March 26, 2004
Finally Donated to MovableType -- A Blogging Look-back
Posted by Larry Karnowski at March 26, 2004 2:29 PMSo, after --what? almost eighteen months -- I finally get around to donating to MovableType, the fine software that runs my, my brother's, and my best friend's blogs here at HickoryWind.org. Yeah, I'm a slacker.
What does this get me? Well, for one, I get to support a couple of cool, hard-working people I really enjoyed meeting -- Ben and Mena Trott, and I get a key so that now when I update this ol' blog, you get to see me on MovableType.org's Recently Updated list. Mostly I'm just glad to give a little something back to the software that I've really enjoyed using (for free!) for a year and a half. I should've done it after two months, no question.
The Trotts wrote MovableType, and they also run TypePad, a blog-hosting site I've referred several folks to including Sarah and Stacy. I've referred several others, but they've opted for less-cool, for-free hosts. But let's face it, free is in a very real way very cool. I consider the Trotts, through MT and TypePad, the major commercial/social force in blog-dom, no matter what Dave Whiner thinks of himself. (No link for Dave.)
I met Ben and Mena at OSCON 2002 in San Diego when I was giving a presentation there. (Ah! My 15 minutes...) (BTW, the guy in green in the pic on the OSCON 2002 site is my buddy, Garrett.) I'd heard of blogs before, but I thought they were a bit too.... I feel silly saying this, especially since most of you know me so well, but... self-centered for me. At that time they were just barely more than online diaries. But I decided to go to their blogging presentation to get an idea of what it was all about. (Okay, I'll admit it, I went because I thought Mena was cute, and because I figured Ben and Mena were brother/sister, not married. Lots of people have thought this, making them the "White Stripes of the blogging world".)
Anyway, I really enjoyed the presentation. The whole RSS/RDF web syndication and TrackBack thing was blowing my mind. I thought this might be the next big wave of the Internet! I have to tell you that all the work I've put into my blog has completely made me rethink web content in general, and has really shaped the way I (professionally) think about web software. Not to mention that MT is a great CSS tutorial... I've definitely learned alot by reading Mena's stylesheets. Wow! All that for free!
There was something that Mena told me that really stuck with me, though, and I'm just now realizing the significance of it. (And I'll be honest, they don't remember me, so I'm name-dropping here, sorry.) I remember saying that I thought the Internet was too cold and lonely a place for this kind of community/social interaction stuff to happen. Mena said that she thought that comment odd, since she was keeping in constant touch with friends and "cool people" through their blogs. "I have to go over and see what so-and-so's up to, or I'll be behind!"
Over the past eighteen months, that's definitely what the web has become to me. I've seen several friends and family members get onto the web. I've met several people through it since then -- and no, not on personals sites, thank you -- but from my own site. Pretty cool. Not a bad hobby.
Oh, and I get to gush and bitch about music, ad nauseum! Very much worth my meager (to me) MovableType donation, indeed. Thanks Ben and Mena! You rock!
(But the real reason I'm donating today? I guess 'cause I've got deadlines today... and I'm procastinating.)
San Diego Is the Shiznit. I'm never leaving.
Posted by: urpster at March 26, 2004 5:10 PMSo, that means that I'll have to fork out heaps of dinero and likely end up ill just to see you guys, doesn't it, Keith? *sigh*
Posted by: tiffy lou at March 26, 2004 5:20 PMYou know, Keith, I was not all that impressed with San Diego. It was pretty, very pretty, but the people there... I just wasn't hip enough to live in San Diego, I guess. Portland Oregon, though, I really liked. (But I wasn't there in the rainy season, though, so gotta keep that in mind.)
Of course, I'm a little biased when it comes to San Diego since my ex-wife was from there... ick!
Posted by: larry at March 26, 2004 6:10 PMNeb lied!! embarrassing story please!!
Posted by: Mom at March 26, 2004 8:17 PMI love the people here everyone is so nice. As far as not fitting in everyone here fits in there is no such thing as an outsider. Bankers and Bums share a table out an out door cafe. I've not done Portland but I loved Seattle. I guess I'm just a west coaster by heart. I always sorta knew that though. I would be happy to never go farther east then New Mexico.
Posted by: urpster at March 27, 2004 5:15 PMI can't help it if you got sick both times you came. I wasn't even here the last time. i know Tn doesn't like me. I've been on a plane that was hit by lightning 3 times. Always hit turbulence and heavy storms. Oh yeah and the nasty tornado that demolished Crossville. I think thats a pretty clear sign.
Posted by: urpster at March 27, 2004 5:19 PMI know it's not your fault. Did I blame YOU?? No sir....its the state that's out to get me. And it is a shame. It's not all that bad. A little dusty, but not bad. I'll just load up on vitamins...wait, no vitamins. I'm certain that's why I've gotten sick...always two weeks after I start taking them I get sicker than ever! Bad vitamins. Maybe it's not Cali. I'll try to brave it again one day.
Posted by: Tiffy Lou at March 29, 2004 6:36 PMMaybe you can come visit me in Korea. Did you get the amphibious option on your new ride?
Posted by: urpster at March 30, 2004 3:05 AMUnfortunately, no. It's got no fun gadgets...I'll save those for when I can afford them. Say, 57 years, maybe? I'd actually come to Korea if I could! That would be a blast. I'll start saving...
Posted by: tiffy lou at March 30, 2004 5:25 PMwonderful pages. really great. i feel great if i´m here.
