InfoQ and the Agile Conversation
A few years ago I used to do a fair bit of Blogging. I'd opine on anything and everything, but mainly about Agile. I stopped. There are a number of reasons. One of the main reasons was that I left ThoughtWorks and joined a company that would not have appreciated my venomous quips. The other reason was that I never got much feedback. Over the couple of years I got about 10 or 20 comments on my posts. They were gold dust to me. I got the impression that I had a readership of three... My Mum, my Boss and my Doctor, the second was checking up on what I was saying about the company, and the third was checking up on "how I was saying it"? Of course, it is a fantasy that my doctor would be checking up on me. I know he doesn't really care as long as I pay the bills.
So anyway. I gave up Blogging. Last year I thought about starting again and announced to my Mum and doctor that I would be Blogging again soon. Then I didn't. I just couldn't be bothered.
Without feedback, there was no conversation. If it wasn't a conversation, then it was simply a rant. Yawn...
Then along came InfoQ. I read a few interesting articles and read the comments that followed. The comments are often more interesting than the article. Agilists would argue with non-Agilists (who are really Agilists but call themselves "Pragmatic" or "Common Sense" types).
I met Deborah a few weeks ago when she was in London for InfoQ conference. I am trying to sell her on the idea of a "Real Option and Agile" article for InfoQ
And then a few days ago I joined in the Conversation. It was like Blogging but with feedback. It wasn't ranting. It was having a conversation.
This morning it struck me that InfoQ is an on-line Agile conference. Someone presents on a subject and then the delegates talk about it on-line. The comments are a form of goldfish bowl. A place to have a conversation. A place to start a conversation. It offers a nice level of structure that the e:mail lists do not provide. It is difficult to reread all the thousands of posts on a list. As a result, the same questions appear again and again. InfoQ also offers a nice historical record. You do not need to be there to here and then join in on the conversation. You can get an overview of the subject from the article and then read the discussion to see the different points of view.
Some things I would like InfoQ to provide... At the moment, the conversation is Public. I would like the opportunity to have a private conversation ( for example with Joe on the Post Agilism thread, with whom I suspect I share a number of values and anti-agile views ). The ability to offer him the option to e:mail me to make contact but without me publicly showing my e:mail. Its easy to find me but thankfully most people do not have google. A lot of what I write is inflamatory and if you do not know me, you are likely to be offended. When you get to know me, well, then I'll make sure you'lll be offended. I would like to point out that InfoQ probably already provide this service but I'm a bit, no make that a lot rubbish and haven't found it yet.
I would also like the option for an RSS feed or e:mail update alert on threads that I am interested in. Personally, I would want the e:mail alert as I do not have a Blog aggregator. After all, thats the problem with Blogs, too much ranting, not enough conversation.
I for one am standing in the InfoQ auditorium clapping Deborah and the team. Anyone care to join me, then nip out for a chat in an on-line coffee bar?
Ooo. And a note saying how long the interviews run for so I can set aside the time.
Posted by chrismatts at May 23, 2007 10:23 AM