I really like Planet Lotus. On one page, I can track more blogs than I have in either my RSS feed reader or blogroll. And that is excellent!
Well, not really.
You see, I no longer simply worry about what to write in my little slice of the blogosphere, I worry about whether or not a post will be the exact same as someone else's. Case in point - the other day, before surfing to Planet Lotus, I posted a news article concerning the new iPhone and iTouch. Imagine my embarrassment in finding out that vowe posted about an hour earlier on the same thing. I felt as though some people would think "Hey, he is following the lead from vowe. How lame is that?"
I never really had to think about this before. And since I don't have near the number of blogroll links on this page as Planet Lotus tracks (and even less in my RSS reader), I could believe that I was posting original items.
Not anymore.
Since my gaffe, I am more cognizant of the larger community. And I find that I am now carefully considering what to post. The only sure thing I have are my book reviews. Even if Duffbert has reviewed the same book, I don't worry about posting my thoughts on the same one. SnTT has become a little more difficult as well. Things I might post may have already been discussed. I did pick up several good ideas at Lotusphere but have yet to post them as SnTT. I'd best get cracking on those posts before someone else snaps them up. And news items? I will have to check before posting or at least provide some personal comment on the post. I don't want to become an echo chamber.
Or am I being too strict with myself with these new editorial policies?
One thing is for certain: I am spending more time considering my posts and organizing my ideas. That can't be a bad thing. It might even make me a better writer or drive me to consider other topics. I think that I have several posts that can come from one idea that I had while talking to Steve at Lotusphere (we weren't actually AT Lotusphere, it was in Jellyrolls. As you can tell, I do remember the conversation). It might be way too narrow, but it could be fun.
I refuse to let this entire post go down as anything resembling a negative.
With that in mind, thanks to Planet Lotus, I have noticed that since Lotusphere, the number of overall posts from the Lotus Web 2.0 Community have gone up and we have even added more voices to the conversation.
One other thing: Here I am, two weeks after Lotusphere, and I am still enjoying my "Lotusphere High." I find myself waiting for more pictures to hit Flickr (Bruce, you still have some languishing in that iPhone of yours), enjoying the Lotusphere catch-up posts from around the world and the missing podcasts, and taking calls from vendors that I met in the Product Showcase.
What? I like those calls from the vendors? Actually, yes. What happens is that they force me to remember Lotusphere and I like those memories. Don't you?
Comment posted by Martin Vereecken02/08/2008 02:29:25 AM
Homepage: http://www.bizzybee.be
Some good points here! Indeed, it's easier to get an overview from "what's going on in the Lotusworld" thanks to PlanetLotus. Indeed, you see several announcements reappear.
I think it's a good thing that some announcements are repeated: it helps "spreading the news". But I believe it's the blogger that has to give something more than "repeating the news": he has to add some personal opinion, or a different way of presenting it, just to make it a bit more unique. So I would say: "yes please keep posting about the ipod touch 32gb version", but maybe you can try to add something to it (like a special picture, a funny quote, an opinion).
Comment posted by Steve Breitenbach02/08/2008 08:40:43 AM
Homepage: http://sclaffer.blogspot.com
Like I said that night on the Boardwalk, every day there are people who are just finding out about these blogs. They may not know about PlanetLotus.org and may just Google looking for information. They may land on your page, even though someone else may have blogged about the topic, they may choose your site to view because they know you, heard about you, or just like your site name.
I didn't know these blogs existed until a couple of weeks before Lotusphere. Now that I do, and know about PlanetLotus.org, it's like crack... I can't quit it. I look at almost every post, even if there appears to be a duplicate subject, just to see someone else's opinion on the topic being discussed.
I can't quite remember everything we discussed, other than the Cleveland music scene from the 80's, I'm not sure what topics you are thinking about posting, but just do it.
Comment posted by Chris Mobley02/08/2008 09:09:02 AM
Homepage: http://www.bleedyellow.com/blogs/uhclem/
I can tell you that when I see multiple postings on Planet Lotus about a given topic, the LAST thing I think is that it is a "me too" post. Instead I see that it is giving weight to a topic, and that I need to pay more attention to it.
So don't be paranoid about duplicating other people's post. In reality, you are not because each person has their own perspective on it.
Comment posted by Keith Brooks02/08/2008 09:18:30 AM
Homepage: http://lotustech.blogspot.com
Gregg,
Funny I was just emailing with Yancy about this idea. Hi site has created some personal issues for some(note the PLcrackheads) and for others, like you and me, it will make us better bloggers than before.
We now have the opportunity to see realtime feedback of interest in topics(for those that wondered what to write about).
We also get to hone our skills at titles and opening sentences(I am still working oin them) because this is what attracts people to read our posts.
If you were bothered that too many people read your posts, um, why did you start blogging is my question?
As to the repetitiveness of some posts, it happened before and will continue, hopefully we each add our little 2 cents and create a broader view for everyone.
Besides, for many peopel they never had so many readers and that is a good thing for them.
Comment posted by Justin02/08/2008 09:52:14 AM
I personally would like to see many post on a topic, as I read blogs for more then just the announcement, but also for the professional's optioning about the announcement. If someone else does post about a topic I'm interested in so be it, I'm still going to read the other post to get a much broader view of the topic.
So keep posting on topics you want to talk about, every opinion is worth listening to on a topic I'm following.
Comment posted by Gregg Eldred02/08/2008 11:37:45 AM
Homepage: http://www.ns-tech.com/blog/geldred.nsf
Thank you for all of your comments.
I think that I have been struggling with "originality." And thanks to all of you, I now see that really isn't a problem. I just have to add my own voice to the conversation.
*phew* I feel better already.
@Keith - It wasn't about the number of readers, Planet Lotus has been a godsend for all of us, just look at the traffic. We all are getting more eyes than ever before (I think that Yancy will have a good Christmas this year, if we all send him a token of our appreciation).
@Steve - As soon as I get the post together, I am sure you'll remember.
@Martin, @Chris, @Justin - thanks for your comments. I never thought that people would take the time to read every entry on one specific topic. I am glad to see that I am wrong.
Comment posted by Curt Stone02/09/2008 03:26:21 PM
Homepage: http://www.curtsisland.com
@Gregg,
I've been straight out busy since Lotusphere. Running hard. Lotusphere seems far away for me.
Before reading the other comments, my first thought to your post was 'chill out'. (seems others feel the same way). Add your voice is good advice and don't worry what others are posting. Be yourself and you'll be fine.
Be sure to check out my Lotusphere pictures. http://www.flickr.com/photos/curts_island/tags/lotusphere2008/
Rock on!
Comment posted by Duffbert02/09/2008 09:06:15 PM
Homepage: http://www.duffbert.com
Interesting post, Gregg... I know I've had the same thoughts about posting "me too" stuff. I've seen interesting things come in on Google News Alerts, only to have someone else beat me to the punch before I get home to post about it. :)
Comment posted by Mika Heinonen02/21/2008 04:33:45 PM
Homepage: http://www.siipi.com/mika
So basically what you are saying is that ignorance is better than enlightment?
Well, I can't agree on that.
For me, planetlotus.org is a work of a genius, named Yancy.
The idea is very simple, and yet, and thus, very powerful.
Nobody needs to add manually any RSS feed addresses anymore, nobody needs to add manually any "Blogs I read" entries to their own blog anymore, nobody needs to surf 100+ blogs to get the daily caffeine dose of Notes News. Now everything and more is done with 1 key hit: F5 (make sure you have planetlotus.org opened in your Firefox all the time).
Comment posted by Gregg Eldred02/21/2008 10:19:31 PM
Homepage: http://www.ns-tech.com/blog/geldred.nsf
@Mika - I am not arguing that PlanetLotus is bad, in fact I have written 5 posts on the remarkable work that Yancy has done:
http://www.ns-tech.com/blog/geldred.nsf/BlogSearch?SearchView&Query=planetlotus&Start=1&Count=-1
And if you don't think that Yancy was treated like a Rock Star at Lotusphere, you would be mistaken. In fact, I think that most of the traffic at his company's ped was due to him. We, in the blogosphere, sought him out.
My post was about the fact that I need to watch PlanetLotus to make sure that I don't become an echo chamber. I did enjoy all of the posts about the release of 8.0.1, but as you can tell, I did not write anything about it. It was very well covered.
I was ignorant of many of the 100's of bloggers out there before Yancy went to work. Now, I am very cognizant of what more people are doing/thinking. That is nothing but good.
Comment posted by Charles Robinson02/22/2008 09:43:50 AM
Homepage: http://cubert-codepoet.blogspot.com
I don't use PlanetLotus very often. I find it overwhelming and it covers a lot of blogs I'm not interested in. I visit maybe once or twice a week, just to see what other not in my NetVibes are saying, but it's not my "go to" place for information.
@Mika - You choose to manage information your way; I choose to manage it mine. The big problem I have with PlanetLotus is the lack of comment feeds, so I still use a feed reader. AND IT'S NOT WRONG!! I really wish you would get down off your high horse and realize that you're not always right and your condescending attitude makes you come across like an a**hole every time you post.
Gregg - Sorry for the rant on your blog.
Comment posted by Mika Heinonen02/22/2008 08:03:51 PM
Homepage: http://www.siipi.com/mika
@Charles Of course I'm not always right, noone is. I would do many things different than the majority. Most people do things how they do because it's cheaper and easier to do that way, but I want to do things at the best possible way, and then I often face the fact that technology is not ready for that yet. What happens then is that I have to express my critics that things are not ready and finished and optimized yet.
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