Actually, I have a theory about this. Maybe part of the reason I'm within a million miles of the 'Top 10' of Oracle blogs is precisely because I *don't* care too much? There's a weird, contrary logic in there somewhere. The only action I can ever remember taking to promote this blog was to get syndicated on orablogs.com and if there's anyone who really got this community going, it was Brian Duff. Otherwise people might never have known about some of the blogs that were out there.
There's only one thing I worry about with my blog - the lack of technical content - and I have plans to rectify that.
Even that's interesting, though, because maybe the reason people read this blog is precisely because it doesn't have the 'authority' or 'technical content' of other blogs, but because everyone just wants a bit of fluff! (Or should that be 'fur'?) As Kevin finishes ....
" Now, just to put things into perspective, consider a true Web 2.0 phenomenon: I CAN HAS CHEEZBURGER. This site—which has a Technorati authority of 5,025 and rank of 98—is proof positive that the Internet and social networking are as mainstream as Pet Trusts(for real), designer pet supplies, fluffy with a sniffle, pets with stress and of course Barbi with a scooper."
Precisely. Main-stream *and* uncontrolled!
Yeah, I'm going to need another blog posting for this subject ...
P.S. I should have mentioned this before. I'm working at a big finance company with no time during the day to blog, deal with personal email or respond to blog comments. So, if it takes a while for me to catch up with those things, please don't be offended, I have normal life to deal with too
#5 - Bill Thater 2007-06-08 13:56 - (Reply)
but i *like* i can has cheesburger,;-)
me, i'm just happy to read all the good stuff around even if wher i work won't let me try any of it.
#10 - Doug Burns said:
2007-06-08 17:21 - (Reply)
I take exception to your bold assertion ...
Who should I poke fun at? Those who can handle it
In fact, the statement is libelous and you will be hearing from my lawyers shortly.
Yeah, yeah ... bring it on, geek-boy!
#12 - Doug Burns said:
2007-06-08 17:32 - (Reply)
but i *like* i can has cheesburger,;-)
Who said I didn't?
I'm not a regular visitor, but Kevin's blog probably made it shoot up the charts another notch!
#17 - Doug Burns said:
2007-06-09 00:33 - (Reply)
... it's part of my job to care! That doesn't mean *you* have to though.
Absolutely. It's better for someone to care than not at all but hey, we might be hard work but that's what makes us so loveable, right?
In the end, enough people are passionate about Oracle technology to make this happen all by itself, but I don't think there's any harm in Oracle publicising the story.
OK, I finally have a few technical things worth blogging about, so let me get this non-technical one wrapped up first. Here's part 1.The other part of Kevin's blog that was very relevant to my recent musings was the section titled 'Aristocracy or Meritoc
Tracked: Jun 10, 11:19