Richard Giles

Gary Turner has the best summary of blogging that I’ve seen any where, and expresses what I’ve been trying to say is the main reason for people plugging the concept of blogs and business. To promote their own fame.

I have been spending a bit of time over at Joi Ito’s IRC channel on freenode (#joiito). I’d long since given up on IRC and didn’t see much of a reason to do it until Joi suggested that I do.

Ten years ago, when only a few people knew about DALnet, I found it a great way to get to know other like-minded net heads. I’d stay up late (I could because I was at Uni at the time) and chatted with friends from the rest of the globe. I gave it up when I started work and late nights weren’t feasible anymore.

A few years ago I tried it again, and found that DALnet had grown to a swarm of pr0n hawkers and spotty faced teenagers that enjoyed a flame war more than a quiet chat. I was kicked within minutes for saying that I liked a movie. Not much to be kicked for really. So I wrote IRC off.

In my case my blog is a form of social networking, I’m a Blogalite at heart. It helps me reach like-minded people through the internet. It’s like an IRC channel but in slow motion, giving me time to collect my thoughts and publish them thoughtfully. What I have found from Joi’s channel is that it helps extend my social network at a rapid pace. I now look at the two tools as complementary.

The Parlor, link thanks to Jeannie.