Eye on Winer

We all know that Dave thinks of RSS as “his.” He won’t often say so, but it’s pretty clear from his body of work so far. What I find amusing is how Dave is so begrudging about the success of companies that he has little spats with. Take today for example.

Oh, are we going to cry now because Google gave users something they’ve been asking for ever since RSS became the hip way to read blogs, and Google gave it to them. What did you want Google to put INTO RSS, Dave? What’s left? You’ve done it all, right?

As much as he gripes about developers not understanding users, he certainly doesn’t understand that there are many different levels of users. Sure, he’ll complain that the users are getting screwed by ads in RSS… but what about the providers of the ad-enabled RSS? Are they not users also? Besides… ad-enabled RSS could potentially get more content providers interested in RSS.

Of course, we all know that this is because Google doesn’t bow before Dave’s superior… skills. Don’t worry, Dave… girls like guys with skills.

A random observation. Today Google News found three articles that contained my name. Screen shot. One was the BBC article above, and the other two were on blogs. Their rules don’t work, blogs get through. They’re suckers for certain kinds of site names. It’s Yahoo all over again, what a mess, so unweblike, back to gatekeepers. I know Google News is useful, I use it, but something is wrong about it.

Of course something is wrong… HE’S NOT INCLUDED! Not that anything he writes on his site is “news”, but he still thinks he ought to be listed in google news. Hooray for arrogant pretension.

Get your waders, folks, it’s getting pretty damn deep in here.

The AutoLink feature is the first step down a treacherous slope, that could spell the end of the Web as a publishing environment with integrity, and an environment where commerce can take place. Today it’s not just about technology, it’s not even mostly about technology. More and more of our commerce, government, research, and social life take place on the Web. Google should not commercialize it in such a bold, unilateral manner without discussion, consideration of all the possible problems. the online equivalent of an environmental impact statement.

Surprisingly, the King Embellisher hasn’t turned of comments or trackbacks yet… sure, his sycophants are rejoicing over his “wisdom” as usual, but there are a few sane voices in the crowd.

In order of track-back-itude:

Pete Holiday ( What about the Users? )

Dave does a lot of yapping about an author’s right to decide how his content is seen. The bottom line is that the author has no such right. Though it’s tempting to concede that, as the author, you have a right to decide how people see your material, the bottom line is that you waive that right the moment you publish in HTML. Why? Because, for starters, every program that reads that HTML may render it differently. Custom browser settings, different browsers, and so on will make this a pointless argument, and that’s not even to speak of programs which help with accessibility.

Imagine that… the users matter? Someone call someone!

Brian Carnell ( ROTFLMAO at Google Toolbar Attacks )

You just have to appreciate the sort of bombast that Dave Winer can generate. Google creates a beta version of its toolbar that automatically detects addresses and turns them into links to Google Maps automatically — if the user explicitly chooses this behavior — and it turns out to be the end of the Web as we know it.

Five points for Brian… that pretty much sums up Dave’s whole existence.


Neuvo ( Google … beware the Dark Side! )

Of course any association of Google with Microsoft and its plans to take over the world are immediate cause for concern. After all, Google is the good guy! Isn’t it? Rubel’s post kicked off quite an energetic discussion which was picked up by a number of sites.

My sarcasm detector went off on that paragraph, but he doesn’t choose a side, so it’s possible that he’s a fool that actually believes that tripe. I’m banking on not, though.

Basically Dave hasn’t been getting enough attention lately so he has to piss on someone to get it. Awesome. Also note that Dave has yet to link to a dissenting opinion on his main page. I know he doesn’t have to, it’s his page, but you’d think he’d be interested in dialoge… right? (Stop laughing! that’s just not polite!)

Well, our friend Dave has been fairly tame of late… nothing much to see aside from the normal chest-puffery. Today, however, we get a little more — Dave espousing the One Right Way™ to do the internets. He links to a piece that makes the claim that Google shouldn’t do something based on the fact that Microsoft took heat for trying something similar. That, of course, is a non-starter considering the number and volume of the anti-Microsoft zealots who start screeching pretty much every time MS moves. Nevertheless, Dave is quick to agree with this post, offers no other support of his own (except, of course, that he’s saying so… isn’t that enough?) Hey guys… you can TURN THE FEATURE OFF. If you don’t like it, quit using it. Now STFU and GBTW.

Oh, and we’ve also got the normal “I’m so cool that I can’t tell you what I’m doing because it’s top secret” stuff here.