awaretek
Jun 12th, 2006, 01:19 PM
OK, here's your chance, podcasters. Slashdot has just published my review of "Tricks of the Podcasting Masters" on its front page. Somewhat predictably, several cynical dudes have already posted responses about how podcasting is lame, just a re-hash of audio streaming that was available on the nest a decade ago, that all podcasts are self-referential trivia that no one would ever want to listen to.
Here's a chance to answer them with facts about what makes podcasting worthwhile. No matter how many cynics post, there are thousands of regular folks who read Slashdot who don't know what podcasting is; why not influence them? You can even plug your own show in your tagline! Free publicity on huge scale.
One poster wrote this:
"""This isn't a troll, so don't flame. My question is....do people really listen to this stuff? While I could understand the value of being able to have the latest npr radio broadcasts automagically updated to your ipod (or insert whatever service), I do NOT understand why anyone would sit around (walk around - whatever) and listen to some random person talking into a microphone in their basement/room about whatever. I'm sure there are high quality individual podcasts, but, like blogs, I think the majority of it is masturbatory garbage (like the selfpromoting article/review submitter). Then again, people seem to like to read random people's blogs and I don't. So maybe I just don't get it. I'm a huge geek and I love the power of the Internet for selfpublishing and independent thought, but it seems to me that this proves less useful than a blog/website - as it is harder to judge the initial quality/content (though I guess subsequent podcasts would make that effort pay off).
I dunno. Could someone just let me know of some of the things they listen to via podcasting and why?"""
Why not answer him? As the author of the book review, it is not considered good form for me to wade into the argument. These threads usually have their peak popularity in the first 24 hours, so now's the time to wade in.
Ron Stephens
PS here's the link: http://books.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/06/12/1456241
But it should be on the Slashdot front page if yopu hurry over there..
www.slashdot.com
Here's a chance to answer them with facts about what makes podcasting worthwhile. No matter how many cynics post, there are thousands of regular folks who read Slashdot who don't know what podcasting is; why not influence them? You can even plug your own show in your tagline! Free publicity on huge scale.
One poster wrote this:
"""This isn't a troll, so don't flame. My question is....do people really listen to this stuff? While I could understand the value of being able to have the latest npr radio broadcasts automagically updated to your ipod (or insert whatever service), I do NOT understand why anyone would sit around (walk around - whatever) and listen to some random person talking into a microphone in their basement/room about whatever. I'm sure there are high quality individual podcasts, but, like blogs, I think the majority of it is masturbatory garbage (like the selfpromoting article/review submitter). Then again, people seem to like to read random people's blogs and I don't. So maybe I just don't get it. I'm a huge geek and I love the power of the Internet for selfpublishing and independent thought, but it seems to me that this proves less useful than a blog/website - as it is harder to judge the initial quality/content (though I guess subsequent podcasts would make that effort pay off).
I dunno. Could someone just let me know of some of the things they listen to via podcasting and why?"""
Why not answer him? As the author of the book review, it is not considered good form for me to wade into the argument. These threads usually have their peak popularity in the first 24 hours, so now's the time to wade in.
Ron Stephens
PS here's the link: http://books.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/06/12/1456241
But it should be on the Slashdot front page if yopu hurry over there..
www.slashdot.com