017.txt (2475B) [raw]
1 The Non-Technical Difficulties of Phlogging 2 ------------------------------------------- 3 Sat Sep 24 11:41:57 PM EDT 2022 4 5 I've put in some effort over the years to make sure 6 that phlogging is as easy as possible from a technical 7 perspective. I mean... the phlog(1) script creates 8 a new file and updates my index, and a simple git-push 9 publishes it.. since files are served as plaintext, 10 even ed(1) is a WYSIWYG editor :) 11 12 So why is it hard to phlog regularly? 13 14 Obviously this phlog has been sporadic at best, 15 but I noticed that it's definitely a theme over at 16 SDF too (gopher.club)--so many newcomers have a 17 first post like "I'm so excited to be here" and then 18 "I hope to phlog daily" only to stop after a couple 19 posts. 20 21 I think the barriers to phlogging are non-technical. 22 At least for me (I completely understand that picking 23 up gopher requires a good bit of computer smarts). 24 25 When it comes down to it: why should I bother phlogging? 26 27 I generally write long-form entries for two reasons: 28 29 1. I need to think through my emotions 30 2. I have some tech/thought worth sharing 31 32 For (1), I'd much rather keep these to my pen and paper 33 journal. And for (2), the sad reality is that I want 34 them to be available over HTTP so that recruiters 35 and future employers see my work/hobbies. Unless it 36 explicitly involves gopher (and is therefore of most 37 interest to other burrowers), it's probably good material 38 for my weblog to prove I do technical things outside 39 of work (plz hire me!). 40 41 So why phlog? And _what_ to phlog? I phlog because I 42 think gopher is cool and I want to support the ecosystem 43 with fresh content. I suppose going forward I'll try to 44 phlog things I think would be of less interest to my 45 blog readers (read: few friends) but are still public 46 enough to feel comfortable sharing? 47 48 It's a fine line for sure between wanting readership 49 (publishing on a more accessible medium like HTTP) and 50 wanting the cozy community (gopher) and wanting 51 total privacy (journal). 52 53 I guess I at least share my weblog on my gopherhole 54 so it's not totally a one-or-the-other situation. 55 56 Anyways.. for any readers--why do you phlog instead 57 of blog? Do you ever wonder if your phlogging efforts 58 would be better spent on a blog? 59 60 -- 61 62 For more context on the "hire me plz": I'm starting 63 to look around at jobs, and while the initial intention 64 of my blog was never to put it on my resume, I realize 65 that it's actually a great testament to my skillset 66 and interests. 67 68 Priorities change, I guess.