OK guys, here’s your fifteen minutes.
February 15 2007
Some new blogs have popped up on referrers and blog searches in the last couple of weeks. My normal practice is to keep an eye on new blogs to see where they go, participate in discussions, and then see about how I can help successful blogs become more successful. But there's a different trend going on in the last few weeks, and it really surprises me. Many of the new Lotus-related blogs are being written anonymously.
Now in some cases, people do this because their employers prohibit them from discussing "work" in public, and they've chosen to interpret that to include discussing the technology they use at work. They write about coding challenges and admin tips and the like, and that's all good. An example: "One Lotus Developer", who attended Lotusphere and seems to be quite excited to get ahold of Notes 8 (hint: you'll read it here first :-).
Other cases seem to be online venting outlets. That's fine, too -- who hasn't written a flameogram at some point in their life? I've seen a bunch of these show up in the last few months. The most recent one is "i hate lotus notes", and by linking it I've just gone against what I wrote in comments there. It may well be an interesting read, but if they're just going to rant and rant -- no matter how accurate or relevant they are -- I'm just not interested. Why not?
The answer to that lies in the latest discovery, the "Big Smile Happy Club". The writers here are arrogant enough to say that my position on anonymity, discussed just a few days ago, is the wrong way to go:
There can be no free discussion if there is any limitation on the discussion. Once you exclude participants for any reason you have immediately restricted free speech. Now, it's your blog and you have the right to do so, but don't claim it improves the conversation, how can any conversation be improved by the exclusion of opinions? There is, as can be seen in any free speech nation, a price for that. You must endure the fools, it is an either/or proposition. Either you promote, encourage and support free speech or you don't. ...Actually, I'd happily allow my vote to be public, but I do acknowledge how important that right to privacy is.
There is a power in anonymity that can be a important tool in an open society. It can be guaranteed that some of those who scream about online trolls and want to restrict them also would throw sh*t fits if when they went to vote their vote was public. Hell, pick any loss of personal security. Once again, you can have a free society (with its warts) or not, which side are you on?
As I said in a comment on the "club", there is a huge difference between the need for protected speech and open discourse in government, politics, and society in general, versus running a business. In a business, if you start listening to anonymous critics, you have no way to know what those critics represent--legitimate business interests, fanboys, fringe elements, critics, competitors, muckrackers, or anything else.
If I take time away from listening to the customers and partners I can identify, in order to listen to voices that I can't, there's no way to know whether I'm on the right path or not. There simply aren't enough hours in the day to spend the cycles with those who won't identify themselves. I'm not going to be able to have a credible conversation with my vice-president citing screen names and aliases. And I'm certainly not going to change my policy.
Sorry, Script Avenger.
Update 28 February 2007: The "Big Smile Happy Club' went off the air 24 hours after this blog posting. Eventually, the blog/domain was hijacked, so I removed the link. "i hate lotus notes" has been hacked with a redirect -- which first went to a completely inappropriate site, then was redirected to a page on Microsoft.com on Outlook. I've removed both links.
Post a Comment
- 2
Ed Brill http://www.edbrill.com | 2/15/2007 4:53:03 PM
I'm not the only one, apparently :-D
- 3
Ian Connor http://ianconnor.blogspot.com | 2/15/2007 5:38:01 PM
Do not stress about linking to some bad blogs. The chances are high that they will run out of steam in a few posts and find something else to rant about. Maybe they could rant about the baggage retrieval system they have at Heathrow? I hear it is something to worry about.
- 4
Ben Langhinrichs http://www.GeniiSoft.com/showcase.nsf/GeniiBlog | 2/15/2007 7:30:50 PM
Ian - Only if you have a contractual obligation would that worry you.
- 5
Adeleida http://www.adeleida.co.za | 2/15/2007 11:40:54 PM
I have found that most anonymous posts are typically the emotional vent based on incidents or facts which are interpreted or retold with lots of creative freedom from the anonymous writer.
I understand that sometimes, we have a certain "face" online and if we need to say something that may get us into hot water at our jobs, an anonymous (or persona) post is better. It does not mean that it has to be impolite, troll-like, stubbornly subjective and, frankly, sometimes slightly anti-social.
Nothing like good manners combined with clear, factual communication, right? Then, I guess, one could probably tolerate those anonymous posts. Until then, I agree with your policy.
- 6
David Wilkerson http://www.geedavid.com | 2/15/2007 11:43:50 PM
The need to take ownership for ideas and positions claims my allegience. I can only imagine the Magna Carta or the Declaration of Independence as anonymous charters.
In business we take accept blame or credit according to the integrity and strength of our ideas.
Anyone can be a genuis (or a fool?) anonymously....
- 7
Andrew Price http://www.healthspace.com | 2/16/2007 12:49:59 AM
I think your policy is entirely reasonable in a commercial context Ed. Nobody is forced to comment here, they are entirely free not to. Your blog, your rules.
- 8
Henning Heinz | 2/16/2007 12:56:29 AM
Mostly boring content there but quite funny that you write of arrogance while providing others 15 minutes of fame and fortune. Good to see the old IBM being back.
- 9
Axel Janssen | 2/16/2007 1:27:51 AM
as we all know
Lotus Notes installations, like any IT infrastructure, are such complicated systems. Depending on your role in the organization, your knowledge, the culture the organization handles problems, the quality of the IT processes, the quality of the application used etc. a Notes job *may* suck. But thats with any sophisticated IT infrastructure.
The complainers show us true feelings. Unfortunatedly such coarse grained rants doesn't contribute much for solutions. It only might level the hormonal stocks to more balanced levels in the very short run without having any visible effect in the real world. In the interest of the ranters, its way better to forget all that sh*t and actively work for a more positive perspective. This might include slowly better *your* lotus notes infrastructure, try .net, leave IT or whatever.
- 10
Thomas Schulte http://www.welovenotesbut.com/blog | 2/16/2007 1:39:07 AM
Ed i am partially one of those you mentioned. My Blog definitively is a "online venting outlet". It is not anonym and i will stand behind what i have to say.
But why is it this way. Well i was discussing various things i mention there for a long time within the sheds of IBM with people from IBM. And there was a last year time when i got tired of no one from IBM being real responsive. That was when i started and it looks like i will have a lot more to say.
- 11
Jason | 2/16/2007 1:57:55 AM
Ed, I have had my say at the link that you posted. If the SuperUser was just venting then Id say, ok, but the fact that the individual hasnt bothered to lift up thier fat MacDonalds finger and go and search why they were having issues with the notes client, is beyond me. Actually it makes a statement that the individual has issues, lots of them....
- 12
Tony Palmer http://palmerweb.blogspot.com | 2/16/2007 3:59:31 AM
@12 - I think that Ed has already explained why anonymous posts and anonymous websites aren't going to make IBM listen.
@11 - It's way easier to moan and whine than be constructive.
The first few post might be slightly amusing but after a while the post all end up being the same. There is only so many blogs you can read - and the happy clubs will not be one of them.
- 13
Axel Janssen | 2/16/2007 4:57:42 AM
An interesting question would be to ask how IBM could react to the critics for the greater good.
"It sucks hahaha" style criticism does probably not result as being particularly helpful for the well intentioned at IBM. More focused critisism helps more.
But even among those: Its a complex system and we all do have very different wishes. For example I truly respect Thomas Schulte, but being asked we would come up with completly different priority lists for change and refinement.
We could laugh and fingerpoint at each other declaring the others priorities completly insane. Unfortunatedly that doesn't help anybody.
People are getting so emotional about complex systems (me definitedly not excluded and 100% NOT Notes-specific). Its a lot in those systems, that may make people feel weak and helpless. And in the end the resulting frustration searches its way out in the form of agression. The agressive form of the critic makes it dificult for IBM to use it as input for positive change.
Does anybody know any good book about complex system and human agression?
Something completly different, which reminds me heavily on some of my experiences with problematic IT systems:
Currently on the American west coast (Santiago de Chile, to be more specific) they are introducing a complete revolutionary public transport system called Transtiago. Before they had a system which was picturesque, chaotic, fun for visitors, but stressfull for locals and environment. It wasn't a good match in view of the general (in my view) very sustainable development of the society. The new system shall end up in something very smooth. They mention transport system of Singapoore (which looks better than that of german cities). The singaporean system did work a year after its introduction. The system in Santiago did work very bad the first 3 days and a friend I talked with over telephone and people in Internet TV are seriously angry.
I hope that one day there will be a good analysis as book about those issues.
- 14
Nathan T. Freeman http://nathan.lotus911.com | 2/16/2007 6:41:33 AM
"Does anybody know any good book about complex system and human agression?"
Sure, The Paradox of Choice { Link } although I disagree with a number of the author's conclusion.
If you think Notes is a complex system, try shopping at Super Walmart.
- 15
Keith Brooks http://kbmsg.blogspot.com | 2/16/2007 8:17:17 AM
@15, especially after it gets dark...Walmart is really scary then.
- 16
David Russell | 2/16/2007 8:43:42 AM
We made the switch to Super Target - 1 year ago, and we've never looked back.
- 17
Russ Mayes http://therightnotes.wordpress.com/ | 2/16/2007 10:27:07 AM
What constitutes an anonymous blog? My name isn't plastered all over my blog, but one could reasonably figure it out by looking at my "About me" page. How visible does one's name need to be?
@17--I wish we had a Super Target nearby...Super Walmarts give me hives.
- 18
Ken Barker | 2/16/2007 1:59:53 PM
Anonymity is cowardice.
- 19
Darren http://www.dadams.co.uk | 2/16/2007 3:46:53 PM
Said it before, I'll say it again. It's very hard to respect the 'Lotus Notes Sucks' guy because of the same witless boring conclusion arrived at 80 times. What a shame he doesn't have anything constructive to do with his time. Even more of a shame if he thinks he's being clever and is impressing anyone other than the crowd who have a similar amount of time on their hands and nothing better to do.
I feel much better now...
- 20
Mike Robinson http:/www.invcs.com | 2/17/2007 9:53:36 PM
Ed, there is something very "Sun Tzu" about this thread. Allowing ones opponent to demonstrate their own "lack of meanigful dialogue" (I want to use another word but, this is a "family" blog after all...) by simply linking to them is...well...effective :)
Suffering some fools today, Ed? :-)