Friday, July 29, 2011

The Evolution of Internet Media: One of These Things is Just Like The Other

Surely I'm not the only blogger who writes 4 or 5 posts that I never complete or publish for every one that sees daylight. Why is that?

Here's an example of one - my musings on a "news report" to the effect that "[Latest New Introduction] Will Mean The End of Blogging":

One of These Things is Just Like the Other, One of These Things is Quite the Same.

Has anyone else noticed that most "new" internet websites that claim to be new technologies... aren't? Instead they are just mostly repackaged versions of the basics with snazzier marketing than their predecesors. Each improves on their ability to attract a crowd - and that crowd-attraction is the real heart of any business - but they do it by just tweaking good old concepts someone else tweaked last year.

And there you have it: an MBA-on-a-Post-It.

Consider:

The Personal Webpage = Space on the internet that can be customized using HTML. Amount of text content that can be included is nearly limitless. It's like if there were blogs back in 1994. Most ISPs provide this space free as part of their monthly service fee. Need to learn HTML or pay someone to code your page. Each change needs to be coded as well. Very easy to use for people who formerly used PFS Write as their word processing tool in the computerized days before the internet.

Guest Book = Set of Code you can add to your Personal Webpapge that automatically codes updates, so new content displays immediately without need to individually prepare the HTML. It's like if there were comments back in 1994. Code allows anyone to submit content to your page, and each contributor's content is separated by a border but otherwise allows an almost limitless amount of text. Only Server Host may delete or edit content, including that submitted by others.

eBay Feedback = Personal Webpage Guestbook, with strict character limits, that allow only 142 characters to be posted at a time. It's like if there was Twitter back in 1995. The Feedback Personal Webpage Guestbook is automatically assigned to your account, with customization prohibited. Original code allowed anyone to submit content to your page. All content was public. eBay was owner (not you), thus only eBay could delete or edit content - generally they did not.

Blogs = Personal Webpage pre-designed with Guestbook appearance that only you can add content to, and that owner can edit and delete. Comes with limited choice of pre-set HTML codes governing appearance and content activity but otherwise allows for nearly unlimited addition of text content. Part of this code allows for easy addition of links to other sites and ability to display some of their content as they are updated.

MySpace = Personal Webpage Guestbook Blog that not only provides html templates but also encourages nearly complete freedom of customization by using custom HTML. Allows owner to prescribe some limits to activity of visitors.

Facebook = Personal Webpage Guestbook MySpace with character limits that prevent addition of more than nominal text, and prohibits customization of appearance or content activity. Owner cannot control how content is displayed, only to whom (within tight parameters). It's like if MySpace were put on restriction. Allows owner to add limited content in arbitrary locations. Allows easy addition of links to other Facebook pages with pre-defined display of some of their content as they are updated. Allows owner to limit access and designate which persons have visibility of some content.

Twitter = Personal Webpage Guestbook with Feedback-mirroring character limits. Inflexible format comes with limited choice of pre-set HTML codes governing appearance and content activity. Part of this code allows for easy addition of links to other sites and ability to display some of their content as they are updated.

Google + = WOW! You get MORE than 140 Characters! Google+'s revolutionary new technology lets people spell real words and write complete sentences!

Is Google+ "The End of The Blog", or just "the end of Blogger(TM)"? 

Here's a Truth, from someone who knows: When it comes to the Internet, the only time anything is the end is when it is The End.




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