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Why I still blog after 15 years

jonashietala.se

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Re: Why I still blog after 15 years

#151

Post by xenodium »

dunefox wrote: post #63
xenodium wrote: post #59

If you have stopped blogging, been meaning to get back on it, or simply want to start, but been put off by the popular platform options, I'm working on a blogging platform myself that sheds the crummy modern bits of the web: https://lmno.lol . Here's my own blog https://lmno.lol/alvaro (about 10 years worth of posts). You can read the blogs on your phone, your desktop, your terminal. No JS needed. Coincidentally the…

Does it support latex formula and code highlighting? There are some things I absolutely need in a blog, and I can't seem to find a simple one that supports everything.

While you can embed code blocks, you can they aren't syntax highlighted yet. It's on the roadmap. I take it you mean to render latex? I'd need to figure out if I can render server-side. Trying to avoid client-side JS. I can add a feature request to the backlog.

The more desireable things can be added over time. I need to launch first. I also need to be mindful of what's added, so I things stay fairly lean and snappy.

Re: Why I still blog after 15 years

#152

Post by mellavora »

golergka wrote: post #138
doctorwho42 wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Welcome to the hyper capitalist world that has been created over the past 60 years. This is the result of always needed growth in your economic system.

Economic growth is another way of saying "improving people's lives". An economic system which always needs to improve people's lives is a good thing, actually. When you compare modern first world to 60 years ago, people's lives have significantly improved. And if you do the same in developed countries, the difference is unbelievable.

The promise of capitalism is to improve people's circumstances and thus make them happy.

The promise of buddhism is to make people happy regardless of circumstances.

Re: Why I still blog after 15 years

#153

Post by golergka »

mellavora wrote: post #152
golergka wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Economic growth is another way of saying "improving people's lives". An economic system which always needs to improve people's lives is a good thing, actually. When you compare modern first world to 60 years ago, people's lives have significantly improved. And if you do the same in developed countries, the difference is unbelievable.

The promise of capitalism is to improve people's circumstances and thus make them happy. The promise of buddhism is to make people happy regardless of circumstances.

And the promise of communism is to make everyone equally miserable. I was born in USSR and still remember 5-hour queues for rotting cabbage, thanks.

Re: Why I still blog after 15 years

#154

Post by JeremyMorgan »

I have no idea who this person is, but I loved reading this article. The author is clearly a better writer than me and managed cleanly assemble the reasons most of us do this.

I also run a blog and have since 1997. Didn't start seriously contributing until 2008 or so. It's a labor of love and I do it for many of the reasons stated here. Love to write, love to push myself to make things more "usable" for folks other than me. And it helps me check myself on certain topics (do I understand this enough to teach it to someone else?)

I have been hassled by some younger folks who say "blogging is dead" (can't argue with that) and it's a waste of time because it will never make me viral, rich, or famous (I knew that before I started). But I do it for me, and I still recommend other people do it as well. It's good for the soul.

Re: Why I still blog after 15 years

#155

Post by JeremyMorgan »

blackbrokkoli wrote: post #64
JohnMakin wrote: post #36

> "I keep this blog for me to write, not necessarily for others to read." This is now to me the "old school" internet creator attitude (that I still possess). I don't blog as much any more but do create content elsewhere - a lot of it is for my own enjoyment and creative outlet, to blow off steam, whatever - the fact that other people may want to watch it is secondary. I do try to do things people want, but only if I…

Genuine question: If you write only for yourself, what motivates you to actually finish, and more importantly, polish a post? I write for myself all the time, in private: I have a journal, a paper notebook, thousands of notes in Obsidian. Yet doing a blog post feels like a massive undertaking every single time, especially the later writing and editing: explaining stuff that is obvious to me and no one else, replacing…

I can't speak for the original author, but crafting a great blog post is fun. And, there are thousands of people a day who read my blog, but even if it were zero it would be the same.

The "polish" and working on it is part of craft, it's no different than carving something out of wood and not showing it to anyone. You still had fun creating the product and shaping it how you wanted.

Re: Why I still blog after 15 years

#156

Post by golergka »

_DeadFred_ wrote: post #149
golergka wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Economic growth is another way of saying "improving people's lives". An economic system which always needs to improve people's lives is a good thing, actually. When you compare modern first world to 60 years ago, people's lives have significantly improved. And if you do the same in developed countries, the difference is unbelievable.

Problem is the 10-20 year window doesn't look so good. Only vampires don't realize you can't suck every last drop out out. Every good manager knows you can't count on more than 80% employee utilization in the best circumstances with the best people. Now companies expect zero hour employees (part time employees who are guaranteed zero hours/zero schedule but expected to move their lives around their job, which is one…

It seems to me that you're equating economic growth with "sucking every last drop out". Please correct me if I misunderstood you, but it is a completely nonsensical proposition.

Re: Why I still blog after 15 years

#157

Post by HappMacDonald »

s1artibartfast wrote: post #122
Kye wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure how you imagine the process of getting into one of these no-degree businesses goes. You don't just "start doing it." First, you need tools and transportation. Then you need to know what the hell you're doing. Then, probably, some certifications. And now you have to find people to pay you in a highly competitive market full of scammers who make it even harder to sell services. The usual path is to work fo…

so now we are starting to get somewhere. It seems you think the bottlenecks are similar to the ones I flagged such as knowledge, discovery and certification. If you know a way to find the people starting that aren't charging 200/hr, please let me know because I want to hire them.

You can always try putting out an ad on Craigslist: "Need someone to fix my car (or landscape your yard or prune your tree, whichever thing you're trying to get done) for $X/hr. No experience or certification or warranty of any kind required, if you get hurt I guess I'm paying your medical bills, if you've never done this before now's your chance to muddle through and find out how on my dime, and if you ruin my property well then it sucks to be me."

Re: Why I still blog after 15 years

#158

Post by forrestthewoods »

aksss wrote: post #120
forrestthewoods wrote: post #89

I love my blog. I post like maybe 4 times a year when I feel suitably inspired. I find HN far and away the most random aggregator. Reddit is very reliable for me. When I share my posts on HN they almost never get traction. But then they randomly do months later when someone shares the same post! Kind of annoying. My blog is artisanal handcrafted HTML and CSS. I honestly find it much easier and simpler than generators…

> I love my blog. Ha, ditto. I’m sure I’m my own biggest fan and reader. I’m making content I want to see more of on the Internet, and am proud of it! :)

My blog is honestly one of the best things I’ve done for my career. Writing skills are super valuable but no programmers are taught how to write. It’s not a skill we explicitly develop. Learning how to express ideas for various audiences is super useful. I’ve gotten, imho, pretty good at both writing and presenting and I attribute a lot of that to 10+ years of blog writing.

Re: Why I still blog after 15 years

#159

Post by codetrotter »

nemomarx wrote: post #142
bityard wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can't explain why, but I always cringe a little when I hear someone say that they "consume content." Maybe its because I can't tell if brings up animalistic connotations (a pack of feral hipsters picking at the remains of an endangered podcast on the Serengeti), or if they are intentionally being elitist ("It would be a waste of time to simply read Chomsky's work, an educated person would make the effort consume it…

I get the opposite vibe - you read literature, you consume content like it's generic slop and the quality isn't that important.

Agreed. It’s like fast food, but for your brain.

Re: Why I still blog after 15 years

#160

Post by kiba »

ReleaseCandidat wrote: post #48
JohnMakin wrote: post #36

> "I keep this blog for me to write, not necessarily for others to read." This is now to me the "old school" internet creator attitude (that I still possess). I don't blog as much any more but do create content elsewhere - a lot of it is for my own enjoyment and creative outlet, to blow off steam, whatever - the fact that other people may want to watch it is secondary. I do try to do things people want, but only if I…

> content creation I seriously hate the term "content" used for "creative output". It is a terrible, derogatory word, that makes me sad. Content is only there to have something to sell, to fill the blank space around ads, the actual content of the content doesn't matter. That people refer to themselves as "content creators" is a sign that they see the value of their creative output only to make money.

I don't use the word "content" that way. What you call "content" I call internet slops.
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