April 17, 2007

Blogger Code of Conduct - The Fight Club Version...

One of the topics that's been warping its way through the blogosphere recently is the idea of a "Code of Conduct" for bloggers.

The idea was originally brainstormed (or as I prefer to think, brainfarted) by Tim O'Reilly. I first read about it on Problogger, however, so that's where I'm linking. How's that for conduct! :P Sorry Tim, no backlink from me.

A Blogger's Code of Conduct, eh? Honestly, I think that's one of the most asinine things I've heard in a long, long time. Aside from that, there are just way too many holes in such a concept - the main one being that it could never be universally enforced, if enforced at all.

So, as my response to this monkeybutt of an idea, I've created what I think shall be the real Blogger's Code of Conduct. And it's amazingly simple:

1. No blogger, nonblogger, or blogger wanna-be shall EVER think of drafting a Blogger's Code of Conduct.
2. Always refer to #1.

Or, for all you movie buffs out there, we could also do the Fight Club version:

1st Rule: You do not talk about making a Blogger's Code of Conduct.
2nd Rule: You DO NOT talk about making a Blogger's Code of Conduct.
View more:
Posted on 4/17/2007

9 comments:

  1. LOL, that's great! Second rule, DO NOT talk about.

    Darren
    ReplyDelete
  2. Mwuahahahhaha !
    COOL !

    I was thinking to :

    rule 1- Code of conduite is not necessary.
    rule 2- Sometime, some (censored) people think is vital.
    rule 3- In situation 2, allways apply rule 1.

    Valentin,
    Romania

    ps : you are bookmarked :-)
    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks Valentin! I like your code alternative as well. BTW, got you bookmarked too.

    Shine on,
    Aaron
    ReplyDelete
  4. “This is G o o g l e's cache of
    http://radar.oreilly.com/archives/2007/04/draft_bloggers_1.html as
    retrieved on 23 Apr 2007 13:11:52 GMT.
    G o o g l e's cache is the snapshot that we took of the page as we crawled the web.

    Google is neither affiliated with the authors of this page
    NOR RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CONTENT”.

    End Quote

    Google owns Blogger.com. Has Tim O’Reilly contacted Google with the section of his proposed code that must (by ipso facto) also apply to the platform as well as the blog administrator?

    In an interview with Wired on Friday (13th) to promote his latest web 2.0 conference,O'Reilly said: "I've come to think the call for a code of conduct was a bit misguided.” The admission came two days after a post on his Radar blog entitled "Code of Conduct: Lessons Learned So Far". In it he wrote: "I was proposing a modular set of terms of service, so somebody could say, 'I don't want this kind of behaviour.' Now, a lot of people already do that, so it's really much ado about nothing."

    Despite coming to the above conclusion, The O’Reilly Saga continues in his comments section with commenters posting ridiculous off-topic subjects and silly Youtube links.

    O’Reilly says he knows the person who attacked Kathy Sierra. He gets the victim and the perpetrator together on CNN – then somebody pumps up the NY Times
    publicity machinery for both the victim and the perpetrator. It doesn’t take a genius to see who may be benefiting from this little
    fracas.

    Then O’Reilly starts blaming a random responder (Lessons Learned So Far) as being one of the attackers…and…he’s started deleting and prioritising the “best” replies, ones that mirror his opinions, which are severely lacking in substance. So, the entire Lessons Learned So Far thread must be read from the Google cached copy.

    When bloggers respond from their websites, the source appears to have been obliterated once the post is published - most of the track backs lead to O’Reilly’s Radar Website – and (duh! – as an Internet expert!) he is unaware that there are persistent error messages generated in his responders’ posts, so that it becomes a hit and miss game whether the post actually gets published or not.

    Perhaps Tim’s involvement relates to this little gem.

    Sierra’s current gig, along with her partner Bert Bates, is developing and producing the bizarre new Head First series of books for O'Reilly.
    ReplyDelete
  5. A message for Valentin

    I read your post about communism and oppressed persons from dictatorships having no freedom of speech and having to use their ID wherever they go – providing ID at the shops, when applying to their ISP, they must provide their ID credentials, which does deter/stifle natural activities. There are now serious steps to forcing every person to carry valid ID in Europe. It has already started. Every occupant at every house has been forced to fill out an ID questionnaire (a heavy fine if one does not comply) in the form of a census. The questions on this form also include personal matters of choice, such as which educational establishments one has attended and one must list the qualifications one achieved from these places.

    I have a true story/metaphor for you.

    During WWII there were no bananas available in Europe. The banana boats were being used to convey arms and ammunition. Bananas became a rare commodity. Children grew up not knowing the taste of a banana. Then, the war ends, teenagers and young adults suddenly saw bananas in the shops and bought them just BECAUSE THEY COULD and they stuffed themselves until they were sick.
    ReplyDelete
  6. Another message for Valentin:

    As a vociferous proponent of free speech originating from a communist dictatorship, you don’t seem to practice what you preach and you require your commenters to REGISTER at your Website. How archaic and control freakish is that? You don’t allow your dissenters to express their opinions with impunity - valid opinions such as this:

    Stop addressing your readers thusly:

    “Hey, YOU, yes YOU the reader.”

    It is very, very offensive and most readers will stop reading right there. The only readers left will be fully paid up Republicans and I note your name in that particular list
    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for the thoughts and comments, Anonymous.

    I have one question: Why are you leaving such messages for Valentin here on my blog instead of on his? It's not like he and I know each other - he's simply a blogger who left a comment here on my blog just like you did.

    So, as I'm not sure he'll even be back to this particular post to read your comments, I'll leave a comment on his blog letting him know that someone here is trying to address him.

    Anyway, in your comment here to him you wrote, "Stop addressing your readers thusly: 'Hey, YOU, yes YOU the reader...'"

    My response to that is simple: It's his blog. He can address his readers any way he wants.

    Additionally, I find it interesting that while you seem to be concerned with free speech and Valentins's way of exercising or allowing it on his blog, your comment itself is seemingly (to put it in your own words) "archaic and control freakish" and wouldn't allow HIM to express his thoughts and opinions freely on his own website.

    I don't know, but it sounds to me like the bell of hypocrisy is ringing loud and clear.

    Shine on,
    Aaron
    ReplyDelete
  8. Truly good. I really enjoyed that. Personally, I think the blogger code of conduct thing is completely ludicrous!

    Lacy
    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi Lacy,

    I completely agree. Thanks for stopping by Aaron Cook dot Com!

    Shine on,
    Aaron
    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting the Aaron Cook Dot Com™ blog! Please leave your awesome comment below! :)

Shine on,
Aaron

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)