FastForward Search Blog on the Future of Blogs
December 3, 2008
I find sponsored Web logs fascinating. These quasi-promotional information services can be informative and quirky. Years ago, the Fast Search & Transfer company fired up the FastForward Web log to provided me and thousands of others with snippets of information about the Fast ESP user group conference. I asked about the user group focus a while back and learned that the Fast Forward Web log was reaching beyond that narrow focus.
That extension is quite evident. In fact, I recently read two posts here about the future of Web logs. One article was “The Uncertain Future of Blogging” by Jevon MacDonald; the other, “In 2010 What Will Replace Newspapers and Network TV?” I found the information in both interesting, in Mr. MacDonald’s piece, the data about media found their way into my statistics file. Then I began to reflect on a sponsored Web log’s role in the future of media. Here’s my chain of reasoning:
- A company Web log morphs into a community Web log and the company that started the Web log is acquired by Microsoft. I have little doubt about the potential financial support for the Web log will be available no matter what happens in the wide world of blogging in the months ahead.
- The future of media appears to be pretty grim with big companies embracing Web logs. Furthermore, the tools of blogging will now become powerful instruments in the hands of trained media professionals. If print newspapers can’t fly, the pilots will get a new airplane. That airplane may be blogging.
- Web log writers today have to innovate and shake blogging out of its doldrums. Big changes are coming fast.
I have over simplified the arguments in these two posts, so you must read the original write ups. What troubles me is that I expect to read about search and content processing, not about the problems of newspapers and other media companies. I want to know about the method Microsoft Fast used to get a government installation in a Scandinavian company up and running to make its spotlight function work well. I want to know how Microsoft Fast will handle voice to text in media files? I want to know how Microsoft Fast will integrate with Dynamics’ information stores held in SQL Server tables? I to know the status of the Microsoft Fast investigation underway in Norway and how to explain the issue to a contract officer who asks me for my view on the subject?
My opinion is that these search-centric topics are now out of bounds or out of information gas. I also think that the Web log is now a philosophical sounding board with a touch of consultant flummery added for color. To some search is less exciting than thinking about the future of Web logs when more newspapers bite the dust. Not to me. I want to read about ESP.
I would be eager to read FastForward if it returned to its roots and presented more substantive information about Microsoft Fast search, content processing, and information technology. I may be too limited in my thinking but a Web log anchored in Fast ESP should address topics germane to the software. But I’m an addled goose, easily confused by buzzwords like Enterprise 2.0 and analyses of the death of old media. What do you think? Should I re evaluate the FastForward blog?
Stephen Arnold, December 3, 2008
Comments
One Response to “FastForward Search Blog on the Future of Blogs”
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I agree that the FF blog should stay on topic and be less marketing- and PR-driven.
In fact, I view it as a typical example of corporate blogging, which — according to this post by Debbie Weil which presents the findings of a Forrester study — ranks dead last among information searchers as a place to find information.
Debbie’s post is here: http://www.debbieweil.com/blog/no-news-here-forrester-says-consumers-dont-trust-corporate-blogs/