Jakob Nielsen gives us blog design advice

Jakob Nielsen lists 10 design mistakes that bloggers make. I make three of them here (I don’t have my own domain name, my calendar is my only navigation, my classic hits are buried, and I don’t have an author biography).

Well, actually, I have a page over on Wikipedia that folks setup for me (I haven’t yet entered anything on this page).

I’m working on the domain problem. Matt, if you’re reading this, it’d be really great if you could give your WordPress.com service users the ability to have their own domain names (keep in mind that WordPress.com is different from WordPress, the tool).

Also, I’m working on a directory of my first five years of blogging. I want to have that ready by my fifth blogging birthday on December 15. I’m using Dave Winer’s OPML tool to make an OPML directory of my favorite posts.

My wife is addicted to blogging

I come home and what does Maryam, my wife, say? “I’ve gotta post to my blog.” Everytime I talk with her she’s bragging about getting trackbacks or comments. Now she’s downloading an RSS aggregator — all on her own.

It’s very weird being the one trying to tear her away from the computer. Her blog, named Maryamie, is really great (it should be, she graduated with honors in English from Cal Berkeley).

Nicholas Carr says Web 2.0 “amoral”

Ahh, fun, Nicholas Carr got tired of saying that IT is dead. So now he’s saying that Web 2.0 is “amoral.”

Oh, really? Maybe you should check out the Web 2.0 stuff that Brian Bailey is doing. He is putting HDTV videos of his church’s services up. And much more. And he has a blog.

But why let a little blog like Brian’s get in the way of a nice story? Hmmmm.

By the way, his church (Fellowship near Dallas) is doing the best video streaming in the industry. His “streaming video from scratch” posts are the bible for the video industry. Fellowship is the first church in the world to be totally HDTV.

See, even amoral geeks can learn something by going to church.

Race report

The guy I interviewed on Friday crashed. Danica Patrick and Jacques collided in the fourth turn. I was in the pits watching the Target crew and the mood turned very quiet. Some adult language was used. But, the race was fun anyway. Thanks to the Target team for being such great hosts! Better luck next season.

Paul and Sean argue about business blogging

Paul Chaney answers back Sean Carton’s claim that blogs and RSS are things that not everyone should do: “not all new trends are worthwhile,” Sean wrote.

Ahh, nothing like a good argument on Sunday morning to get things going.

Basically what Sean is saying is “don’t blog unless you have a reason to.” Paul, on the other hand, is basically saying “the list of reasons is long.”

I agree with both. How’s that for sitting on the fence?

I look at these tools as simply ways to build relationships with people who you want to build relationships with.

Now, if you don’t understand what a relationship is, then that’s a problem. Many people don’t. They assume a relationship can be built with a press release. “I’m perfect, everyone else isn’t,” they scream. Yeah, that’ll really build you a great relationship. Try that with your significant other tonight and see how far that gets you.

If you look at your company or your industry that way, then you probably should listen to Sean. On the other hand, if you see the value in having relationships with people then you’re probably already nodding your head in agreement with Paul.

Me? I’m off until tomorrow. Got a race to go to.