Blogger Jim Hill has been blogging about Disney for years at www.jimhillmedia.com. Although Disney is his favorite subject, Mickey and his friends probably were not terribly happy with everything Jim had to say about the Disney corporate world on his site. Things got a bit nasty when Jim blogged on the the well-known dispute over management:
Hill butted heads with the multimedia giant once before, at the 2004 shareholders' meeting in Philadelphia. Hill, who had been covering the leadership battle between Disney chief executive Michael Eisner and Roy Disney, was quoted in a Wall Street Journal article accompanied by a sketch of him. When he arrived at the meeting, Hill said company officials pulled his credentials. The incident happened in front of the press corps and he was on cable news the next day. Then as now, Hill's blog saw a Space Mountain-size spike in hits. Chicago Sun-Times
Hill ran into problems more recently because of an unofficial Disneyland tour he was arranging through his blog.
Once again, this demonstrates that it pays to find your blogging niche if you want to develop a large following.
Monday, April 25, 2005
Sunday, April 17, 2005
Serendipity .8 released
One of the best and most overlooked blogging platforms out there was upgraded on April 15.
Finally, after about 8 months of hard development and 6 beta releases the Serendipity Team is proud to finally release version 0.8 of Serendipity.
Many new and important features have been introduced, the core code has been made much more flexible, our code is polished up and many bugs and security issues were addressed.
Serendipity is one of my top five blog software programs. Take a look HERE for a list of the many features and then download a copy for yourself. It's free and it's good.
Finally, after about 8 months of hard development and 6 beta releases the Serendipity Team is proud to finally release version 0.8 of Serendipity.
Many new and important features have been introduced, the core code has been made much more flexible, our code is polished up and many bugs and security issues were addressed.
Serendipity is one of my top five blog software programs. Take a look HERE for a list of the many features and then download a copy for yourself. It's free and it's good.
Saturday, April 16, 2005
Is your blog PC?
Politically correct, that is.
Do you have an obligation to make your blog accessible to the handicapped? What if a blind person wants to read your blog. Do you have a way to reasonably accommodate your blind readers? It isn't as far-fetched as you might think. Southwest Airlines has already been sued because they have not made their Website accessible to the blind.
This isn't the first lawsuit alleging that the ADA applies to the Internet. In 1999, the National Federation of the Blind sued AOL alleging that its service was inaccessible to blind users. Earlier this year, Access Now sued Barnes & Noble and Claire's Stores alleging that both websites violated the ADA. Both cases settled out of court. WiredNews
But here's the question I've not been able to get answered after looking at these pending lawsuits: how exactly do you make a site accessible to the blind? I mean, come on, what technology are we expected to employ?
Apparently, all you have to do to be able to sue is make the claim that a site discriminates simply by virtue of the fact that the visually impaired cannot see it. So what suggestions are made for ways to make the Internet accessible to those who cannot see it? None that I can find. I suppose if you required all Web site to have streaming audio for everything that is displayed, including audio descriptions of all graphics, maybe that could work. Of course, it could also put the Web pretty much out of business as ways to handle the bandwidth demands and the expense are dealt with.
Do you have an obligation to make your blog accessible to the handicapped? What if a blind person wants to read your blog. Do you have a way to reasonably accommodate your blind readers? It isn't as far-fetched as you might think. Southwest Airlines has already been sued because they have not made their Website accessible to the blind.
This isn't the first lawsuit alleging that the ADA applies to the Internet. In 1999, the National Federation of the Blind sued AOL alleging that its service was inaccessible to blind users. Earlier this year, Access Now sued Barnes & Noble and Claire's Stores alleging that both websites violated the ADA. Both cases settled out of court. WiredNews
But here's the question I've not been able to get answered after looking at these pending lawsuits: how exactly do you make a site accessible to the blind? I mean, come on, what technology are we expected to employ?
Apparently, all you have to do to be able to sue is make the claim that a site discriminates simply by virtue of the fact that the visually impaired cannot see it. So what suggestions are made for ways to make the Internet accessible to those who cannot see it? None that I can find. I suppose if you required all Web site to have streaming audio for everything that is displayed, including audio descriptions of all graphics, maybe that could work. Of course, it could also put the Web pretty much out of business as ways to handle the bandwidth demands and the expense are dealt with.
Saturday, April 09, 2005
"Blogger sucks" gets 6,500 Google hits
Despite some claims that searching on "blogger sucks" (with the quote marks) will get 700,000 hits, the point is still well taken. The fact that Blogger is getting so much bad press should prompt the Blogger/Google folks to take some action.
It's getting a little nasty out there.
In a post called "Blogger Stinks," Ryan McReynolds, who shares his views on life, God, intimacy, politics and media philosophy, wrote: "I'm getting really tired of all the glitches and hiccups of Blogger. You may have noticed double posts at times on this blog. That's because you never know whether clicking something on Blogger will actually accomplish what is intended. Lately it seems like clicking does nothing but bring up a 'document contains no data.' Maddening." --WiredNews
It's getting a little nasty out there.
In a post called "Blogger Stinks," Ryan McReynolds, who shares his views on life, God, intimacy, politics and media philosophy, wrote: "I'm getting really tired of all the glitches and hiccups of Blogger. You may have noticed double posts at times on this blog. That's because you never know whether clicking something on Blogger will actually accomplish what is intended. Lately it seems like clicking does nothing but bring up a 'document contains no data.' Maddening." --WiredNews
Friday, April 08, 2005
Fake Windows update circulating
There is apparently an email campaign going on to infect your computer with a new virus.
The legitimate looking email seems to come from Microsoft and invites the reader to go to the Microsoft update site to get access to the latest security updates. The site seems to be a good copy of Microsoft's Web site and lures the visitor into downloading a Windows security patch.
But should unsuspecting users download the bogus patches, they will infect their computers with the Troj/DSNX-05 Trojan horse, according to Sophos. That, in turn, will let the attackers remotely take control of the infected PC. ZDNet
Microsoft is quick to point out that they never contact users by email for security updates.
The legitimate looking email seems to come from Microsoft and invites the reader to go to the Microsoft update site to get access to the latest security updates. The site seems to be a good copy of Microsoft's Web site and lures the visitor into downloading a Windows security patch.
But should unsuspecting users download the bogus patches, they will infect their computers with the Troj/DSNX-05 Trojan horse, according to Sophos. That, in turn, will let the attackers remotely take control of the infected PC. ZDNet
Microsoft is quick to point out that they never contact users by email for security updates.
Sunday, April 03, 2005
Gmail goes to 2 gigs
Google announced recently that the one gigabyte storage limit for Gmail will be increased to two gigabytes.
Of course, the big question is "When is Gmail going to be public?"
Makes you wonder why they keep improving the service, but make people beg to get invitations to use the service. Wouldn't it make more sense to move out of the "beta" stage before doubling the storage? Google will not discuss when, or even if, Gmail will be public.
Asked whether access to Gmail accounts would ever be totally open, Harik declined to answer. "We keep looking for ways to make it more broadly available to people who want to use it," he said. --PCWorld Australia
Of course, the big question is "When is Gmail going to be public?"
Makes you wonder why they keep improving the service, but make people beg to get invitations to use the service. Wouldn't it make more sense to move out of the "beta" stage before doubling the storage? Google will not discuss when, or even if, Gmail will be public.
Asked whether access to Gmail accounts would ever be totally open, Harik declined to answer. "We keep looking for ways to make it more broadly available to people who want to use it," he said. --PCWorld Australia
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Blogs in Action feature
There is an interesting (and long) article on blogging via Corante. The article is by Suw Charman and basically is what she brought home from the Blogs in Action seminar put on by the Six-Apart folks. One of the seminar speakers was lawyer David Carr who had this to say about libel:
In 97, someone pretending to be one Dr Godfrey posted to a Usenet group and said lots of horrible things about him, the real Dr Godfrey took the view that the comments were libellous. Faxed Demon internet, and asked them to take it down. Demon said it's nothing to do with them, they were just hosters. Godfrey took Demon to court and won - Demon said they were innocent carriers. But that only works up to the point that they have received notice of the libel. Because Dr Godfrey had noticed them, and not taken down the posting, they lost their defence.
Law does not require you to police your comments - if someone leaves a libellous comments, you are not necessarily obliged to do something about it unless someone notifies you, and then you must take it down. Difficulty is what is a plausible complaint and what is silly and frivolous. Puts blog owners in difficult position, because they will remove the offending item rather than face a lawsuit, although implication that someone wrote something libellous could also be interpreted as libellous.
In 97, someone pretending to be one Dr Godfrey posted to a Usenet group and said lots of horrible things about him, the real Dr Godfrey took the view that the comments were libellous. Faxed Demon internet, and asked them to take it down. Demon said it's nothing to do with them, they were just hosters. Godfrey took Demon to court and won - Demon said they were innocent carriers. But that only works up to the point that they have received notice of the libel. Because Dr Godfrey had noticed them, and not taken down the posting, they lost their defence.
Law does not require you to police your comments - if someone leaves a libellous comments, you are not necessarily obliged to do something about it unless someone notifies you, and then you must take it down. Difficulty is what is a plausible complaint and what is silly and frivolous. Puts blog owners in difficult position, because they will remove the offending item rather than face a lawsuit, although implication that someone wrote something libellous could also be interpreted as libellous.
Thursday, March 17, 2005
Yahoo joins blogging
Yahoo announced a beta version of its new blog service called Yahoo 360. The release will be by invitation only at first until some testing is done.
There was talk about this back when Microsoft released MSN Spaces. Spaces, as you may recall, got some big publicity at release time and then faded into obscurity. I'm not sure how Spaces is doing these days. One problem with Spaces is that it has a "me too" feel to it.
One of the interesting features of Yahoo 360 is the ability of the blogger to restrict who can view their blog. I know at least a few people are interested in this feature since it has been the topic of a few posts here at Blogger Forum.
Available March 29, the free test will integrate Yahoo's existing products, such as instant messenger, photos, local search, music and groups with new offerings such as blogs, mobile blogs and sharing tools for recommending movies, restaurants and other items. --CNN
Both Spaces and Yahoo 360 are geared more towards the personal blog meant for sharing within circles of friends.
There was talk about this back when Microsoft released MSN Spaces. Spaces, as you may recall, got some big publicity at release time and then faded into obscurity. I'm not sure how Spaces is doing these days. One problem with Spaces is that it has a "me too" feel to it.
One of the interesting features of Yahoo 360 is the ability of the blogger to restrict who can view their blog. I know at least a few people are interested in this feature since it has been the topic of a few posts here at Blogger Forum.
Available March 29, the free test will integrate Yahoo's existing products, such as instant messenger, photos, local search, music and groups with new offerings such as blogs, mobile blogs and sharing tools for recommending movies, restaurants and other items. --CNN
Both Spaces and Yahoo 360 are geared more towards the personal blog meant for sharing within circles of friends.
Sunday, March 13, 2005
World view of bloggers
Here's one of the fascinating aspects of blogging: seeing "unofficial" opinions of the world from new viewpoints.
For example, the view of Iran from Venezuela.
VCRISIS, with the tagline "Venezuelan News and Analysis, has a recent blog about the visit to Venezuela by Iranian President Khatami. Outside Venezuela, people might wonder why Iran's decision to go forward with it's nuclear capability is officially supported. Sometimes it takes a blogger to get the unofficial view:
"Fresh from insulting people's intelligence in France, Chavez arrived in the same mood to receive Khatami, calling his visit a 'blessing' for Venezuelans. Well, not this Venezuelan blogger who can hardly see how a theocracy ruling a country where it forces women to wear veils and limits all sorts of Human Rights can be a blessing anywhere. But it seems that in the Chavez new world order, enmity toward the US is the high mark of civilization. Indeed, Iran's Khatami, a failure in his promise of moderate liberation at home, eventually caving in to the conservative Mullah, is certainly not going to criticize the repression being installed in Venezuela where the press is getting its tchador as bloggers wonder if their fate will be like the Irani bloggers."
For example, the view of Iran from Venezuela.
VCRISIS, with the tagline "Venezuelan News and Analysis, has a recent blog about the visit to Venezuela by Iranian President Khatami. Outside Venezuela, people might wonder why Iran's decision to go forward with it's nuclear capability is officially supported. Sometimes it takes a blogger to get the unofficial view:
"Fresh from insulting people's intelligence in France, Chavez arrived in the same mood to receive Khatami, calling his visit a 'blessing' for Venezuelans. Well, not this Venezuelan blogger who can hardly see how a theocracy ruling a country where it forces women to wear veils and limits all sorts of Human Rights can be a blessing anywhere. But it seems that in the Chavez new world order, enmity toward the US is the high mark of civilization. Indeed, Iran's Khatami, a failure in his promise of moderate liberation at home, eventually caving in to the conservative Mullah, is certainly not going to criticize the repression being installed in Venezuela where the press is getting its tchador as bloggers wonder if their fate will be like the Irani bloggers."
Monday, February 28, 2005
Blog graduate course
I suppose this had to happen, the University of California at Berkeley is supposedly offering a graduate course in blogging. The course would be part of the school's college of journalism.
Is blogging a form of journalism, a form of self-satisfied egotistic key-tapping, or some mix? Judge for yourself and take a look at Sales Master World for one take on this and then at ktheory for a blogger's perspective.
While you're looking around, see if you can find any substantiation for the existence of the class at Berkeley.
The Sales Master World has some good reading including this: "To a large extent, bloggers are more interested in a point of view or the power of an idea than they are 'readers.' While the thought of a worldwide audience is certainly an ego rush, many bloggers would continue blogging for an audience of one. Think less about what I can do for you and more about what you can do for me."
Is blogging a form of journalism, a form of self-satisfied egotistic key-tapping, or some mix? Judge for yourself and take a look at Sales Master World for one take on this and then at ktheory for a blogger's perspective.
While you're looking around, see if you can find any substantiation for the existence of the class at Berkeley.
The Sales Master World has some good reading including this: "To a large extent, bloggers are more interested in a point of view or the power of an idea than they are 'readers.' While the thought of a worldwide audience is certainly an ego rush, many bloggers would continue blogging for an audience of one. Think less about what I can do for you and more about what you can do for me."
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