Tuesday, September 27, 2005
On Carnivals, Capitalists, and Technophiles
By Thursday I’ll have entered three Carnivals (two Computing, one Capitalist). I’m amazed at how well received the Computing Carnival has gone, especially with Robert Scoble and Instapundit (you are both “the men”) have helped. But this isn’t the topic of the post, is it? No.
Today I got two Instalanches. Check out wikipedia’s deffiniton of a Slashdot Effect if you’re unsure of an Instalanche. Basically, it’s when someone with tons more web traffic than you has a link to your site, sending their traffic to you.
I was astounded earlier today. You see, I proposed to Jay at Accidental Verbosity that due to a “communications error” (read someone hijacked somebody else) I’d be more than willing to host the Carnival of the Capitalists (“CotC” for the uninitiated). The other emergency blogger (whom I belive has taken the 10/31 responsibility), couldn’t make the time, so there I was, two Carnivals, three days.
Not ten lines into writing CotC, I noticed that I was in the middle of an “Instalanche”. All day I had been going through a “Scobleanche” (and it would be rude for me to not link to Robert Scoble) so I thought nothing of it.
Then I got pissed.
Why? I was afraid someone had figured out the link to my draft of CotC, gave it to Glenn Reynolds, and that Glenn let it run. I took a moment and noticed the URL: Carnival of Computing. Holy Shit! Glenn got to it a few days late, but noticed my new Carnival! Then the good old Catholic guilt came over me.
Two Instalanches in one day. Doesn’t someone out there desrve more attention than I? It’s been months since I’ve given an actual update to my sight, when out of nowhere I return due to living through Hurrricane Katrina. And to this! Popularity? Probably not. Just someone with a few good ideas at the right time.
Though I may be close to “Carnival”ed out, Thursday will see another Carnival of Computing. Earlier I thought it was nearly ready, but remembering what it’s like to host the CotC, it isn’t nearly enough. Not enough participants, not enough depth, you name it, it’s lacking. If you frequent a site that deals heavily in technology (or even if it’s some guy/gal who writes about something tech oriented once a week) have them (or take it upon yourself to) get in touch with me.
The people that I try to highlight with the Carnival of Computing are both qualified and little known. They need the traffic even more than I (and I’m not going to lie, I need the traffic), though if someone must be a catalyst and dedicate a few hours of their week to find them, then I am proud that it’s me. Do the right thing, everyone. Click an ad on their websites. Email them to let them know their strengths/faults/logic/illogic. In the past two weeks, the number of people I’ve reached out to, and who have reached out to me, have been astounding. I ask you to make new friends, discover new people who share similar tastes, even if it be a hobby.
As I’ve learned from hosting the Carnival of the Capitalists, there is so much information people showcased in the Carnival of Computing can learn, and vise versa. We need to hold each other in high regards, we Capitalists and Computerists (*note to self: do not make up words).
*To Capitalists: do you want another technology bubble burst or not? To say that Technologists are uninformed and uneducated as to how the economy as a whole works is an apparent understatement. As a member of both groups, I urge you to get in touch with someone on the tech side of the spectrum. Remind them not only of how important their job is to you, but as it is to the world (Wikipedia, Firefox, Opera, and a host of others must be mentioned here!). A capitalists sees the benefits to alliances, and as far as the 21st century goes, these are the most important.
*To Technologists: don’t get arrogant, especially you Open Source folks. There are ways of providing jobs to those who are qualified whether or not you’re an Open Source parent or a Closed Source program’s employee. While I’m happy to see a balance between both the OSS and CS religions, we need to work together, amongst ourselves, before we become close to considered as non-volitale to investors, as well as Venture Capitalists.
Together we can make a difference, especially in these modern times. Divided we will never achieve the heights that we are destined to attain, nor will we ever find a common ground (only finding each other in contempt).
Not all Capitalists are M$ types, and not all Technologists are Ubuntu/Gentoo/OSS fanatics. And even if we are, we can yet see eye to eye. If we differ politically, socially, or otherwise, let us at least be mature enough to see beyond that, and form a strategic alliance that is due for a rebirth.
Today I got two Instalanches. Check out wikipedia’s deffiniton of a Slashdot Effect if you’re unsure of an Instalanche. Basically, it’s when someone with tons more web traffic than you has a link to your site, sending their traffic to you.
I was astounded earlier today. You see, I proposed to Jay at Accidental Verbosity that due to a “communications error” (read someone hijacked somebody else) I’d be more than willing to host the Carnival of the Capitalists (“CotC” for the uninitiated). The other emergency blogger (whom I belive has taken the 10/31 responsibility), couldn’t make the time, so there I was, two Carnivals, three days.
Not ten lines into writing CotC, I noticed that I was in the middle of an “Instalanche”. All day I had been going through a “Scobleanche” (and it would be rude for me to not link to Robert Scoble) so I thought nothing of it.
Then I got pissed.
Why? I was afraid someone had figured out the link to my draft of CotC, gave it to Glenn Reynolds, and that Glenn let it run. I took a moment and noticed the URL: Carnival of Computing. Holy Shit! Glenn got to it a few days late, but noticed my new Carnival! Then the good old Catholic guilt came over me.
Two Instalanches in one day. Doesn’t someone out there desrve more attention than I? It’s been months since I’ve given an actual update to my sight, when out of nowhere I return due to living through Hurrricane Katrina. And to this! Popularity? Probably not. Just someone with a few good ideas at the right time.
Though I may be close to “Carnival”ed out, Thursday will see another Carnival of Computing. Earlier I thought it was nearly ready, but remembering what it’s like to host the CotC, it isn’t nearly enough. Not enough participants, not enough depth, you name it, it’s lacking. If you frequent a site that deals heavily in technology (or even if it’s some guy/gal who writes about something tech oriented once a week) have them (or take it upon yourself to) get in touch with me.
The people that I try to highlight with the Carnival of Computing are both qualified and little known. They need the traffic even more than I (and I’m not going to lie, I need the traffic), though if someone must be a catalyst and dedicate a few hours of their week to find them, then I am proud that it’s me. Do the right thing, everyone. Click an ad on their websites. Email them to let them know their strengths/faults/logic/illogic. In the past two weeks, the number of people I’ve reached out to, and who have reached out to me, have been astounding. I ask you to make new friends, discover new people who share similar tastes, even if it be a hobby.
As I’ve learned from hosting the Carnival of the Capitalists, there is so much information people showcased in the Carnival of Computing can learn, and vise versa. We need to hold each other in high regards, we Capitalists and Computerists (*note to self: do not make up words).
*To Capitalists: do you want another technology bubble burst or not? To say that Technologists are uninformed and uneducated as to how the economy as a whole works is an apparent understatement. As a member of both groups, I urge you to get in touch with someone on the tech side of the spectrum. Remind them not only of how important their job is to you, but as it is to the world (Wikipedia, Firefox, Opera, and a host of others must be mentioned here!). A capitalists sees the benefits to alliances, and as far as the 21st century goes, these are the most important.
*To Technologists: don’t get arrogant, especially you Open Source folks. There are ways of providing jobs to those who are qualified whether or not you’re an Open Source parent or a Closed Source program’s employee. While I’m happy to see a balance between both the OSS and CS religions, we need to work together, amongst ourselves, before we become close to considered as non-volitale to investors, as well as Venture Capitalists.
Together we can make a difference, especially in these modern times. Divided we will never achieve the heights that we are destined to attain, nor will we ever find a common ground (only finding each other in contempt).
Not all Capitalists are M$ types, and not all Technologists are Ubuntu/Gentoo/OSS fanatics. And even if we are, we can yet see eye to eye. If we differ politically, socially, or otherwise, let us at least be mature enough to see beyond that, and form a strategic alliance that is due for a rebirth.
