Chris, please stop trying to marginalize people for what they have said here, then pat us on the back for having the conversation. Nobody said the folks at Podtech were evil creatures. (i.e. there's a difference between someone acting like an asshole and someone who IS an asshole) Most everyone expressed disdain for their actions, and in one way or another expressed disappointment that a company that had demonstrated a real commitment to videobloggers themselves has shifted focus. And they weren't the best at communicating about this internally or externally.
Along with the criticisms, Chris, came many suggestions (e.g. give the Vloggies trademark to a non-profit, as Kent suggested/demanded) and the statement that we know Podtech can be better in the midst of all that happens at a startup because we've seen other companies do it. Nobody was lambasting Podtech's strategy. Discussing it and perhaps disagreeing with it? Sure. Lambasting it, no. Where the vitriol came is in the tactics. People figuring something out is more than fine. It's great. What's not OK is being disrespectful to people and communities and using that operational state as an excuse. In general, this is what is being said here. It may not be diluted by the sterilized niceties of corporatespeak, but that's the exactly the point. People here, in general, are passionately unwilling to accept old-media and old-corporate type behaviors. We have all had more than enough of that. I have heaps of respect for you and what you do with organizing communities, Chris. This is why I follow you on twitter, and this is why I subscibe to your blog. But I cannot tell you how off-putting it is to me that you come here as pretty much a non-participant on this list with what I see as a very well-intentioned but paternalistic preachy/coachy tone , as if we're wayward children who should know better. On 29/07/07, [chrisbrogan.com] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > My take on most things is that I try to find what's helpful, and what > I can learn from. A big healthy chorus of "you suck" is educational, > truly, because it shows that I'm way off base. > > For PodTech, I imagine they're trying to feel out where they want to > go next. They might have made some rough steps. Maybe they bit off > more than they can chew. But if you're saying that they're all a bunch > of evil creatures, that can't really be true, can it? > > Because it's people trying to figure something out. Right? They're > just out there trying to get something together, and maybe their next > go around will be better. > > What *is* great and amazing, however, about this group, is that they > do a great job of keeping the conversation going, in all its flavors. > There's a lot here to absorb. And people interested in the video space > should always keep an ear to the ground in here, and be willing to > participate. > > Elbows, you hit some good notes from time to time. They just often > come couched in vitriol. : ) > > --Chris Brogan... > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
