Comments on: Death Of The User http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/ The leading source of news covering social media and the blogosphere. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:12:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: UGC its rude, its wrong and it misses the point « Derivadow.com http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/comment-page-1/#comment-652398 UGC its rude, its wrong and it misses the point « Derivadow.com Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:08:00 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/#comment-652398 [...] between professional journalists and the like on one side and overbody else on the other. As Scott Karp points out: There is a revolution in media because people who create blogs and MySpace pages ARE publishers, [...] [...] between professional journalists and the like on one side and overbody else on the other. As Scott Karp points out: There is a revolution in media because people who create blogs and MySpace pages ARE publishers, [...]

]]> By: USER? User of what? « What is User-Generated Content? http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/comment-page-1/#comment-219602 USER? User of what? « What is User-Generated Content? Tue, 09 Oct 2007 23:09:59 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/#comment-219602 [...] like Scott Karp think that the problem is the differentiation that “user” implies from traditional [...] [...] like Scott Karp think that the problem is the differentiation that “user” implies from traditional [...]

]]> By: User-Generated-Content « http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/comment-page-1/#comment-206848 User-Generated-Content « Thu, 13 Sep 2007 08:47:43 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/#comment-206848 [...] http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/ [...] [...] http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/ [...]

]]> By: User Generated Content; what’s the problem? « http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/comment-page-1/#comment-206837 User Generated Content; what’s the problem? « Thu, 13 Sep 2007 08:23:10 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/#comment-206837 [...] http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/organgrinder/2007/01/the_trouble_with_user_generate.html http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/ http://accenture.tekgroup.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=4534 Posted by faithlopes Filed in [...] [...] http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/organgrinder/2007/01/the_trouble_with_user_generate.html http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/ http://accenture.tekgroup.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=4534 Posted by faithlopes Filed in [...]

]]> By: Blogs, Wikis, Social Networks & Podcasting Equals Web 2.0 : Small Office Australia http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/comment-page-1/#comment-203026 Blogs, Wikis, Social Networks & Podcasting Equals Web 2.0 : Small Office Australia Thu, 06 Sep 2007 09:02:41 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/#comment-203026 [...] content”, which I don’t like. A “user”!!! A Scott Karp column over at The Blog Herald late last year attacked the buzzword “user generated content” which I agree [...] [...] content”, which I don’t like. A “user”!!! A Scott Karp column over at The Blog Herald late last year attacked the buzzword “user generated content” which I agree [...]

]]> By: Blogs, Wikis, Social Networks & Podcasting Equals Web 2.0 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/comment-page-1/#comment-190581 Blogs, Wikis, Social Networks & Podcasting Equals Web 2.0 Wed, 01 Aug 2007 14:25:52 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/#comment-190581 [...] content”, which I don’t like. A “user”!!! A Scott Karp column over at The Blog Herald late last year attacked the buzzword “user generated content” which I agree [...] [...] content”, which I don’t like. A “user”!!! A Scott Karp column over at The Blog Herald late last year attacked the buzzword “user generated content” which I agree [...]

]]> By: Andy Dickinson.net » Blog Archive » Citizen publishers? http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/comment-page-1/#comment-142472 Andy Dickinson.net » Blog Archive » Citizen publishers? Thu, 04 Jan 2007 11:30:32 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/#comment-142472 [...] Scott Karp has an interesting angle on the phrase ‘user’ and its negative connotations In most cases “users” in Media 2.0 are defined as the “people formerly known as the audience” or the “users” of Web 2.0 applications, including social networking sites like MySpace. The problem is that “users” are defined in opposition to “publishers” — as if people who create “blogs” are still in some lesser, “other” category, below and apart from traditional publishers like, uh, Yahoo. [...] [...] Scott Karp has an interesting angle on the phrase ‘user’ and its negative connotations In most cases “users” in Media 2.0 are defined as the “people formerly known as the audience” or the “users” of Web 2.0 applications, including social networking sites like MySpace. The problem is that “users” are defined in opposition to “publishers” — as if people who create “blogs” are still in some lesser, “other” category, below and apart from traditional publishers like, uh, Yahoo. [...]

]]> By: Robert (french property user) http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/comment-page-1/#comment-140418 Robert (french property user) Sat, 30 Dec 2006 20:48:12 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/#comment-140418 The article has some good ideas, but I personally found that they were confused by the terminology. For example, I use WordPress for a French property blog. Following the definitions in the article above, does that make me a "French property blog user" (see name above)??? Let's get down to basics, and if the terminology doesn't fit, creat and define the terms that do. The term "user" is just so meaningless in this context I think it adds nothing to the discussion except confusion. What is really happening is (following is not an exhastive list, just some examples): - We are moving away from a small circle of large publishers - A large number of small publishers are taking a big and growing share of the internet audience. They are enabled (among other things) by cheap access/storage and easy-to-use publishing packages such as WordPress. However, this makes them "publishers" or "small/independent publishers", not "users". - Sites, both large and small, are becoming more interactive. As part of this, an increasing portion of the content is developed/contributed by the users (readers, audience, clients, etc.) of these sites. As such, one can say that an increasing portion of the internet content is user defined and contributed. However, the parameters of such contributions are still very much defined and controlled by the site owners/managers. - There are also a number of sites which are primarily user/member driven. As an example, the social bookmarking sites. Although the framework and associated software/utilities are developed by the site owners, virtually all the content is provided by the site users. They also, to a large entent, drive the evolving framework of the site through their demand for various features. I have used the term "user" in the above. However, in my post I've shown what I meant by the term each time I used it. The article has some good ideas, but I personally found that they were confused by the terminology. For example, I use WordPress for a French property blog. Following the definitions in the article above, does that make me a “French property blog user” (see name above)???

Let’s get down to basics, and if the terminology doesn’t fit, creat and define the terms that do. The term “user” is just so meaningless in this context I think it adds nothing to the discussion except confusion.

What is really happening is (following is not an exhastive list, just some examples):
- We are moving away from a small circle of large publishers
- A large number of small publishers are taking a big and growing share of the internet audience. They are enabled (among other things) by cheap access/storage and easy-to-use publishing packages such as WordPress. However, this makes them “publishers” or “small/independent publishers”, not “users”.
- Sites, both large and small, are becoming more interactive. As part of this, an increasing portion of the content is developed/contributed by the users (readers, audience, clients, etc.) of these sites. As such, one can say that an increasing portion of the internet content is user defined and contributed. However, the parameters of such contributions are still very much defined and controlled by the site owners/managers.
- There are also a number of sites which are primarily user/member driven. As an example, the social bookmarking sites. Although the framework and associated software/utilities are developed by the site owners, virtually all the content is provided by the site users. They also, to a large entent, drive the evolving framework of the site through their demand for various features.

I have used the term “user” in the above. However, in my post I’ve shown what I meant by the term each time I used it.

]]> By: What I Missed | twopointouch: web 2.0, blogs and social media http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/comment-page-1/#comment-140306 What I Missed | twopointouch: web 2.0, blogs and social media Sat, 30 Dec 2006 11:11:50 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/#comment-140306 [...] The word ‘user’ is starting to rankle. Great quote in the article from Rishad Tobaccowala of Denuo highlighting the negative connotations of the word: “Since when did I become a heroin addict?” Not sure anyone has come up with an acceptable alternative, though. [...] [...] The word ‘user’ is starting to rankle. Great quote in the article from Rishad Tobaccowala of Denuo highlighting the negative connotations of the word: “Since when did I become a heroin addict?” Not sure anyone has come up with an acceptable alternative, though. [...]

]]> By: Right Media Blog » Blog Archive » Measure your success one result at a time http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/comment-page-1/#comment-140141 Right Media Blog » Blog Archive » Measure your success one result at a time Fri, 29 Dec 2006 16:51:34 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/#comment-140141 [...] There’s lots of chatter about the need for a better metric standard than the page view. My colleague, Pat McCarthy, offers a nice summary as well as suggestions for alternatives to the embattled page view. Another interesting discussion is evolving where the page view is dead (illustration), and we are now also mourning the Death of the User. [...] [...] There’s lots of chatter about the need for a better metric standard than the page view. My colleague, Pat McCarthy, offers a nice summary as well as suggestions for alternatives to the embattled page view. Another interesting discussion is evolving where the page view is dead (illustration), and we are now also mourning the Death of the User. [...]

]]> By: J. Angelo Racoma http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/comment-page-1/#comment-140104 J. Angelo Racoma Fri, 29 Dec 2006 13:53:03 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/#comment-140104 I've always thought of bloggers as being "personal publishers". But what of those earning from blogging (such as myself)? Would that make me a professional publisher, then? I’ve always thought of bloggers as being “personal publishers”. But what of those earning from blogging (such as myself)? Would that make me a professional publisher, then?

]]> By: Jessica Doyle http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/comment-page-1/#comment-140045 Jessica Doyle Fri, 29 Dec 2006 09:56:51 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/#comment-140045 We all became publishers when Xerox invented the copier. ;) Giving anything a name these days has a way of making it real. Just as we all have been given names at the time of our birth all things that are new will be given names also. Then the sub-names, nick-names, add-ons and slanderous names... Ambiguity in the meaning of a given name is a GIVEN fact of human communication. Nice post Scott. We all became publishers when Xerox invented the copier. ;)

Giving anything a name these days has a way of making it real. Just as we all have been given names at the time of our birth all things that are new will be given names also. Then the sub-names, nick-names, add-ons and slanderous names…

Ambiguity in the meaning of a given name is a GIVEN fact of human communication.

Nice post Scott.

]]> By: howardowens.com: media blog » Blog Archive » We’re all publishers now http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/comment-page-1/#comment-140027 howardowens.com: media blog » Blog Archive » We’re all publishers now Fri, 29 Dec 2006 06:59:48 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/#comment-140027 [...] This inspired by Scott Karp: Well, no. There is a revolution in media because people who create blogs and MySpace pages ARE publishers, and more importantly, they are now on equal footing with the “big,” “traditional” publishers. There has been a leveling of the playing field that renders largely meaningless the distinction between “users” and “publishers” — we’re all publishers now, and we’re all competing for the finite pie of attention. The problem is that the discourse on trends in online media still clings to the language of “us” and “them,” when it is all about the breakdown of that distinction. It’s time we start adjusting our taxonomy to recognize that the tools do not define the activity or the output or the people doing it. There are large publishers and small publishers. There are people who publish for friends and family, and people who publish for professional colleagues, and people who publish for a (relatively) broad consumer audience. The revolution is that ANYONE can publish to the network and that anyone can leverage the power of the network. [...] [...] This inspired by Scott Karp: Well, no. There is a revolution in media because people who create blogs and MySpace pages ARE publishers, and more importantly, they are now on equal footing with the “big,” “traditional” publishers. There has been a leveling of the playing field that renders largely meaningless the distinction between “users” and “publishers” — we’re all publishers now, and we’re all competing for the finite pie of attention. The problem is that the discourse on trends in online media still clings to the language of “us” and “them,” when it is all about the breakdown of that distinction. It’s time we start adjusting our taxonomy to recognize that the tools do not define the activity or the output or the people doing it. There are large publishers and small publishers. There are people who publish for friends and family, and people who publish for professional colleagues, and people who publish for a (relatively) broad consumer audience. The revolution is that ANYONE can publish to the network and that anyone can leverage the power of the network. [...]

]]> By: You Are a Proud Publisher | Content Writing and CopyWriting Blog http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/comment-page-1/#comment-139959 You Are a Proud Publisher | Content Writing and CopyWriting Blog Thu, 28 Dec 2006 21:20:07 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/#comment-139959 [...] Scott Karp at The Blog Herald writes that he hates the expression “user-generated content” that is so ubiquitous on social media websites such as YouTube and MySpace. I totally agree. I think it’s quite condescending. Scott writes: [...] [...] Scott Karp at The Blog Herald writes that he hates the expression “user-generated content” that is so ubiquitous on social media websites such as YouTube and MySpace. I totally agree. I think it’s quite condescending. Scott writes: [...]

]]> By: Bennett Zucker http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/comment-page-1/#comment-139956 Bennett Zucker Thu, 28 Dec 2006 21:11:17 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/#comment-139956 Let's posit that we have "professional" publishing and "personal" publishing. This suggests that there is some real or implicit set of standards that guide the former but not the latter. Scott, "Publishing 2.0" is among my favorites and I enjoy and learn from it all the time. But I assume you are not only publisher, but also the editor responsible for ensuring your own standards of accuracy, ethics and other values you choose to represent on your blog. This, I suggest, makes you a personal publisher. I think even the most flawed and biased "professional" publishers offer two values that personal publishers do not: (1) disciplined, organized group processes of gathering, filtering and weighing that precede editing and production of the content (perhaps what Stephen suggested as the "imprimatur"); and (2) the ability to distribute to a defined audience at scale. The "defined" audience is what advertisers willing to pay premium rates want to buy. If I want to sell my product to people who manage their own small web operations, I'm more likely to target a message on a small business or webmaster site than by advertising broadly across all blogger.com sites. Unless, that is, my goal is a metric whose success is dependent on pure performance, regardless of the specific audience members doing the performing (e.g., submitting a lead, converting, etc.). The idea of defined audience plus the current methodology of media planning and buying are why we still need "professional" publishers and page views and unique audience numbers from Nielsen and Media Metrix. Until something better comes along, buyers of defined audiences need a way to score audiences. This is the best we've got today. Let’s posit that we have “professional” publishing and “personal” publishing. This suggests that there is some real or implicit set of standards that guide the former but not the latter. Scott, “Publishing 2.0″ is among my favorites and I enjoy and learn from it all the time. But I assume you are not only publisher, but also the editor responsible for ensuring your own standards of accuracy, ethics and other values you choose to represent on your blog. This, I suggest, makes you a personal publisher.

I think even the most flawed and biased “professional” publishers offer two values that personal publishers do not: (1) disciplined, organized group processes of gathering, filtering and weighing that precede editing and production of the content (perhaps what Stephen suggested as the “imprimatur”); and (2) the ability to distribute to a defined audience at scale.

The “defined” audience is what advertisers willing to pay premium rates want to buy. If I want to sell my product to people who manage their own small web operations, I’m more likely to target a message on a small business or webmaster site than by advertising broadly across all blogger.com sites. Unless, that is, my goal is a metric whose success is dependent on pure performance, regardless of the specific audience members doing the performing (e.g., submitting a lead, converting, etc.).

The idea of defined audience plus the current methodology of media planning and buying are why we still need “professional” publishers and page views and unique audience numbers from Nielsen and Media Metrix. Until something better comes along, buyers of defined audiences need a way to score audiences. This is the best we’ve got today.

]]> By: Guy http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/comment-page-1/#comment-139953 Guy Thu, 28 Dec 2006 20:49:00 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/#comment-139953 True "reader" isnt much better then "user" I was just trying to think of a better word. True “reader” isnt much better then “user” I was just trying to think of a better word.

]]> By: Mark http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/comment-page-1/#comment-139945 Mark Thu, 28 Dec 2006 20:04:06 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/#comment-139945 'Odious' is exactly the right adjective. It suggests that one is at the end of a mass product line and certainly not 'creating' anything. With terms like these- it's no wonder so many people feel alienated by the new media lingo and reject the whole deal, at least on an unconscious level, before even giving it a twirl. "User-generated content" soon to be condemned to hell (buzzwordhell.com)!! :-) ‘Odious’ is exactly the right adjective. It suggests that one is at the end of a mass product line and certainly not ‘creating’ anything. With terms like these- it’s no wonder so many people feel alienated by the new media lingo and reject the whole deal, at least on an unconscious level, before even giving it a twirl.

“User-generated content” soon to be condemned to hell (buzzwordhell.com)!!

:-)

]]> By: Scott Karp http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/comment-page-1/#comment-139917 Scott Karp Thu, 28 Dec 2006 17:50:35 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/#comment-139917 Stephen, What exactly is the "imprimatur that characterizes publishing"? When I publish something on my blog, am I a "user"? A user of what? Wordpress? What difference does that make? What WOULD qualify me as a publisher? Guy, "Readers" of what? Stephen,

What exactly is the “imprimatur that characterizes publishing”? When I publish something on my blog, am I a “user”? A user of what? WordPress? What difference does that make? What WOULD qualify me as a publisher?

Guy,

“Readers” of what?

]]> By: Guy http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/comment-page-1/#comment-139906 Guy Thu, 28 Dec 2006 16:46:15 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/#comment-139906 maybe "reader generated content" would be better. maybe “reader generated content” would be better.

]]> By: Stephen Downes http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/comment-page-1/#comment-139893 Stephen Downes Thu, 28 Dec 2006 15:02:17 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/#comment-139893 Except that... they're not publishers either. The difference *is* one of kind (and also, undeniably, scale). When a person 'publishes' a blog post, they are undertaking a very different process, for very different motivations, with very different expectations. The imprimatur that characterizes publishing is wholly lacking in the blog post - and it is just that difference that gives the blog post a difference in voice, a difference in perspective. It genuinely *is* the user, speaking. p.s. the vote of '2' on the site load was because of something from Flickr that dragged on far too long... Except that… they’re not publishers either. The difference *is* one of kind (and also, undeniably, scale). When a person ‘publishes’ a blog post, they are undertaking a very different process, for very different motivations, with very different expectations. The imprimatur that characterizes publishing is wholly lacking in the blog post – and it is just that difference that gives the blog post a difference in voice, a difference in perspective. It genuinely *is* the user, speaking.

p.s. the vote of ’2′ on the site load was because of something from Flickr that dragged on far too long…

]]> By: Blog Herald Column On Death Of The User » Publishing 2.0 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/comment-page-1/#comment-139811 Blog Herald Column On Death Of The User » Publishing 2.0 Thu, 28 Dec 2006 01:58:58 +0000 http://www.blogherald.com/2006/12/27/death-of-the-user/#comment-139811 [...] on the death of the user. Enjoy. Scott Karp – December 27th, 2006 | Email | Print | Link | Del.icio.us Bookmark | Submit to Digg Categories: Publishing2.0 [...] [...] on the death of the user. Enjoy. Scott Karp – December 27th, 2006 | Email | Print | Link | Del.icio.us Bookmark | Submit to Digg Categories: Publishing2.0 [...]

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