RM: Count me out
Hi db ~I was planning on coming but it sounds like it is turning into a
convention. Best wishes on your new found fame.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ben R.
*Rubs Temples* There are days when my inbox confounds me, and I wonder just what is going through people's heads when before they throw things my way...
At the end of the day I shouldn't really care if a reader thinks the site is too big for them now, as I'm doing whatever I think I can to keep that from happening, and its just not my problem. However, the fact that I got severely annoyed when I saw this (And others that have been similar) while chewing through the inbox probably means I do.
I'm sure there are others who have had to deal with this type of changing dynamic at some point, and it'd be interesting to know how they dealt with it. It's weird, because nothing has changed on my end, but obviously it's changing in some's heads and it'd be nice to know the how of it, so as to avoid it.
Posted by drunkenbatmanSeptember 23, 2005, at 12:09 PM
Comments (28)
Posted by: Michael Weisman at September 23, 2005 12:32 PM
So it's turning into a convention. So what? MacWorld Boston was just cancelled. Maybe this can be MacWorld Chicago!
Posted by: Jason Terhorst at September 23, 2005 12:53 PM
This just cracks me up. Don't let it get to you. You'll find that some people will turn their backs on their previous loyalties over silly little things.... like people hating Apple because of the Intel switch. Stupid, if you ask me.
Posted by: Pascale Soleil at September 23, 2005 12:56 PM
For everyone with sour grapes, there'll be a groupie.
That's a promise, not a threat. ;)
Posted by: Pascale Soleil at September 23, 2005 12:56 PM
Errr, that should have been "every one" ~ obviously.
Posted by: Ben Reubenstein at September 23, 2005 12:58 PM
I am honored! My email made it into a blog post. I have since received a reply from DB and sent one back. There is a lot I want to say here, but I need time to complete my thoughts. More to come.
Posted by: Ben at September 23, 2005 01:06 PM
I prefer Drunkenblog's earlier albums.
Posted by: Jonathan Monroe at September 23, 2005 02:16 PM
"The people that changed their minds because of 'Losing My Religion' can just kiss my ass."
- Peter Buck, guitarist for R.E.M., when asked if he's concerned that their chart-topping success might alienate some of the band's loyal followers.
Posted by: Guy English at September 23, 2005 07:27 PM
It's that fucking Cow. He's bringing everyone down.
Posted by: todd at September 23, 2005 08:32 PM
MORE COWBELL!!!!
Posted by: Colin Barrett at September 23, 2005 10:28 PM
The only thing you can do is to just keep doing what you're doing. people are going to come and go, you're going to use readers and you're going to gain readers. I remember we alienated a very vocal segment of users when we switched to metal, and then alienated mored still when we switched back. You just have to remember that for everyone who writes in, there are a people who don't say anything. The silent majority and what not. That being said, that kind of thinking can lead you down a road that ends in an complete arrogance and hubris. It's a careful balance, but at this point, I think the best advice I can give you is to stick to your guns.
Posted by: ChrisC at September 23, 2005 11:24 PM
I'm not a mac user at all but I read this thing because I like it. That's all there is to it.
Oh no X is too popular! Cmon. Sometimes things are popular because it's good.
Posted by: Small Paul at September 24, 2005 06:36 AM
I saw Drunkenbatman at CBGB's in '76. In them days he'd talk to the fans all night, once he even signed an autograph in his own blood. Now? Pft. It's all stadium tours and VIP backstage and he's hanging out with Madonna. Man.
Posted by: Carson Christian at September 24, 2005 07:19 AM
"I'm sure there are others who have had to deal with this type of changing dynamic at some point, and it'd be interesting to know how they dealt with it. It's weird, because nothing has changed on my end, but obviously it's changing in some's heads and it'd be nice to know the how of it, so as to avoid it."
My god. If you can nail that one down, CC my girlfriend on it because I'm in the same pickle.
Posted by: Ryutaro Murai at September 24, 2005 08:58 AM
I pretty much lost all respect for db when he sued Napster.
Posted by: Wes McGee at September 24, 2005 11:39 AM
I say this ain't a con until people start dressing up as the cow.
Posted by: dirkstoop at September 24, 2005 11:59 AM
I would love to hear Ben tell us why he thinks that the 'convention' stuff is bad/evil, I'm sure I'm not the only one here who can't think of a valid argument against the talk evolving; there's definitely some friction here between some parts of db's readership that would be interesting to work out.
imho it's a good thing that's happening and something to inspire those amongst us who feel that there aren't enough sane people left in our little part of the world, as in the positively intelligent while not arrogant mac geekery/development world.
I'm planning to move deeper into application development and maybe in a year or so I'll be able to make a living from it. /wishful thinking. Just the fact that all of the speakers db invited are willing to go there for the sake of having a good time and exchanging some thought with other good guys instead of going to some 'convention' for the money is very *very* inspiring to me and actually shows that there might be a brighter, more agreable future for my kind of person in development then is in any other 'creative' sector.
wish I could be there, but even without being there the mere thought of this thing being (somewhat) feasible (hang on db!)and that it'll actually happen is a huge cliff to hang on for me.
Posted by: Malte at September 24, 2005 02:58 PM
So - now that your a famous person - are there any plans for a world tour?
Posted by: drunkenbatman at September 24, 2005 09:10 PM
So - now that your a famous person - are there any plans for a world tour?
The 'fame' thing, while amusing, is getting way, way, way overplayed. If there's a world tour, it'll be low-key.
"drunkenbatman -- Soon to be sleeping on someone's couch near you."
Posted by: Malte at September 25, 2005 04:36 PM
"drunkenbatman -- Soon to be sleeping on someone's couch near you."
Ah, I'm sure we can make a reservation of the couch if you make a booking a few hours in advance. If you're nice I'll get you some bedsheets and access to the Wi-Fi. I suppose that's all you need? Just remember to bring a towel.. and your own toothbrush. :-)
Posted by: Sandy at September 25, 2005 04:38 PM
You care about your subject matter and your readers, and it shows in the time you put into this place. Someone said, "a blog without readers is just a diary." (I think it was Joe at Evengelical Outpost. Yeah. I'm too lazy to link.)
So, there is good reason for you to care about the people that come here, but reality is that you're never going to please everyone, and few will appreciate what you've put into it.
The other is a sense of intimacy people get from blogs. While it's true that there are pieces of the real you in what you choose to post, reality is that the majority here, including myself, don't know the real DB in your day to day life and never will.
But, that impression of intimacy leads people to think that they do have some claim on your site or what you write, because they've invested themselves in reading it. Combine that with the anonymity of the internet, and viola, people feel free to bitch or tell you things you may not want to hear. (Did I mention my hard drive crashed Friday night? Waaaa! lol)
It's basic human nature which means you can't change it. Take what's good and leave the rest.
Posted by: vastheman at September 25, 2005 07:41 PM
It always was going to be a kind of convention, it just looks like being a bigger one than initially expected. So will it happen again next year? Is this the "First annual DrunkenCon"?
Posted by: Martin Yeoh at September 25, 2005 08:00 PM
It always was going to be a kind of convention, it just looks like being a bigger one than initially expected. So will it happen again next year? Is this the "First annual DrunkenCon"?
I was thinking the same thing. When drunkenbatman was going to talk at the Apple Store by himself, the response to go see just him seemed big by itself. If we can really ask questions about the Adler Talk this is mine... It would be interesting to know why he decided to invite the other developer names. Was it to make his first public appearance legendary? Capitalize on his fame and use it to push others forward?
Posted by: Stripes at September 25, 2005 11:50 PM
Ok the original talk was "drunkenbatman will talk about stuff for a while (a half hour, maybe an hour)", then it'll be over and he will presumably mingle with whoever is still around.
The new one is "drunkenbatman will be on stage with a bunch of people and they will have a discussion about stuff for a while (two or more hours)", presumably when it is over there will be mingling.
Of the two _I_ like the second better because it is "more". There will be more people in the talk, the talk will be longer. There will also be more people mingling which I'm "meh" about (read that as "don't care").
However I could see someone else making a different choice, "Oh, two hours is way too long to spend on this"...or "I want drunkenbatman, not those other jokers!", or even "I want a pre-perpaired lecture, not a conversation by a bunch of guys", or "I want to be one of 30 people mingling with DB, not one of 300 people mingling with DB!".
Posted by: Ben Reubenstein at October 1, 2005 01:41 PM
Posted by: Ben Reubenstein at September 23, 2005 12:58 PM ... More to come.
Alright, here is the more to come. Includes some db goodies.
Posted by: Jay Laney at October 5, 2005 03:40 PM
As long as everyone showers, it won't be a convention.
Hey, did you try responding to my email? Should I yell at the sysadmins?
Posted by: drunkenbatman at October 5, 2005 03:51 PM
Hey, did you try responding to my email? Should I yell at the sysadmins
If you want me to be able to reply to anything @oreilly.com, yeah, you have to yell at a sysadmin. I haven't been able to get an email to them for um, over a year, as they blocked my host and I gave up on dealing with it.
Hey - what kind of rock star ARE you?
Complaining about fame indeed ...