Comments on: When Experts Get The Basics Wrong http://mwgblog.com/archives/2006/03/23/when-experts-get-the-basics-wrong/ Michael W. Geoghegan's Weblog Tue, 07 Oct 2008 01:10:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Pete Prodoehl http://mwgblog.com/archives/2006/03/23/when-experts-get-the-basics-wrong/#comment-524 Pete Prodoehl Tue, 28 Mar 2006 00:15:13 +0000 http://mwgblog.com/archives/2006/03/23/when-experts-get-the-basics-wrong/#comment-524 Just a note, nowadays about 99% of the podcasts I download make it to my portable device, and I'd guess that over 95% of my listening is done while away from a desktop computer... Oh, I've also been downloading audio via RSS and putting it on a portable device for just over 2 years now. (My itconv.pl client has a date of Feb. 2004 on it.) Just a note, nowadays about 99% of the podcasts I download make it to my portable device, and I’d guess that over 95% of my listening is done while away from a desktop computer…

Oh, I’ve also been downloading audio via RSS and putting it on a portable device for just over 2 years now. (My itconv.pl client has a date of Feb. 2004 on it.)

]]> By: The importance of portability to podcasting? » The Elusive Fish — Creative Services » Article Archive http://mwgblog.com/archives/2006/03/23/when-experts-get-the-basics-wrong/#comment-269 The importance of portability to podcasting? » The Elusive Fish — Creative Services » Article Archive Sat, 25 Mar 2006 15:48:02 +0000 http://mwgblog.com/archives/2006/03/23/when-experts-get-the-basics-wrong/#comment-269 [...] My own thought is that the defining aspect of a podcast seems to be the use of RSS to automatically deliver the files, and that opinion seems to be backed by the comments left for the study’s authors not to mention the wikipedia entry on podcasting. But what is driving the growth in podcasting is the underlying ‘my media - my way’ philosophy. Listen when you want. Listen how you want. Whether that’s at 2 am in front of the desktop, 7am on a burned CD over the car stereo during the morning commute or 7pm at the gym with your MP3 player. It’s your choice. [...] [...] My own thought is that the defining aspect of a podcast seems to be the use of RSS to automatically deliver the files, and that opinion seems to be backed by the comments left for the study’s authors not to mention the wikipedia entry on podcasting. But what is driving the growth in podcasting is the underlying ‘my media - my way’ philosophy. Listen when you want. Listen how you want. Whether that’s at 2 am in front of the desktop, 7am on a burned CD over the car stereo during the morning commute or 7pm at the gym with your MP3 player. It’s your choice. [...]

]]> By: Brandon Wolf http://mwgblog.com/archives/2006/03/23/when-experts-get-the-basics-wrong/#comment-268 Brandon Wolf Fri, 24 Mar 2006 17:52:53 +0000 http://mwgblog.com/archives/2006/03/23/when-experts-get-the-basics-wrong/#comment-268 Aside from the definition or whether or not a podcast makes it to a portable player vs. the computer: I see this more about content. There's a ton of utterly useless garbage out there I have to weed through to get to substantive content. So I download them (to my computer) to preview and then when I hear some bozo rambling about his neighbors (on a travel-tagged podcast) or ranting about their childhood (on a politics-tagged podcast) I dismiss it and move on. So no, it never made it to my portable device. I don't expect the polish of a commercially-produced radio broadcast, but I expect some semblance of topicality. Most people subscribe after listening/previewing on their computer first. Why waste the time or the device space? Aside from the definition or whether or not a podcast makes it to a portable player vs. the computer: I see this more about content. There’s a ton of utterly useless garbage out there I have to weed through to get to substantive content. So I download them (to my computer) to preview and then when I hear some bozo rambling about his neighbors (on a travel-tagged podcast) or ranting about their childhood (on a politics-tagged podcast) I dismiss it and move on. So no, it never made it to my portable device.

I don’t expect the polish of a commercially-produced radio broadcast, but I expect some semblance of topicality.

Most people subscribe after listening/previewing on their computer first. Why waste the time or the device space?

]]> By: Rob Safuto http://mwgblog.com/archives/2006/03/23/when-experts-get-the-basics-wrong/#comment-266 Rob Safuto Fri, 24 Mar 2006 13:18:22 +0000 http://mwgblog.com/archives/2006/03/23/when-experts-get-the-basics-wrong/#comment-266 Good point Mike. What I've found is that the so called experts use the good names of their companies to anoint themselves as the leading information sources for new technology. Then they publish expensive white papers that include dubious information. These white papers are supposed to assist businesses with understanding the medium. Instead, they confuse people even more than they had been. People who really know the medium need to speak up (as you are doing here) and disseminate the correct information. I've already begun efforts on a social media wiki that will allow the folks who know to post their knowledge on podcasting and other social media technologies. My hope is that the new (and true) experts will be seen as those who are actually using and applying the medium. As opposed to those who got their information from other expensive white papers and hearsay. Good point Mike. What I’ve found is that the so called experts use the good names of their companies to anoint themselves as the leading information sources for new technology. Then they publish expensive white papers that include dubious information. These white papers are supposed to assist businesses with understanding the medium. Instead, they confuse people even more than they had been.

People who really know the medium need to speak up (as you are doing here) and disseminate the correct information. I’ve already begun efforts on a social media wiki that will allow the folks who know to post their knowledge on podcasting and other social media technologies. My hope is that the new (and true) experts will be seen as those who are actually using and applying the medium. As opposed to those who got their information from other expensive white papers and hearsay.

]]> By: Karin Hoegh http://mwgblog.com/archives/2006/03/23/when-experts-get-the-basics-wrong/#comment-265 Karin Hoegh Fri, 24 Mar 2006 09:51:35 +0000 http://mwgblog.com/archives/2006/03/23/when-experts-get-the-basics-wrong/#comment-265 Oh dear! Your going up hill here, Michael :) (sorry my english) We need exact definitions of podcast, podcasting and podcatching, and I must say, there are a few unexact ones around. New Oxford American Dictionary, which you refer to, got it wrong the first time, when they chose the word "podcast" as word of the Year 2005: "a digital recording of a radio broadcast or similar program, made available on the Internet for downloading to a personal audio player," no RSS - just download? - maybe that was too complicated to grasp - better luck in 2006 :) I have, for my (however danish) study, defined "podcast" as the medium - like newspaper, radio, newsletter, etc. "Podcasting" is the production of the medium - like broadcasting and publishing. And - you are so right. A podcaster is - like a broadcaster - the one who publishes podcasts. AND the listener, the subscriber - is not a podcaster. We could call it the "podcatcher" - but that is among podcasters the word for an aggregator, so the problem might be, that there is no good word for, what we define as the podcast-listener/downloader/user/subscriber.... We need that, I think - Therefore I have suggested to gather a konference panel at the EXPO in September, where the more theoretical matters, definitions, analysis of the medium, etc. can be discussed. A more academic, but authoritative, approach which could maybe add to eliminate the CONfusion, which among others the DIFfusion Group is adding to. :) Oh dear! Your going up hill here, Michael :) (sorry my english)

We need exact definitions of podcast, podcasting and podcatching, and I must say, there are a few unexact ones around.

New Oxford American Dictionary, which you refer to, got it wrong the first time, when they chose the word “podcast” as word of the Year 2005:
“a digital recording of a radio broadcast or similar
program, made available on the Internet for downloading to a personal audio
player,”

no RSS - just download? - maybe that was too complicated to grasp - better luck in 2006 :)

I have, for my (however danish) study, defined “podcast” as the medium - like newspaper, radio, newsletter, etc.

“Podcasting” is the production of the medium - like broadcasting and publishing. And - you are so right. A podcaster is - like a broadcaster - the one who publishes podcasts.

AND the listener, the subscriber - is not a podcaster. We could call it the “podcatcher” - but that is among podcasters the word for an aggregator, so the problem might be, that there is no good word for, what we define as the podcast-listener/downloader/user/subscriber….

We need that, I think -

Therefore I have suggested to gather a konference panel at the EXPO in September, where the more theoretical matters, definitions, analysis of the medium, etc. can be discussed. A more academic, but authoritative, approach which could maybe add to eliminate the CONfusion, which among others the DIFfusion Group is adding to. :)

]]> By: » 80% of Podcasts Never Make it to a Portable Player? http://mwgblog.com/archives/2006/03/23/when-experts-get-the-basics-wrong/#comment-264 » 80% of Podcasts Never Make it to a Portable Player? Fri, 24 Mar 2006 07:33:25 +0000 http://mwgblog.com/archives/2006/03/23/when-experts-get-the-basics-wrong/#comment-264 [...] Michael Geoghagen and Paul Colligan also chime in on this subject. [...] [...] Michael Geoghagen and Paul Colligan also chime in on this subject. [...]

]]> By: Paul Colligan’s Profitable Podcasting » Blog Archive » Getting Honest About the Podcast Numbers http://mwgblog.com/archives/2006/03/23/when-experts-get-the-basics-wrong/#comment-263 Paul Colligan’s Profitable Podcasting » Blog Archive » Getting Honest About the Podcast Numbers Fri, 24 Mar 2006 05:14:03 +0000 http://mwgblog.com/archives/2006/03/23/when-experts-get-the-basics-wrong/#comment-263 [...] Update: Michael Goeghegan makes some comments about the source material for the Design Technica piece. As always, he's right. I'm glad some of us understand the essentials. [...] [...] Update: Michael Goeghegan makes some comments about the source material for the Design Technica piece. As always, he’s right. I’m glad some of us understand the essentials. [...]

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