“Despite our different opinions about the relative importance of the message board and the star parts, Roger and I are both looking for the same thing, the same sort of connection, from our blogs. It’s not about having an echo chamber posting twenty “you’re so right!” comments, just those comments and links that even when they make it clear that you were wrong, also make it clear that someone read what you had to say, understood it, and thought enough of it to reply. “Star” is a little strong for me, but I’ve long thought of my blog as just a forum where only I get to start message threads.”
We had a new senior IT guy start at work a few months ago, in a
different office, and I still haven’t got around to meeting him—the time
I went to that office, he was away. When he mentioned (to someone else)
that he still hadn’t got around to meeting me, they suggested to him
that he should read this site, because it’s almost as good as meeting me
in person.
I was really, really pleased with that. I must be doing something right.