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November 17, 2005

Open Source Confusion

Stop the ACLU rounds up reactions from the blogosphere, much of which is critical and skeptical.

RiehlWorldView is one of the skeptics, and has decided to remain an independent. Then again, he's got major-league traffic lately, and I'm not sure he'd have much to gain from aggregating with a host of (mostly) smaller blogs.

I don't know either way. I will say that, from the beginning, I never really understood what OSM was intended to be. I was one of the bloggers contacted for early sign-up -- I didn't really sign up; really they just wanted me to sign up so they could present potential investors with a list of blogs that might be involved in the thing when it launched -- and I never "got it."

Not to be too mercenary, but the only thing that I really understood and anticipated was the possibility of higher ad rates, something that I thought a bunch of big machers, backed by venture capital, might be able to swing. But as everyone now knows, the rates offered by OSM are not so terribly different from those offered by BlogAds. A little higher, maybe, but then the (basically) flat-rate contract offered by OSM doesn't allow for increasing rates based on increasing traffic. And of course most bloggers plan to, or at least hope to, grow their audience.

The other part of it -- the "Drudge Report Round Up" of blogs, the "original reporting from all over the globe" part -- I don't really get at all. There already is a Drudge Report of blogs-- called Instapundit. And original reporting is rare, only happening during a major disaster or, even rarer, a controversy in which there can be some advancement of the story through largely Internet-based investigation (i.e., Rathergate). I don't know how the fact that there are a lot of non-reportage blogs now aggregated into a big confederation of bloggers is going to increase the opportunities for original reportage.

There will be more original reporting on the Internet, but it will still be quite rare, and I don't see how OSM is going to change that much. Except that, OSM being dedicated to such original blog reportage, they will of course feature such posts and send traffic to such bloggers, increasing the benefit to bloggers for doing such reportage and thereby encouraging it.

But then... Instapundit and other big bloggers already tend to highlight original blog-reportage, even when it involves fairly local issues.

I always thought that someone in the organization was pretty psyched about creating a truly revolutionary media venture, and was determined to have such a revolution as part of the company's mission statement, but... never really got around to figuring out how exactly that revolution would come to be. Kinda like the underpants-theiving gnomes on South Park. They knew what they had and they knew where they wanted to go, but that crucial "Step Two" was always left blank, the details to be provided at a later date.

So I don't know. There's a bottom-line cash-money part of the project which is, while nice, very incrementalist, and a more ambitious and idealistic plan for a really revolutionary change in information-delivery, but which seems sketchy and unlikely.

posted by Ace at 05:00 PM

Comments

What could be more dysfunctional than our existing mainstream media?

I have no understanding of this new attempt, but I wish them luck!

Posted by: Village Idiot on November 17, 2005 05:16 PM

OK, I'm stupid. How exactly are these guys different from Blog-ads.

I understand the 'lock in your numbers' part of the deal. I also get the impression that they'll do that they'll take some of the legwork in running down ads out of daily life for you (does blog ads not already do this for you?). But is there something else?

Sure, this whole 'become reporters thing,' well, I just don't see that happening. But so what? Isn't the blog ads-esque portion the important part?

Maybe their model will encourage people to 'slack off' but is there any other reason to think their aggregation-selling ads portion won't work?

I guess I'm trying to understand all the hostility and the hubbub. Is OSM going to have some sort of editorial/censorial say-so over their bloggers that blog-ads doesn't have? Is it all just that this is a big (though inside baseball) thing to bloggers and, bloggers being bloggers, they're just going into hyper-criticizing mode cause it's what they do? What's up here?

Posted by: Dr. Reo Symes on November 17, 2005 05:18 PM

My prediction - their traffic will drop significantly.

Posted by: RangerX2005 on November 17, 2005 05:19 PM

Well, if this thing is meant to be a big site that aggregates a lot of bloggers in one place, like a Huffington Post with a higher sanity-to-madness ratio, I could see a lot of people checking it out regularly. But maybe I misunderstand the model.

Posted by: Guy T. on November 17, 2005 05:21 PM

On censorship:

Luke Ford, a porn-blogger, was dropped out of OSM because advertisers or investors didn't feel comfortable with him on the list.

This worries me greatly, as, let's face it, I'm kinda on the line as regards content.

I don't write anything that wouldn't be acceptable for National Lampoon but I do worry that I'll be the next to be disinvited.

Posted by: ace on November 17, 2005 05:23 PM

ace, any discussion of demographic measurements? advertising obviously is big business, but you gotta show em you're reaching the people they want to reach.

it's confusing to me, which ain't necessarily the kiss of death but it will probably confuse potential investors too.

Posted by: Dave in Texas on November 17, 2005 05:38 PM

Don't get the big deal about ads at all. Well, that's a lie. I get it, Traffic/clicks = Money = Good.

However, since I use adblock for firefox, I don't see (or even download) any ads from any of you. (Which means I don't really care who is hosting them). I also don't appear on your sitemeter/clickcounter/etc. for the same reason.

I do feel kinda bad about not supporting my favorite blogs in such a minor way as being counted as a reader, but it's just so darn nice not to have to wait for ads or sitemeter to load.

In the long run, I'd be surprised if ad filters don't become more common.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor on November 17, 2005 05:41 PM

Ace needs to get in on the real crazy blog-money: inline advertising. In the future, maybe his posts will look like this:

Cutting to the chase: there are only two possible "exit strategies" in Iraq. Victory or defeat. Oh, and by the way, I could really go for a nice refreshing Guinness.

Posted by: sandy burger on November 17, 2005 05:53 PM

If I could combine Real Clear Politics, Powerline, Ace of Spades, Ann Coulter, Fox News Channel, and the National Review Online, I would be a very happy and content chap.

I neither need nor have the time for anyhting else. (Except for Blame Bush and Town Hall Conservatives.)

That's where I think we are heading: the consolidation of the blogosphere and the bloggers to be absorbed into the folds of online mainstream organizations. "Packages"like the one above will be offered consisting of a broad consortium.

Big conglomerate sites will receive a lot of more traffic as a whole than the individual site would receive. Thus the advertising dollars will follow.

Posted by: Bart on November 17, 2005 05:53 PM

I haven't read Luke Ford for a while. I know he wrote about the porn business but I thought he stopped that when he went all jew crazy (he converted and has the fanaticism of a convert). He does write some very good in depth interviews.

Posted by: on November 17, 2005 05:53 PM

Good choices, Bart. That's close to my set. And I combine them myself, by opening each one in a tab every morning and refreshing from time to time. It's not all that onerous. I tried an RSS dingus, but didn't see any advantage.

But I'm willing to take a wait-and-see on OSM.

Posted by: S. Weasel on November 17, 2005 06:52 PM

Kinda like the underpants-theiving gnomes on South Park. They knew what they had and they knew where they wanted to go, but that crucial "Step Two" was always left blank, the details to be provided at a later date.

Exactly.

Posted by: HayZeus on November 17, 2005 07:02 PM

porn-blogger

Have I been missing out on something? I didn't even know there was such a thing.

I live such a sheltered life...

Posted by: Purple Avenger on November 17, 2005 07:15 PM

My $.02,

I think OSM is forgetting what's attractive to people who read blogs; the ability to interact. I know that some of the highest traffic blogs don't allow comments, but I would be willing to bet if you added up the traffic of blogs who do allow comments vs. the aggregate of those who don't, you'd find some interesting results. I do not read any blog, with the exception of Iowahawk, that does not allow comments. I'm pretty sure that no major advertiser is going to drop money on blog ads that run on sites where nobody has control of the content.

Posted by: BrewFan on November 17, 2005 07:58 PM

Luke was raised in an ultra conservative 7th Day Adventist family. His dad was kicked out and formed his own church. Then there was that porn gig and now he is an orthodox jew. Weird, but very likeable and a good writer.

Posted by: on November 17, 2005 08:21 PM

Been reading Ford, myself, for a long time.

To the anon commenter above about his stopping with the porn blogging - yeah, he did stop. Sold his old domain, but couldn't resist and started anew at http://www.lukeisback.com/

Posted by: Dr. Reo Symes on November 17, 2005 08:32 PM

Reo: Hmm. I'm not quite sure how that works with the orthodox Judaism. Do you?

Posted by: on November 17, 2005 08:37 PM

No. And neither does Ford. Therein lies his medicated charm.

Posted by: Dr. Reo Symes on November 17, 2005 08:45 PM

Well, I wasn't going to bring that up. lol! Nevertheless, I hope he finds what he is looking for.

Posted by: on November 17, 2005 08:55 PM

Actually I do do original reporting on the drug war.

What I have learned is that people take drugs for the same reason doctors prescribe them. To solve medical problems. Like PTSD and others.

Roger Simon is well acquainted with my work and my politics is not far from his.

Never got invitied and when I e-mailed the normally polite R. Simon did not reply.

I do not believe that original investigations are of any interest. At least if my interaction with Silk Pajamas is any indication.

Posted by: M. Simon on November 18, 2005 12:13 AM

I'm getting crazy blog cash now. Crazy!

And all it cost me was my soul and any chance I ever had to get in Althouse's bloomers.

Posted by: Jeff G on November 18, 2005 12:17 AM

A look at OSM's front page only adds to my confusion.

Right now they are featuring an article on a House spending bill. Under the "Dig Deeper" section, which links bloggers writing on related subjects, they list four blogs.

One cut and pasted McCain's remarks taken from the New York Post via Powerline, under the headline:

McCain for President 08'!
Get use to it!!

Another cut and pasted an article from The Hill.

What is this supposed to be? You #1 source for excerpts of articles from major publications (with Hat Tips to other blogs)?

Posted by: on November 18, 2005 12:53 AM

But then... Instapundit and other big bloggers already tend to highlight original blog-reportage, even when it involves fairly local issues.

Um, not always. You have to contact them, and it has to be a hot-button issue.

Whatever it is, it may just turn out to be a chance to consolidate power. We'll see, but I'm skeptical so far.

Posted by: bryan on November 19, 2005 01:11 AM

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Top Headlines

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thanks to stevey

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David French just posted:

Populists ask what conservativism has ever conserved?
Well its about to conserve birthright citizenship!
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I couldn't hate this queen of the cuck-chair more if it paid seven figures and came with a corner office.

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In more marketing for Project Hail Mary, scientists say they've found the biosigns indicating life growing on an alien planet. It's not proof, just signatures of chemicals that are produced by biological metabolism, and it could be nothing, but scientists think it's a strong sign that this planet is inhabited by something.

In a paper published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, a team of scientists announced the detection of dimethyl sulfide (along with a similar detection of dimethyl disulfide) in the atmosphere of an exoplanet called K2-18b. This is actually the second detection of dimethyl sulfide made on this planet, following a tentative detection in 2023.
Tons of chemicals are detected in the atmospheres of celestial objects every day. But dimethyl sulfide is different, because on Earth, it's only produced by living organisms.
"It is a shock to the system," Nikku Madhusudhan, first author on the paper, told the New York Times. "We spent an enormous amount of time just trying to get rid of the signal."

He means they tried to prove the signal was caused by things other than dimethyl sulfide but they could not.

Artemis moon shot a go, scheduled for 6:24 Eastern time tonight
Great marketing arranged by Amazon to promote Project Hail Mary. Okay not really but it does work out that way.

TJM talks John Boorman, director of Excalibur

Good rickroll

What? Skeleton of the most famous Musketeer, D'Artagnan, possibly discovered in Dutch church closet.
Dumas picked four names of real musketeers out of a history book, D'Artagnan, Athos, Aramis, and Porthos. So there was an actual D'Artagnan, though he made most of the story up. (Or, you know, all of it.)*

Charles de Batz de Castelmore, known as d'Artagnan, the famous musketeer of Kings Louis XIII and Louis XIV, spent his life in the service of the French crown.
The Gascon nobleman inspired Alexandre Dumas's hero in "The Three Musketeers" in the 19th century, a character now known worldwide thanks to the novel and numerous film adaptations.
D'Artagnan was killed during the siege of Maastricht in 1673, and there is a statue honoring the musketeer in the city. His final resting place has remained a mystery ever since.

A lot of Dumas's stories are based on bits of real history. The plot of the >Three Musketeers, about trying to recover lost diamonds from the queen's necklace, was cribbed from the then-almost-contemporaneous Affair of the Queen's Necklace. And the Man in the Iron Mask is based on real accounts of a prisoner forced to wear a mask (though I think it was a velvet mask).
* Oh, I should mention, Dumas says all this, about finding the names in an old book, in the prologue to his novel. But authors lie a lot. They frequently present fictions as based on historic fact. The twist is, he was actually telling the truth here. At least about these four musketeers having actually existed and served under Louis XIV.
Fun fact: You know the beginning of A Fistful of Dollars where the local gunslingers make fun of Clint Eastwood's donkey and Eastwood demands they apologize to the donkey? That's lifted from The Three Musketeers. Rochefort mocks D'Artagnan's old, brokedown farm horse and D'Artagnan is incensed.

A commenter asked which should be read first, The Hobbit of LOTR?
Easy, no question -- read The Hobbit first. It's actually the start of the story and comes first chronologically. It sets up some major characters and major pieces in play in LOTR.
Also, the Hobbit is Beginner-Friendly, which LOTR isn't. The Hobbit really is a delightful book, and a fast read. It's chatty, it's casual, it's exciting, and it's funny. In that dry cheeky British humor way. I love that the narrator is constantly making little asides and commentary, like he's just sitting next to you telling you this story as it occurs to him.
LOTR is a very long story. Fifteen hundred pages or so. The Hobbit is relatively short and very punchy and easy to read. If you don't like The Hobbit, you can skip out on LOTR. If you do like it, you'll be primed to read LOTR.
Oh, I should say: The Hobbit is written as if it's for children, but one of those smart children's stories that are also for adults. Don't worry, there's also real fighting and violence and horror in it, too.
LOTR is written for adults. (It's said that Tolkien wrote both for his children, but LOTR was written 17 years later, when his children were adults.) Some might not like The Hobbit due to its sometimes frivolous tone. Me, I love it. I find it constantly amusing. Both are really good but there is a starkly different tone to both. LOTR is epic, grand, and serious, about a world war, The Hobbit is light and breezy, and about a heist. Though a heist that culminates in a war for the spoils.

The Hobbit Challenge: Read two more chapters. I didn't have much time. Bilbo got the ring.
I noticed a continuity problem. Maybe. Now, as of the time of The Hobbit, it was unknown that this magic ring was in fact a Ring of Power, and it was doubly unknown that it was the Ring of Power, the Master Ring that controlled the others.
But the narrator -- who we will learn in LOTR was none of than Bilbo himself, who wrote the book as "There and Back Again" -- says this about Gollum's ring:
"But who knows how Gollum had come by that present [the Ring], ages ago in the old days when such rings were still at large in the world? Perhaps even the Master who ruled them could not have said."
In another passage, the ring is identified as a "ring of power."
I don't know, I always thought there was a distinction between mere magic rings and the Rings of Power created by Sauron. But this suggests that Bilbo knew this was a ring of power created by Sauron.
Now I don't remember when Bilbo wrote the Hobbit. In the movie, he shows Frodo the book in Rivendell, and I guess he wrote it after he left the Shire. I guess he might have added in the part about the ring being a ring of power created by "the Master" after Gandalf appraised him of his research into the ring.
I never noticed this before. I know Tolkien re-wrote this chapter while he was writing LOTR to make the ring important from the start. And also to make Gollum more sinister and evil, and also to remove the part where Gollum actually offers Bilbo the ring as a "present" -- Bilbo had already found it on his own, but Gollum was wiling to give it away, which obviously is not something the rewritten Gollum would ever do.
But I had no memory of the ring being suggested to be The Ring so early in the tale.

Finish the job, Mr. President!
Melanie Phillips lays out the case for the total destruction of the Iranian government and armed forces. [CBD]

TJM acts like he knows anything about John Wick and screenwriting. It's embarrassing, really.

Podcast: Sefton and CBD talk about how would a peace treaty with Iran work, Democrats defending murderers and rapists, The GOP vs. Dem bench for 2028, composting bodies? And more!

Oh, I forgot to mention this quote from Pete Hegseth, reported by Roger Kimball: "We are sharing the ocean with the Iranian Navy. We're giving them the bottom half."

Batman fires The Batman
Batman is disgusted by the Joachim Phoenix version of Joker
Batman tries to fire Superman
Batman is still workshopping his Bat-Voice

Forgotten 80s Mystery Click: Red Leather Suit and Sweatband Edition
And I was here to please
I'm even on knees
Makin' love to whoever I please
I gotta do it my way
Or no way at all

Tomorrow is March 25th, "Tolkien Reading Day," because March 25th is the day when the Ring is destroyed in the book. I think I'm going to start the Hobbit tomorrow and read all four books this time.
The only bad part of the trilogy are the Frodo/Sam chapters in The Two Towers. They're repetitive, slow, and mostly about the weather and terrain. But most everything else is good. Weirdly, the Frodo-Sam chapters in Return of the King are exciting and action-packed and among the best in the trilogy. (Though the chapters with everyone else in Return of the King get pretty slow again. Mostly people talking about marching towards war, and then marching towards war.)

Sec. Army recognizes ODU Army ROTC cadets for their bravery and sacrifice in private ceremony
[Hat Tip: Diogenes] [CBD]