Programmers Blog

@MarkTrapp I guess that I and Thomas and every other candidate are out, until the election ends... In case we get elected, our priorities will shift. And I really don't want to wait yet another week, so Jarrod it's up to you...

Ubermensch

Would update a few thoughts (mostly questions) in around 4 - 6 hours (need some time to think)

Jarrod

@MarkTrapp I honestly think I'd be a good fit for it - I've been in publishing before, both textbook and newspaper. And I've got the time, which is another big plus.

user2334

@Jarrod probably the best first step in your new position as Blog Overlord of the Realm, Crusher of Souls, Devourer of Dreams, is to find a time to have a sit down with the contributors and hash out a good set of first topics. Maybe make a meta post to get people's availability

Yannis Rizos

Hello! First things first, I think @Jarrod should be the point man for the blog, he's done most of the work so far...

Jarrod

6:08 AM

@YannisRizos Thanks, Yannis - I'm definitely up for the responsibility and challenge.

Ubermensch

@YannisRizos @Jarrod Hi! So lets have a list of topics so that we can pick it up before setting a timeline

Jarrod

@MarkTrapp So I can officially consider myself in charge of this then? Community's blessing?

Yannis Rizos

Any objections? Anyone? Nope? Ok then, Jarrod it is... All hail our new Blog Overlord...

Ubermensch

Nay

Yannis Rizos

21

Q: What should a Programmers.SE blog be about?

Some time ago, there was some interest in getting a blog rolling for Programmers.SE as part of the Blog Overflow project. In the interest of taking the next step, I'd like to discuss what the blog would be about. What guidance can we offer to prospective bloggers about the theme of the Programme...

user2334

6:10 AM

@Jarrod yeah: you'll work with likely me and Rebecca; I'll be admining for the time being (setting up users and such), and she's the one doing the actual setting up of the WP instance, so if there are any problems, just ping me and I'll forward it along

Ubermensch

Lets give Jarrod a better title may be BlogBlazer(TrailBlazer)

user2334

Don't feel like you have to do everything: definitely rassle up a posse. It's just easier if there's one person doing the funneling of communication

Ubermensch

Lets start the discussion on target audience

Mark has already suggested better topics for Jarrod

Yannis Rizos

@Ubermensch Our target audience is all Programmers members. This is a community blog after all...

Jarrod

@YannisRizos Agreed - blog posts should have broad appeal. Not necessarily to everybody, per se, but they should have a wide target audience.

Ubermensch

6:15 AM

By target audience I mean, whether the writing style is to be intended for users, programmers,students, academics?

user2334

← 13 messages moved from Programmers

Jarrod

@Ubermensch Writing style? I guess I don't know how I would classify writing "style". Every author will have their own style - but I definitely want to keep the quality as high as possible.

Yannis Rizos

@Ubermensch All... Every writer can choose his / her style...

Jarrod

Not that you have to have a high forehead and a 200 IQ just to read it, but we want to have quality content that is attractive and informative - we need to present it in a professional, expert manner

Ubermensch

@Jarrod @YannisRizos Sorry for being ambiguous. By writing style, I mean whose the majority audience intended at since the level of understanding may differ

Yannis Rizos

6:20 AM

@Ubermensch The audience is professional software developers, same as the audience for the site.

Ubermensch

Agree with the points professional, expert manner attractive and informative

OK. Lets move on to the topics

Yannis Rizos

@MarkTrapp Could you add Jarrod to the room's owners?

Jarrod

@Ubermensch We need to wait. I don't want to start setting a bunch of things down in stone without input from the other volunteers.

user2334

@Ubermensch Missed your comment; you could ro sham bo @Jarrod for the position, but in reality the blog isn't a one-man show; ideally a number of you will be working together to get stuff moving along. It's just easier to funnel communication through one person about the blog

Feeds

Mark Trapp has added Jarrod to the list of this room's owners.

Ubermensch

6:22 AM

@MarkTrapp No hassles. The objective is to get things moving.

@Jarrod OK, would wait.

@MarkTrapp What's ro sham bo. Can't understand

Jarrod

I'm working on a Meta question now that will solicit a good time to meet for any interested volunteers .

Yannis Rizos

@Ubermensch About the topics: We don't have a single post yet. All of us volunteered, but there is no certainty we will live up to our commitment. So, after the blog is set up, let's just start writing... The topics & focus of the blog would be better discussed after we get an initial feel of how & where the whole thing is going...

user2334

@Ubermensch In polite company, it's rock-paper-scissors. If you're a fan of South Park, it's this

Jarrod

@YannisRizos Ditto that.

Ubermensch

Agree with Jarrod. Signing off

user2334

6:26 AM

One idea I had kicking around in my head for a regular feature for the blog was a "mod corner", where once a week or such a mod (hopefully rotating) would discuss in greater detail a specific issue on the site without the constraints of a complaint on meta. One week it might be on the importance of tag cleanups, another it might be why we don't allow career questions, yet another it might be a mod behind-the-scenes type thing

user2334

Just to bring the blog back home a little to what's going on the site instead of just being about the topic of software development or something

Yannis Rizos

@MarkTrapp Thought something similar... It would be extremely interesting, especially from the new mods perspective...

Jarrod

@MarkTrapp I like that. Its a blog by this community - no reason why it can't focus on the community.

I've also noticed before that sometimes reading one of Jeff Atwoods blog posts about an issue can be more explanatory than a meta discussion.

I think that definitely fits here.

user2334

Yeah, that's what I was thinking.

user2334

I was hoping we could get each mod (so, 5 in total after the election) to commit to a post in rotation, so it'd be one post every month or so

Jarrod

6:31 AM

That would work - especially since I hope that we can be on a weekly publishing schedule (eventually)

Yannis Rizos

@Jarrod Eventually we should, but let's aim a bit lower at first...

Jarrod

I liked the idea of doing every two weeks, to begin

user2334

You want to aim for at least one post (in total) a week: with the amount of contributors, that shouldn't be a hard thing to achieve

Jarrod

This will be less stressful - it will give us time to get more writers on board, and get into a flow of write, proofread, review, publish

Hopefully, we'll be able to get onto a fullblown editorial cycle (again, eventually)

For example, newspapers usually have stories and features in the works several months out in advance - writing work is usually completed ahead of schedule, to give an appropriate amount of time for proofing and review by the editor

user2334

Yeah, that's why we want to get at least 5 solid stories ready to go before the launch; they don't have to be written, but they should at least be in the pipeline. If they were released once a week, that gives you a month to get more stories in the pipeline

Jarrod

6:36 AM

Exactly

Yannis Rizos

Gentlemen, it's almost 9am here, workday starts, so I'll be signing off... @Jarrod feel free to ping me anytime for the blog. @MarkTrapp This guy is question banned from SO and posting here... Do your magic :P

Jarrod

@YannisRizos Will do. Thanks for the help, mate.

Well, its almost 1 AM here - talk with everyone later.

Ubermensch

9:02 AM

A few topics that came to my mind: Multi-paradigm programming, What does a programmer need to know other than computers?, Moving beyond spreadsheets for data analysis, A minimal checklist before starting a project

Yannis Rizos

10:00 AM

@Ubermensch Well these are all great for our intended audience. Each one of us will write on their own, there is no point in refining topics more than that they should be interesting for software developers.

Ubermensch

1:10 PM

@YannisRizos Thanks Yannis , they are just feelers

Morons

11:46 PM

@Ubermensch +1 to those.

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