Blogger and Garden Blogs

**D* G* <d*@kos.net>**

I just posted a note on my blog about Blogger that some of you might wnat to
consider.  IMO... In short, Blogger has implemented a new policy of making
all commenters on your blog have either a Blogger account or "register" with
a non-linking account in order to make a comment.

In the short run, this isn't likely too big a problem as the Blogger network
is fairly large and the numbers most garden bloggers are talking about with
subscribers are still pretty low.

In the long run however, professional garden writers may want to ensure
they're in a system where all visitors can comment equally.  Have your own
self-hosted blog.

Why?

The deal is fairly simple.  Blogging is about networking and creating
relationships between blogs and writers.   If I, as a non-Blogger person
can't include my blog-link in a comment on your site, then you and the other
readers don't know who I am and can't include me in the conversation by
visiting my blog or back-linking through.  I ran into this on the weekend
where I wanted to make a comment on a Blogger garden site but couldn't
because I didn't have a Blogger account and I wasn't all the keen on yet
another registration for a non-linking identity.

Blogger has created a wall around it's blogs and writers and while it may
not have been the intent, effectively created a long-term policy of not
allowing any other blogger outside the network to interact.  A closed door
policy reminiscent of AOL back "in the day."   You won't see the effect of
this in the short term but in the long term, I suspect that Blogger blogs
will increasingly talk to themselves.

A useful strategy might be to have two blogs - one inside the system and one
outside the system.

But that's too much work for me. :-)

So that's a heads-up if you're using Blogger.  You'll see inbound comments
from other Blogger readers but likely decreasing numbers of comments from
non-Bloggers over the next few years.

I haven't seen this issue raised in garden blogs even though it has been a
bit of a firestorm on other blog areas I follow.  My apologies if I've
missed it in my travelling and moving.

On a lighter note - a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season to all fellow
garden writers.  May the simple gifts of the season be yours this year.

Doug

-- 
Doug Green
Ist in Online Gardening Publishing
Homesite http://www.simplegiftsfarm.com
Blog http://www.douggreensgarden.com

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