Discussions..
A few thoughts on what some others are saying..
Mike Chandler has some interesting stuff on advertising on blogs. I think some small advertising isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I go to a lot of blogs that have the little text ads and they don’t bother me at all. The real problem comes in when the content starts to change because of the ads, or the ad starts to become the content. You could call my Amazon links a form of advertisement, since they are there to both allay the costs of hosting this site, and to raise some money for a good cause, but they don’t dictate the content in any way. To me, blogs are about the expression of ideas and sharing of information. Let those things become corrupted by the commercial presence of your blog and I am outta there.
Speaking of outta there, my wife is blogging about a conversation we had concerning blogrolls. Mainly about whether having someone on your blogroll is an endorsement of their ideas. To some extent, I think it is an endorsement, but I don’t necessarily think it’s an endorsement of their ideas. There are plenty of people on this blogroll, and the blogroll over at the child abuse blog who I don’t agree with very often. I don’t think it’s necessary to only link, and only read, blogs who you agree with 100 percent of the time. That’s not nearly as interesting as reading a variety of opinions.
On the other hand, there are blogs who I simply won’t link to because of how they express their opinions. I can respect a well thought-out, informative, and reasonable post, regardless of whether I agree with the point or not. I don’t want to read, and wouldn’t “endorse” by way of blogrolling, someone who’s opinions are not well thought-out, not based on factual information but rather blind hatred of one thing or another, or who won’t tolerate other’s opinions. I’m not here to have a flame-fest with anyone. I’m here to have a rational, thoughtful and informative exchange with everyone who reads what I have to say, on either blog. If you are out to have a flame-fest, then I’m not going to waste my time reading you, let alone linking to you!
As far as her question goes about de-linking someone, yes it has happened, but it’s rare. It’s rare because it takes a lot for me to add you to my blogroll. I generally read a site for quite a while before deciding to add it. (To make sure it’s someone I want to link to, have an interest in continuing to read, and to figure out which list they belong on..) Usually, if the person is prone to ridiculous statements, illogical arguments, or just plain rudeness that will show through before they ever get to the blogroll. But it’s not a perfect science, and the blogroll is always subject to my whims as a human being, so don’t consider any of it permanent, unless the blogger in question is married to me, of course. That’s a permanent link on my blogroll..:)
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