Comments on Essential Blogging

I know that Essential Blogging is a good book (ok -- I'm biased -- I wrote roughly 25% of it).  Here's a short review:

"A very clear overview of blogs and blogging...an exceptionally practical text designed to establish a sound foundation in blogging."--Major Keary, Book News No. 16, 2002

Unfortunately I don't have a hyperlink to the review.  Still that's a pretty nice review. [_Go_]

5:17:05 PM      Google It!   comment []    IM Me About This   

If You Love Your Tivo then Contact the FCC!  Even I Did It

I see that folks like Dave and Scoble love their Tivos and I hope they make their voices heard by following the directions below.  The FCC has received very few comments which means we could well get digital content controls right in the TV set -- and then it'll be a short time until they hit the PC.  Covered below is what to do.  And, yes, even I bothered to do this (and I'm like the most politically unmotivated person on the planet.

DigitalConsumer.org Action Alert:
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Please send a comment to the FCC opposing the "Broadcast Flag" Proposal. The deadline is this Friday, December 6, 2002. Tell the FCC to Serve the Public, Not Hollywood. We are sending you this action alert because the FCC is going to be ruling shortly on a "broadcast flag" for digital television. If you enjoy watching or recording television, this decision will have a large impact on you. You have a chance to make your voice heard, but time is running out. Please send a comment opposing the "Broadcast Flag" proposal. The deadline for comment is Friday, December 6.

Click here to make your voice heard. [_Go_]

Please forward this alert to any other people who might think that this issue is important.

What is happening:
-----------------------

Hollywood is pushing the Federal Communications Commission to forcibly implant copy-protection technology in digital television receivers.  The FCC is weighing a plan to mandate this "broadcast flag" which will govern what you are allowed to do with the digital television you receive.

According to Hollywood, the goal is to prevent unauthorized retransmission and copying of digital television over the Internet.  Unfortunately, the real impact of the broadcast flag will be much greater than what Hollywood admits.

Declan McCullagh, a leading industry analyst, had the following to say about the Broadcast flag proposal:

"This is a worrisome plan that, if adopted by the FCC, could lead to increased government regulation of technology and reduced fair use rights. The idea is that digital TV transmissions will include a 'broadcast flag' designating shows that may not be copied freely"

The broadcast flag will likely take away many of the fair-use rights you've historically had -- all in the name of preventing piracy. But unfortunately, piracy will not be stopped by the broadcast flag. With file-sharing networks, a TV program that is cracked just one time will propagate freely across the Internet. You are being asked to sacrifice your rights for a technology that will not stop theft.

There are several sources of additional information:

• News.com Article
• TectTV
• EFF Blogs
• Freedom to Tinker
• CDT

Here is the FCC's Notice of Proposed Rule Making: [_PDF_]

Please make your voice heard.

Sincerely,
Joe Kraus, Co-Founder DigitalConsumer.org

5:15:43 PM      Google It!   comment []    IM Me About This   

Dear Scott, What's the Best Blog Tool?

Here's a paraphrase of an email I got recently. 

Dear Scott,

What's the best blog tool for me?

Thx

X

How high is up?  What makes the sky blue?  How may bloggers can dance on the head of an infinitely expanding pin?  That's a tough question to answer.  Here are two good resources I didn't have to send to this person when they asked:

• Blog comparison tool [_Go_] -- select up to 5 blog tools, say Radio versus Movable Type versus Drupal versus CityDesk and compare them [_Example_]
• Al McIntyre on blog tools [_Go_] -- a comprehensive cross linked list.  Thanks!

7:13:23 AM      Google It!   comment []    IM Me About This   

Hm... Ryze is Interesting

On the advice of Sooz, Matt Mower and John Engler I just signed up for Ryze.  Ryze is an online networking community broken into a series of distinct "tribes".  There's a tribe for bloggers also where I found several people that I regularly read and are on my blogroll[_Go_].  Here's my Ryze page if you care [_Go_].

6:52:28 AM      Google It!   comment []    IM Me About This   

Heh.  Scoble's Back

After quite the hiatus, Scoble's back and for some reason the very first thing that popped into my head this morning was old, bad disco.  A wee bit of googling and my 1st post of the day.  So here goes -- my apologies to Gloria Gaynor [_Go_]

"The Bloggers Version of I Will Survive"

At first I was afraid, I was petrified
Kept thinkin’ I could never live without you by my side
But then I spent so many nights thinkin’ how you went away
And I grew strong and I learned how to get along

And so you’re back from outer space
I just walked in to find your blog with those silly words on its face
I should have changed that stupid link, I should have never checked again
If I’d have known for just one second you’d back to bother me

* So go on now, go leave the blog
Just turn around now ‘cause you’re not welcome anymore
Weren’t you the one who tried to hurt me with no posts
Did you think I’d crumble, did you think I’d lay down and stop?

** Oh, no, not I-I will survive
Oh, as long as I know how to type I know I’ll stay alive
I’ve got all my life to blog and I’ve got all my words to give
And I’ll survive, I will survive, hey, hey

It took all the strength I had just to find some new blogs
Kept tryin’ hard to mend the pieces of my broken heart
And I spent, oh, so many nights just wondering where you were
I used to cry, but now I hold my head up high

And you see me, somebody new
I’m not that chained up little blogger still reading you
And so you feel like droppin’ in and just expect me to read
But now I’m savin’ all my linking’ for someone who’s writin'

[Repeat * , **]

[Repeat * , **]

[Repeat * , **]

Seriously ... Welcome back dude!  We've (well I've missed you).  Oh and given your comments about "wacky religions", it is an amusing parallel that I'm linking to a post you wrote about "wacky religions" and rewriting lyrics of a performer who's apparently now quite religious. [_Go_]

5:54:40 AM      Google It!   comment []    IM Me About This