The Metblog is Bleeding
Sounds like things are in turmoil over at Metroblogging Portland (or is it Metblogs now… they seem to have re-branded) following last weekend’s bumpy “upgrade” to a new blog platform.
At least one Metblog author has posted publicly with a list of complaints about the new system (including the fact that he can’t even log in) and another author has agreed.
I’ve heard that some of the authors (and some other folks) are in discussion about setting up a new independent Portland-focused blog. There is a lot of positive blog energy around Portland, and I question if there’s much benefit to a city blog being tied to a bigger network.
It’s interesting to note that it’s been almost 24 hours since anyone has commented on the site. I wonder if Metblogs has ever gone 24 hours on a weekday without any comments.
Posted in Portland Blog Scene |
March 4th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
For what it’s worth, I got my login problems worked out thanks to dieselboi.
The local Portland Metblogs “Captains” have been very helpful, at least to the extent they are able. They were blindsided by this, too.
One thing people on the outside may not be fully aware of is how dismissive the Metblogs founder is of his authors. On an internal forum, he has been downright rude and arrogant to authors who question the login-to-comment requirement.
That’s not the way to treat people who provide your content for free and drive traffic to your site, eyeballs to your advertisers, and cash to your company.
Content is king. Anybody can hack WordPress and set up a community blog. But you don’t have squat without content.
March 4th, 2008 at 6:05 pm
wow, downright rude. That’s the first time I’ve heard that. Although Steve said he wasn’t able to log in, so that might be misinfo. I dunno. Anyway, we changed a billion things with this redesign, some everyone love, some a few people love, and some a few people hate. It’s completely true there are people who aren’t happy about the registration policy, but there are way way way way way way more who just don’t care and quite a few who are really happy about it. But that isn’t the point, point is we felt it was what had to happen for the future growth of the network. I’m sorry that some folks seem to think not taking their advice is being rude, but we listened to just about every pro and con we could find on this and then made a call that we feel is the best one. Some folks will disagree, but that’s just the way it goes.
March 4th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
So, that’s just the way it goes? Or that’s what gets you kicked off metblogs? Getting kicked off is fine with me, I was ready to stop putting money in your pocket. But doing it via a comment on my website? Low-class my friend.