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TR blogs are dead. Long live TR blogs.

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24 replies

by Jay Garmon

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Just a heads up. In our continually evolving plans for the the TR Revamp, a slight bombshell was agreed upon recently: We're killing TR blogs.

And then, we're launching TR blogs.

Screwy, eh?

Short version: We're getting out of the business of competing with Livejournal and Blogger as an "anybody who wants to can blog" platform. Individual member blogs will go away, and for those that want it, we'll provide a method for extracting any submitted blog entries from the system before we remove it.

Instead, we're adopting the highly sucessful ZDNet model of a blog-based TR editorial page, where handpicked All-Star contributers blog about particular topics on a regular basis. We'll cover about 8-12 topics (Windows, Linux, Networking, Programming, etc.) with 3-5 bloggers per topic, and some bloggers might cover multiple topics. (I get my own Geekend blog to play with.)

So, for those of you who have blogged loyally and regularly (both of you) and are all upset about us taking your toys away--would you want to join a TR Topic blog? The new system would have all kinds of extra features (video blogging, podcast support, maybe a spell checker) and each topic would get its own TR newsletter to promote it. We definitely want some frontline members who are actaully doing the work they blog about on the new roster, rather than just a collection of pro writers who haven't actually written code or secured a network since the days of the Apple Lisa.

Oh, and we're thinking about maybe paying our bloggers. If so, it would be on a pay-for-performance basis, so the more pageviews you generate, the more money you'd get. That part is still being hammered out, so for now I'd only be taking applications for those willing to work for fame and glory, rather than actual cash. We can't make you rich, just mildly famous.

So, any nominations or volunteers?

24 replies

by tig2

Let me know. I enjoy writing and I know my subject matter.

But you have Tom Mochal- can't hold a flicker to his flame. Yes, I know- he writes articles. But still.

I would like to see you consider some Miscellaneous bloggers. We frequently see George's blog in the Misc category when I personally think he belongs in his primary subject matter. George writes well and covers a subject well. I think that the people whose primary interest is around his subject matter should be getting better access to his blogs- not just the Misc folks.

People want the cookies (as in chocolate chip) on a lower shelf. Often there is no time to hunt up the latest article or blog by your favourites.

Fame and glory? I write because I am motivated to write. You can't pay for that. I write so that I can check my views against popular thinking.

I don't blog here. No time lately- my passes on TR are hit or miss. And as we have all heard, no one reads them.

I DO read Apothenon's blogs. I would like to think that he will continue.

Payment for blogging? Intriguing. But a TR coffee cup? That is pretty big. You could get some real talent if you're offering them...

by apotheon

Are you referring to my TR blog or my off-site weblog (http://sob.apotheon.org)? The off-site one has been getting regular updates. The TR blog ended up being too much of a hassle to manage because of the interface, so I just set it up to aggregate content from my off-site weblog via RSS, but when that broke I just let it languish while I kept updating the off-site weblog.

I'd be interested in contributing to one of the topic-blogs on TR, especially if I got some filthy lucre for my efforts. The fact I got mentioned in the first comment that nominated someone else really warms the cockles of my heart, too -- even if I didn't notice this thread for about a month afterward.

by tig2

And when I have been able to find articles from you and anything else I can Google.

I like your style of writing and hope that TR takes that into consideration as well. I have some difficulty with some bloggers as their style seems to shout, "Look how FABULOUS I really am!"

I also like that you will take a subject matter by the horns and not worry how PC your delivery is. There is something about clear, concise writing that I can admire.

I now understand why your TR blog has been stagnant. I won't wonder about that any more.

by hal 9000

The Apple Lisa and the latest Hot Hardware that you [b]Must Have[/b] I guess that rules me out right?

Actually you might have a few problems with International payments unless you specify something like a Pay Pal Account to be paid into as these can become quite expensive for the company to pay particularly if there are only smallish sums involved.

Actually I don't have the time for Blogs so I don't use that Play Toy but I can see some others that do a couple of them should be here at TRI so maybe their input would be more useful. :)

Col

by Jay Garmon

We have article contributors from all ove rthe planet, and we have plenty of mechanisms in place to cut checks to almost anywhere. We have major offices in the UK, Australia and China, and I personally have worked with British, American and Ukrainian article writers.

With blogging, at least, I wouldn't have to convert Word Docs that have embedded foreign characters in them.

by jdclyde

it would cost TR a shirt AND a mug! :D

I do have a few projects that I was going to blog as I went through, and there are a FEW people that read what I write (even if it is only to point out typos!).

Shirt, black, size XL.

jd

by hal 9000

XXXXXXXXXXXXXLarge because I needs me coffee. :D

Something the size of a Keg with one end removed will do fine. :p

Col ]:)

by jmgarvin

Although I have to fit you in between my disertation work, work work, and WoW ;-)

I kid...I'm in and it sounds cool.*

* I know...I've been slacking on my blog, but honestly, writers block and brain lock have kept me from coming up with anything cool.

by hal 9000

So I would imagine that JD would want it mounted up high and have a straight IV line into him. :0

Though I don't think that it would be coffee that he wanted in it. :D

Col ]:)

by jdclyde

that way I can keep the rest in the freezer where they belong until needed! :D

Tried that for my avitar once, but it was too small to tell what it was. :(

by tony hopkinson

Come on, sort yourselves out, what am I meant to use Myspace.
I'd be happy to contribute, being paid for it unless you had LARGE sums in mind, probably not worth the hassle of sorting out the tax to be quite honest.

Have a think about you model as well, might benefit troll catchers more than serious contributors.

Might get you hits, but won't do your reputatuion any good.

by hal 9000

I'd just say donate the money to whatever Charity that's going that you are interested in.

When you do jobs like this I at least think it's more important to do the job right and worry about the money latter and if it's something outside my normal type of work I just get the people involved to donate money to my favourite charity. Mine are the Spina Bifita & Cancer Council but any would do quite well.

Col

by jardinier

Several members have PM'd me in regard to the non-technical items on my blog. I would miss this opportunity of sharing some of my non-technical articles with those few people who can relate to them.

by hal 9000

You are maybe the only regular in the US without a Mug but I can assure you that TR doesn't post Mugs outside the US because of the cost and risk of breakage.

Or maybe it's just that Jay thought that I was a [b]Big Mug[/b] already so he sent me a T Shirt. :D

Col ]:)

by jdclyde

ok, they am I the only regular in the world that didn't get either a mug [b]or[/b] a shirt? :p

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