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Monday, November 27, 2006

JP meet-up WHY ?

I have been asked several times today if I was going to attend the
JP meet up. Well to be honest I was not planning to and I dismissed the idea when I first read about it as unnecessary. And that was that till today.

This lead me to thinking, well why do people who have a blog to express their feelings, beliefs, ideas and views, or what ever reason want to meet other people who do the same thing ? this is strange because many of us are very different in personality, background and education and many other levels. So why is there the need to get to know each other in person ? Well I do understand that when you read someone's blog for a while and you get to know them well and feel you could be friends, Then you suggest to that person to meet. But in a bulk like that! The reasoning eludes me.

The idea is not that strange though if actually meeting people or belonging to group, was the idea behind the blogging thing in the first place, or if its just an opportunity to meet new people and making friends, or is that part a welcomed side effect to blogging? I don't know.

Suddenly I was interested if there is criteria, that makes a good blog and a bad one. If there is low and high level of blogs. Personally in the begging I wanted a place to express myself through, and that was the level of my interest, and I rated good blogs and bad blogs according to the level of my ( liking ) but is there a criteria or something? So I asked the wise
wikipedia here is what he had to say:

A blog is a website where entries are made in journal style and displayed in a reverse chronological order.
Blogs often provide commentary or news on a particular subject, such as food, politics, or local news; some function as more personal
online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual although some focus on photographs (photoblog), videos (vlog), or audio (podcasting), and are part of a wider network of social media.
The term "blog" is derived from "Web log." "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.
As of November 2006, blog search engine
Technorati was tracking nearly 60 million blogs.[1]


So basically
Wiki did not know more than I did, hmm back to square one why go to a blogging community meet up?

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Tamara, always questioning things and not taking things for granted, is a good idea. As to participate in a meeting you have to be convenced that meeting has goals and agenda to serve, otherwise its a futile effort.

Tamara said...

Abdulla

I'm not sure I understand what you are saying ? do you mean I should take things at face value and not ask questions, this is not possible with me if haven’t noticed so far : ) and if you mean I should go no matter what the thing is about and no matter if I'm convinced or not, that as well is not possible : ) sorry

But I truly I'm open minded, if someone explains the reason and I find it convincing I will go…I admit I'm kind of tempted to see the JP citizens in person, but still I need a better reason than my curiosity.

Why don't you have a blog ? though you read a number of them regularly

Anonymous said...

Inspiring post Tamara :) ..

Its is true .. well why do people who have a blog to express their feelings, beliefs, ideas and views, or what ever reason want to meet other people who do the same thing ?

I could say that curiosity is what drove me to consider going , however, its true , may be its not an enough reason to attend ..

electro said...

life's good, life's simple.
so why complicate things, maybe someone thought its a good idea, maybe someone has an announcement and figured maybe people would love to hear it LIVE. i don't know!
it comes to a simple question: do you want to go? if u do then go, if u don't then don't!

Anonymous said...

Asalam 3alaykom,
Iloved this circular post..loved the thought and style...
i'm in egypt and would never attend meetings..curiosity my friend..makes people meet, along with killing the cat:D:D
*check my new home..caller has gone by the beach;)

and life goes on... said...

I believe it depends on 'why you blog'!
I personally blog because it makes me feel better.. and i don't really care if people like my blog or dont! I've heared so many people 'hate my writings'... but so what? would it make me stop.. of course not! I blog because it makes me feel good.. even if there's no one to read (this wouldn't really make a difference).. I enjoy the comments and all but if someone doesn't enjoy my blog then let it be.. it won't change a thing .. really! As I myself stopped reading many blogs long time ago.. it's a matter of taste!

Anonymous said...

well,

if you know that there was always a meeting gather for PHP and Linux user in Jordan , and those ppl who actually start bloging in Jordan and work on JP,

lately I start totally believe that not all can do blogging, so who blog had something different and u can see that form blog's visitors or comment some bolgs had daily comments and post other monthly .
so I think that meeting people personally and see the real personality in them ,is something worth ,
and buy the way in SP (Syria plant ) they do more than meeting or let say they don’t meet the arrange gather's in social work like once about tree-planting and SP members had special deals …

so I think is worth to go and meet some bloggers , even I know that in some way it's going to effect (-)or (+),he's blog tell that he's so sensitive and look how much he's rude, it's just the matter of Sense blog give you something and real LIFE another thing so u can give the right judge…

but in JP all guys are polite and cool , meeting them is just break something : )

see ya : )

Anonymous said...

Sorry for not having myself clear. What I meant to say is: I agree with your stand as I won't go myself to a meeting unless I agree with the purpose of the meeting. I would have questioned it as you did. a meeting that is that regular should have a clear agenda and goals to be able to commit yourself to it. Unless the purpose of the meeting is socialize within a certain group. What is weird really is that I find myself in coherence with some bloggers in their opinions and stands on a lot of issues. You happen to be one of them. I do have the time to read but not enough to write, and I may be considered some what an Islamic radical, so I may not have so many as an audience :)

Anonymous said...

Good question Tamara!

Exactly you express what's going around in my mind.

I attend the last meeting for the first time. No one argue that it was nice time meeting cute people, sharing them Iftar at Ramadan was absolutely great. In spite of all above I felt there is missed serie! we interact,exchanging points of view and have some sort of digitally friendship,but do actually we are in reality should be like that?
I was saying to myself If they arrange something enthusiastic I am gonna go like quizzes,games as teams it would be energetic a little bit.

another possitive point of view, giving chance to bloggers to express their points of view more clearly (If still there are hold question marks regard their blogs or topics) it would be healthy to have this discussion.

Meanwhile,I don't know to go or not yet but basiclly as you said good goals behind the meeting have to be clear before deciding to attend or not,it has not to be for Curiosity only to see whome behind this & that).

Tamara said...

To All,

Just so I'm not misunderstood. I was actually intrigued to attend and see some of the people who I liked from reading their blogs, but thought there must be another reason; this is why I asked you all to see if any one had a good reason, maybe things should be taken more lightly, like electro said if you want to go do so if not don't ! what the heck show up, if you don't like what you see just leave. But I'm not like that and personal differences between people exist we are not all the same. But that does not mean that I'm right and someone else is wrong, its just a matter of opinion and since its my blog I guess I'm entitled to voice mine : )

Danah

I'm glad you agree, but bottom line if you really want to go even if you have no reason besides being curious ..what the heck go ! I would like to hear what you have to say about the meet-up and the people : )

Electro

Sorry bro but I have to have a reason, because how will I know if I want to go or not!! It depends on the reason …

Rasha

Yes but the cat has nine lives : ) curiosity is not always a bad thing, to me personally its not enough reason but to others it may be. Besides I'm not that curious as to my fellow bloggers, I'm interested in the ideas and thoughts and not in their looks or sense of style.

And life goes on …

Good for you girl : ) I like your blog and I too use mine as kind of an outlet

Hamede

Welcome to my corner : ) glad you do agree

Mqabbani

I see your point and I do agree that seeing someone and reading for them is totally a different matter, but would I want to know that as long as I enjoy someone's writings? I don't really care if they are true or not ! the only thing that will make me interested in meeting someone is if I feel I could be friends with someone, then I would think about seeing if they are what they sound like maybe I will gain a new fried.

I love the idea of the SP people gathering to do social work, this is an amazing idea for JP.

Abdulla

I agree with you, please see the idea of SP. That will make a great idea for JP meet-ups and then I will go.

As for blogging, it does not matter how many readers you have, the point if you feel you would like to do it go ahead. If it was for the number of people who read my blog in comparison to other blogs I would have stopped a long time ago….think quality readers and comments a quantity : )

Tamara said...

Red rose

I'm glad you agree with me : ) its not enough to sit around and talk to strangers even if you read their blog, there must be some sort of an activity. And if they do I would like to hear about it before hand.

Anonymous said...

I missed to add this point:

Everyone knows ironic funny Mala2t,right? I don't thik If I met her in reality it would be good thing, simply for this reason..I pictured her in my mind and I like how I imagine her,,so maybe If I met her this image will not stay as "I like it to be".

Plus the idea behind bloging to express freely as no one control you, to be 100% YOU, I guess in meeting will people start face to face interfer in every private details you publish.

Maybe when I published very personal experience I do becuse it makes me comfortable but I don't think I am gonna discuss it in public face to face and this what gives blogging it's destenctive feature & meeting go against this somehow.

Anonymous said...

I kind of liked Red Rose reasoning here .. its true , if there was no specific ideas to be plotted or discussed , nor a specific activity , then it might not be a very wise idea to go.
Add to that, having this mental image about the bloggers whom I like their writings, its very possible that it will be affected upon meeting them in person. It could be true ,that among them there might be people whom I'll even like in person not only in writings , but it could also be the other way around .. just as Red Rose said ..

So I guess .. a good deal of us started blogging as an outlet :) and prefer to keep "mainly" anonymous , to maintain freedom of subjects to be posted and discussed ..

Madi said...

We have three theories that might answer your question
1-) Killing time
2-) A new mechanism for to get to know more people
3-) Killing time.

Tamara said...

Jad

Lol

first I'm very happy that you passed by : ) welcham to my corner

Since its your first visit I will not go philosophical on you, but I still personaly need more reason than that.

Anonymous said...

Well lots of ppl feel the same way u do , and on the other hand many beleive that meeting bloggers would add make the whole idea of blogging worth it ..... bs all in all u cant make a general rule here , its an individualized issue , cuz a blog - in my defenition - is a personal miroor of his / her owner .... here you will find bloggers u like and bloggers u dont like , accordingly and after so much interaction between you , you might consider meeting them bs meeting , personal or ina group ...... , bs the imp Q that will lead the answer to yr first Q is why do Tamar blogs ?

CheeerZ!