Connectivity - building community
I conduct an animated conversation with "Kev" whilst he is fast asleep in England and I’m wide awake in San Jose.
“So what seems to be the problem now then Madeline?”
“Well I just thought it would be nice if we could "connect" all the "nice bloggers" together.”
“Nice! I thought you banned that word?”
“Oops, true but you know what I mean.”
“Actually I don’t?”
“Ah, well as I skip around the blogosphere I come across "like minded" bloggers and it would be good if we could all stay connected.”
“That’s what the "hub" is for, we’re already connected, you’re a "member" remember?”
“Indeed, but there are other blogs, "friendly," "positive" "autism" blogs.”
“That’s what you have a side bar for.”
“I know but the Blogger one is all messed up and I just can’t manage it on the Wordpress thingy.”
“Platform.”
“Pardon?”
“Nevermind! So what do you want to do?”
“I need a button.”
“Button?”
“Yes, a little button perhaps with a plus sign on it that I can just click on it and the new blog just gets added.”
“Why don’t you just use a "reader?”
“I do, but they don’t show up on my blog do they, so we don’t get really connected.”
"Alltop?"
"True, they "cement" us together."
"Aggregator."
"Yes but I'd prefer it if we could all be elmered."
"Elmered?"
"Glued."
"You need to go on a course."
"Which way?"
"Er.....Blogging for Dummies."
"Is that a "plug?"
“Never! I''m far to PC."
"Whatever Mac...... er....... Kev!"
"Peace, love and understanding! Are you really that naive?"
"Yes please! Anyway, I'm only a hop, skip and a jump from Santa Cruz, real granola head land."
"Granola head?"
"Sorry, it's just a little American term that we Americans use."
"Muesli to you! So what happened to your "blogrolling" widget?”
“I mislaid it.”
“How?”
“I’m not entirely sure. I think I clicked on the wrong bit whilst I was cleaning the keyboard.”
“You didn’t stick it in the dish washer did you?”
“Ooo I never thought of that.”
“Well just re-install it.”
“Good idea. In the meantime a nice big one click button, would do the trick. You know, for people who need font size 24.”
"Clean your bifocals."
"I would, if I could find them."
“It would affect your loading.”
“Really? I did put on a few pounds in England, but that’s actually good for me.”
“No I…......nevermind. Anyway, there are already forums for that kind of thing like "wrong plant.”
“Too old.”
“There’s "Vox" too, "Facebook" and other social networks.”
“Not the same thing at all, and all those logins and passwords are such a pain.”
"Not a lot of working memory then?"
“Sad but true. Then if we all had one we could all add nice blogs that we find.”
“All of us?”
“Yes, one click fits all!”
“I’ll give you click missy.”
“If it quacks like a duck….”
"Anyway, I thought you were giving up blogging from your "Twitter" comments."
"I'm exercising my "wimmins" right to "change" my mind."
“I don’t think you’ve thought this through properly, there could be all sorts of unintended consequences.”
“No such thing, there’s always an underlying thread of "connectivity.”
“Er…..? Run that by me again?”
“You know "band together," make ourselves "heard,” "everyone!" All over the "place."
“I thought you were all for peace and "quiet?”
“I think I’ve fallen off my fence.”
“That can happen if you’re not careful with your pedestals.”
“Oh good, so you’ll do it?”
“It’s not quite as simple as that you know, that’s a lot of work you’re asking for?”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Why?”
“I’d have to (&#$% *(#)* the platform, regenerate the %^&*, add some #$%^ and probably &^)#@ just to be on the safe side, to say nothing of the graphics and the interface.”
“Is that all?”
“Are you listening?”
“Verily, in troth I doth listen to every syllable thy uttereth.”
“So you get my point?”
“Indeed! Sharp as a tack me.”
“Anyway I’m much to busy seeing to "Estee" at the moment.”
“Really! Now that is interesting.”
“Go to sleep woman!”
Very well, I shall go and pester "Joe" instead, then I shan't feel so "useless!"
Ooo look! "Genevieve Hinson's" already done it!
Always be wary of any helpful item that weighs less than its operating manual.
- Terry Pratchett
