Diagram of a Blog

The New York Times posted this diagram of a blog. I noticed a factual error so I'm offering them this correction:

Benco - Copy Editors

So last night I got drunk at a bar and challenged Lore Sjoberg, via Twitter, to see who could write the better song. Well, I tried to at least. I never actually challenged him, if you want to get technical about this. Either Twitter dropped a few of my messages or I sent them to the wrong address or I only think I sent them because I was in a diabetic coma brought on by sugar, vodka and fresh squeezed lemons. It's hard to say.

The point is, I wrote a song about copy editors:

Benco - Copy Editors

You took my story and you stole it's meaning,
I left it there for the readers gleaning.
You destroyed it on my lunch break,
and left the filler in it's wake.

Did you not think those words were arranged,
to create an atmosphere purposely deranged.
I killed myself to write this piece,
and couldn't you just at least,

leave the line about the possum,
because that line was fucking awesome.
Oh wait, what were you going to say?
Oh. I see. Never mind, that's OK.

It should probably be stated that, while drunk, copy editors and regular editors seem very similar, if not interchangeable. I hope I don't get disqualified from my own imaginary dual because of this.

Finally, a post about Twitter.

Every single attempt I'm made at explaining Twitter has failed. Spectacularly. I'm not going to try to explain it here. I have an account, it doesn't make any god damned sense and I love it anyways.

Benco's Twitters.

I just now "got" vlogging.

Watch this video on youtube: IRONIC/SATIRICAL VIDEO ABOUT SARCASM THAT NOONE UNDERSTANDS
and then when that's over watch this follow up video: what have i done!?

This girl is either an amazing parody or is putting her most sacred emotions on display. Either way I finally "get" vlogging. It isn't about the Ze Franks or Rocketbooms, it's about people talking to other people. People making videos with itty bitty tiny audiences that are most likely their close friends. Once people start treating youtube like livejournal it going to explode.

More about Net Nuetralility

This video better explains Net Neutrality. WATCH IT.

Obligitory Net Neutrality Post

So this video about Net Neutrality is horrifying. I can't believe they'd be allowed to air such blatant propaganda. People are going to believe it too, despite that it offers no fact and is spouting pure lies. Not even half-truths or slanted opinions, the video is pure, simple lies.

If you're confused, watch this video: What is Net Neutrality

You thought we wouldn't notice.

So I stumbled across http://www.youthoughtwewouldntnotice.com/ while researching that "Tagged" debacle over at threadless. It's a pretty cool little blog. It points out how often street art becomes part of mainstream culture. I enjoy seeing big business's interpretation of graffiti.

Speaking of, I'm surprised your friend and mine Poster Child hasn't been featured on there. Well, there's still time, I guess.

I think I just found my soulmate.

HowManyOfMe.com

There are: 2 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Real web developers don't use Dreamweaver.

So this blog post made me furious. Here's a quick rundown:

A friend of mine just asked what I use to code my web sites and I triumphantly stated that I use Dreamweaver, a program that I deem one of the most fantastic pieces of software I’ve ever owned.

That's about all you need to know. This guy continues on to prove he doesn't know anything about HTML or Dreamweaver. He says basicly says that coding in Notepad makes more work for yourself. I'd argue the contrary. Dreamweaver creates so much excess code and such a headache for real web developers I can hardly image it being used in a professional environment, even though it's used quiet often. That's right, I just implied that real web developers don't use Dreamweaver, and it felt good.

I do agree with his point, however. Coding in Notepad is stupid. There's a million other free editors available that are much, much better. But Dreamweaver? Really? That's like telling someone the best way to drill a hole is with a jackhammer. The scariest part of the whole debacle is this statement made by one of his commenters:

I think it totally depends on the size and scope of the sites you are building. I could totally code everything by hand in notepad if I wanted to. But a lot of the sites I work on are large, and very complex. So I take advantage of all the tools available to me.

I don't understand why people think Dreamweaver is somehow better at handling large sites? If you're building a 60+ page site shouldn't you be more concerned with, oh I don't know, data management? Elegant navigation? Not producing 60+ pages of bloated, unmaintainable HTML?

Luckily some kids (Josh and Oliver, respectively) have their heads on straight and posted these comments:

I use Dreamweaver and I have used it for a long time, until I started a new job and I was required to use VIM or Emacs. Needless to say after using VIM for 2+ years, I prefer VIM over Dreamweaver any day.

and

At my friend’s suggestion I learnt to code in Notepad before I ever learnt to use DreamWeaver. Result? I know how to code decent mark-up and how to bug-hunt without relying on the software.

It doesn’t make you clever but it sure as hell helps you out to have a more rigorous environment when you’re starting out.

God, I can't believe this got Dugg.

UPDATE: The quote above was actually not from Edd, the original author of the article, but just a commenter. Now that's my bad. I changed it accordingly.

Web 2.0 Reduces 15 Minutes. Now 15 Seconds.

So Web 2.0 is changing the internet, right? We can all just uninstall our Words and Excels. We can shut down our HAM radios and recycle our Atlases. Web 2.0 beat us to the punch. We can now publish our videos on a global scale, get our radio broadcasts heard half-way around the world and sell our wares to the global marketplace.

This is all well and great but frankly, this much competition gives me complexes. My pitiful blog posts are up against the likes of Rands and Tom Coates. Thanks to myspace, the music I produce in my bedroom is being displayed next to MTV's latest sweethearts and I don't mean that in the good way. With all the content being produced, how do I possible set mine apart?

Can I?

No. But when has insurmountable odds ever stopped me.

Point is, I'm going to start blogging. Aren't you excited?