Thoughts on vertical integration...

This is something of a service announcement, I'm afraid, but it will be followed by some more real thoughts.  For some months now I have been considering how I might improve 'Thoughts on Music' within the constraints of my resources, both financial and temporal. I have some ideas of my own already but all realistic suggestions are always welcome. I must add one proviso, however; at this stage I am not planning to add downloads to the blog.

Vertical integration  - the interaction and accessibility across the various modes and platforms of social networking -  is certainly something that has crossed my mind and it is one aspect that I would like to improve. It is early days, and the time to implement and monitor it is still something of a limiting factor; furthermore it is going to take considerable effort and a steep leaning curve to make it work seamlessly. There will without doubt be some trials, tribulations and false starts along the way, and this is on a not-for-profit and just-for-satisfaction basis, but I think it worth a try and the first real steps were taken this evening.
 
You can now use Twitter to comment on blog posts: @ThoughtsOnMusic or see my tweets for that matter.
Let me know how it works, or doesn't, for you.

Thoughts on blogging

If this seems a strange post then please let me explain...

There seem to be many new recruits to this part of the social network revolution in the last few months. Many of them have just started, written one or two posts, and then started to ask questions about blogging. I have, either directly or not, been on the receiving end of some of them...

Many things are common to all internet activities:

• Don't give personal details recklessly. If in any doubt at all then don't.
  
• Never EVER give bank details, passwords or anything similar.
• If something or someone concerns you, report it AT ONCE.

If you allow comments to your blog, and I do because I think it important that people can comment, then I suggest you choose settings such that you get to review and approve or delete (moderate) them before they appear. I have not yet (in 3½ years) had to delete one because it was in any way offensive but I have declined to publish a few that were totally irrelevant. Others comprised links composed of Chinese script, the content and relevance of which I am unfortunately unable to judge on merit, so I had no option but to reject in ignorance.

Remember:

• It is a two way game. Trouble is generally found where trouble looks.
• Having opinions is what a blog is all about but not everyone will agree with you.
• If you are reasonable and principled then your respondents will probably be likewise.

If that all sounds a bit gloomy, and rather like advice that you heard at school, then I apologize! Blogging is great. I started out of curiosity and never, ever thought that I'd keep it up beyond a few posts.

That was in September 2006 and I have thus found way more music than I would otherwise have done; of that there is no doubt.
Although indirectly, because I was reading and writing about music, I have met so many people often in the real world as a result of my blog. If I had not started it I doubt that I would have committed to going to festivals again...

As this, when I click 'PUBLISH' [and if you are reading this then I have and it has worked], will by my 452nd published post and I'm beginning to think that it wasn't a mistake to start. I also read a lot of other people's blogs now, so just blog if you want and if it suits you keep it going...

Richard