Bits 'n' Bobs.

Why I’m “leaving” tumblr; Why The Kindle Monologues will be returning, albeit in a different guise and on a different platform [Wordpress] and some thoughts on why this was inevitable really.

Do I expect anyone to read this? Not really. Do I care? Again, not really. But given the amount of time, energy and honesty that I’ve pored into tumblr, across four blogs [this one, The Kindle Monologues, £10 a week challenge, and a private one that focuses on my treatment and recovery from a serious illness]?

It just feels “right” to let it all out of the bag.

- - 

I joined tumblr on October 7th, 2009 [907 days ago]. I’d read about tumblr prior to that - the site / platform has, after all, been around since 2007. Initially I had no real inclination to join up, however two of my friends from the Geekscape forums - Chris & Katherine [Two unbelievably awesome people, who’ve put up with my crap for all these years] had both been using the system since the year before, so I decided to create an account / blog, primarily to follow their content¹

A quick look through my archive for that first month seems to suggest that initially my personal blog reflected my personality rather well. There were also foreshadows of endeavours to come - as this post from October 9th shows.

Within a few days, I’d posted my first review - of the BBC4 programme “Micro Men” a programme co-starring a certain Martin Freeman, whom I’m sure most of tumblr are now aware of.

Speaking of Chris - there were also references of what would eventually happen with this very blog, given the following quote:

Hiro, Hiro, Hiro. Singlehandedly destroying databases since FOREVER.

Chris.

[Hiro was part of my username on the Geekscape forums - HiroProtagonist was the full name, a pseudonym plucked from the Neal Stephenson novel, Snow Crash.]

Between then and now, my original blog - i.e. the one you’re reading now, continued to grow - according to the stats on my Dashboard, this’ll be post #1907 from my “main” blog. In that time I’ve “liked” 1467 posts - not bad given that the largest number of blogs I’ve followed during that time was 26.

For those of you wondering - my first post that was kinda related to eBooks? That’d be this post here, written after Borders [UK] went into administration.

During the time I’ve been using tumblr I’ve experienced a few setbacks - some decidely minor, some significantly more major - being told to prepare a will when you’re in your mid 20s is, to put it blunty, something that fucks with your head.

Fortunately, I’m still here - well, not “Here” here, obviously as this’ll be my last post, but I’m still around, as ‘twere.

Also during the time I’ve been using tumblr, it has exploded in popularity. I believe tumblr is now the second biggest “social network” / “blog”-esque site on the internet, behind Facebook. If it isn’t already, it will be pretty soon - tumblr recently surpassed 20.5 BILLION posts. That’s 20,500,000,000 posts, split across around 51M blogs [How many of those are spam posts, one wonders?]

In short, tumblr is expanding in almost every way possible - new users, new content, new investment - and more importantly, new features. Tumblr has recently announced much, much closer integration with Facebook - an excellent facility imo. The platform itself is also significantly more stable than a few years ago - notice any 24hr outages recently? Or even a 1hr outage?

All excellent - and proof that tumblr is “the platform of choice”.

So why am I leaving?

Unfortunately it’s because the very aspect of tumblr that has made it such a success - the “community” is also one of its biggest detriments.

Let’s cut to the chase - the number of times I’ve been called a “Cunt” or “a fascist” [I have, btw, no fucking idea how supporting Amazon makes you a fascist.] or have been told that I [and I alone] am responsible for the demise not only of Borders bookstore, but also independant bookstores - hell even the demise in the number of new books.

That’s right - I was once told my little Kindle / eBook blog, which has never had more than 500 “followers”, was responsible for soo many things.

That’s perfectly fine - what isn’t, is the way tumblr staff handle this.

The last time I received a PM - from a registered user btw [said person is still active], calling me a “stupid cunt”? I forwarded that onto tumblr support.

Said post was eventually removed, though the person is still active. [at least as of the typing of this]

I’m going to go “off rail” a little here, and quote some parts of the tumblr Community Guidelines - it’s my last post, I’m allowed to take a Tarrantino-esque approach to the narative!

From the tumblr Community Guidelines - admittedly the recently revised version², but - after all, everyone has to adhere to these guidelines:

As a global platform for creativity and self-expression, Tumblr is deeply committed to supporting and protecting freedom of speech. At the same time, we draw lines around a few narrowly-defined but deeply important categories of content and behavior that jeopardize our users, threaten our infrastructure, or damage our community.

I’ve seen that interpreted to mean that you shouldn’t criticise people when they post content - if someone posts something saying “eKindles are liek sooo stupid” and adds 20 tags? In the eyes of some, you’re supposed to merely roll your eyes, and leave it at that.

Personally? I interpret that to state that you can’t harass someone based on their comments. To some, the re-blogging and replying to content counts as harassment - to me, it’s not. I’m a firm believer that if you put something “out there” on the internet, you should be prepared to defend it.

Also from the Community Guidelines:

Spam. Don’t abuse social gestures, send unwanted messages, or aggregate content in a less-than-meaningful way. Don’t put tags on your posts that will mislead or deceive searchers (for example, tagging a photo of your car with “#lady gaga” and “#britney spears”); of course, meaningful uses are always fine (for example, ironic “punchline” tags that add to or playfully subvert a post itself). Don’t put deceptive links or dubious code in your posts. That includes using Javascript to inject unwanted ads in blogs, or embedding links to interstitial or pop-up ad services. Don’t use deceptive means to generate revenue or traffic, or create blogs with the primary purpose of affiliate marketing. Spam doesn’t belong on Tumblr.

[I emphasised the last part.]

Part of what makes tumblr unique, is the tagging system. Interested in Books? Then search for it, and “track” the tag by pinning it to your Dashboard - you’ll then be able to at a quick glance, see posts that relate to books.

To run The Kindle Monologues I tracked numerous tags relating to eBooks, books, and the book & publishing industry. Those tags were in addition to tags that I “tracked” or “followed” for my own personal interests.

I’ve just looked through the Block settings on my account - I’ve blocked almost 200 accounts. At least 80% of those are spam accounts - accounts that constantly post garbage, to popular tags.

Every account I find spamming the tags? I report them to tumblr for spam. At most, 10% get removed. That hardly fits with “Spam doesn’t belong on tumblr”.

Moving on…

Impersonation, Stalking, or Harassment. Treat the community the way you’d like to be treated. Don’t attempt to circumvent the Block feature. If you want to parody or ridicule a public figure (and who doesn’t?), don’t try to trick readers into thinking you are actually that public figure.

A few weeks ago I was accused of “bullying” people. Suffice to say, I don’t appreciate being called a “bully” and you can find my response the accusations by clicking this link, which lists all the parts. Messaging someone to call them a “cunt” - I’d argue that qualifies as harassment.

Re-blogging a persons’ post - a post they’ve published onto a public platform, and tagged, and using logic and common sense to point out a different perspective…

Is that bullying? If the teenagers / young adults on tumblr think that’s “bullying” - I really, really think you’re in for a shock when you leave your insulated little bubbles, and have to live in the real world. Based on that logic, I’d be sent to jail for some of the project critiques I’ve written in the past. In the real world? I was commended for it, and got paid.

Now, I’d like to move onto what for me, is an interesting part of the Terms of Service - namely the part I violated [according to tumblr, and the person[s] who submitted the initial ticket] - the Privacy part:

Privacy Violations. Don’t use Tumblr to deceptively obtain personal information. Don’t post content that violates anyone’s privacy, including personally identifying or confidential information like credit card numbers, social security numbers, unlisted contact information, or private photos of your ex’s junk (no matter how attractive).

The post that caused me run afowl of the tumblr staff, was a print screen of a comment I’d received on one of my posts. It showed the persons quite frankly absurd comment, as well as their email address and IP address.

According to tumblr, those last to parts - the email address and IP address, were in violation of the privacy policy. I accept that - contrary to what you might think, the decision to remove my content isn’t what’s causing me to leave - it was merely the final nail in the coffin. Although personally, I fail to see how print screening a comment that was submitted freely, to a service that tumblr don’t own or run, can constitute “deceptively obtaining information” - the person submitted the comment in question of their own free will.

Anyways, that’s all, to an extent, beside the point.

No, the primary reason I’m “moving on” - the “tumblr” community has changed over the last year. And with respect of what I wanted to do with The Kindle Monologues?

It’s not been a positive change.


My “Dashboard” experience has always been a positive one. I’ve never embraced the “Follow me, I’ll follow you” mindset some people have - If someone choses to “follow” my blog? That’s nice, but I feel no obligation to “follow back”. If you count the maximum number of followers to both The Kindle Monologues and my personal account [not including people who “followed” both?] - Almost 700 followers. As I said at the start of this post, the number of blogs I’ve followed? 26.

Which isn’t to say there aren’t other blogs I read. A quick look through my browser history shows that I read the blogs of:

Now don’t get me wrong - I’m not particularly obsessed with “Follower” numbers. I can tell from the number of notes / likes my posts get, that not everyone reads them - though I’m still not sure why you’d follow an account you’re seemingly not interested in?

But the community aspect of tumblr - followers, tags etc, etc, are partially what I’ve become annoyed with.

I know that anything over 1000 words is unlikely to be read by as little as 10% of the people who “follow” TKM [And at 1902 words so far, this qualifies!]. Which causes the dilemna. On the one hand - I honestly don’t care. The blog is supposed to be for me, and for my own self-gratification. It’s about using my brain for something different - to the extent that I contemplated creating an “Anti” eReader blog, just to argue a different perspective - possibly with myself :)

I guess my problem was - who am I writing for. Me, the people I’ve known for years, or the “Followers”?

The other problem was the change in focus from original content, to taking others and using that as a platform to offer my own suggestions. And ultimately it’s that that has caused the problems.

I’ve been accused of “Stalking” peoples blogs - “How would you feel if someone came onto your blog and posted hateful comments about you?” was how one idiot put it [I’m leaving - fuck you, I’ll say what I want, and address people accordingly.]. Nothing could be further from the truth.


ALL “TUMBLRSPHERE” CONTENT RE-BLOGGED OVER ON THE KINDLE MONOLOGUES, WAS SOURCED FROM THE TAGS.


Are we clear on that? Your precious “I’m a real booklover, Kindles are for fucktards because of these reasons which anyone with a brain can tell you are usually wrong” posts? They all come via the tags.

At no point do I stalk peoples accounts - for one, how is that even possible? How would I find the accounts in the first place?

Nope, I’d simply browse the tags, and if I found a post that interested me? I’d re-blog it in full and offer up my opinion.

And now I’m going to rant against two “feminists” here on tumblr. I won’t dignify them by mentioning their tumblr urls, but I’m going to address a point they raised.

A few months ago I tore apart an “Anti Kindle” post that I found whilst browsing the tags. There was no profanity, at no point did I call the poster stupid or anything similarly disparaging - I simply took their content, and systematically tore it apart.

I expected my response to be re-blogged, and for a rebuttal of sorts. That’s been the overriding goal of TKM - to get a dialogue started. Instead I was accused to being “a coward who gets off on bullying teenage girls”.

That statement? You could effectively condense this entire post - and the reason why I’m moving on, to it and others like it.

To me, the biggest insult I could offer a person, is to suggest their opinions aren’t valid, due to their gender, their age, or both.

Should I have checked the tumblr blogs of everyone I re-blogged? If so, what should I have looked for? I would hope you see my point - for a professed “Feminist” to claim that I shouldn’t consider content from teenage girls as viable content to re-blog and address? Surely that goes against everything feminism is supposed to represent?

Why the fuck shouldn’t a teenager -of any gender - be expected to “hold their own”. Are we really saying teenagers are dumber than adults?

It honestly boggles my mind.

My belief has always been this: Your gender, age, sexual orientation, nationality, colour? I couldn’t give a fuck either way. On tumblr - and the internet as a whole? I judge people on the content they create / post.

That is, after all, what people my age, who’ve used the ‘net for as long as I have, have celebrated - that you could find an amazing piece of work, and have no clue as to the identity of the person who wrote it - if they wish to remain anonymous.

That doesn’t seem to be the case on tumblr - it seems there’s a presiding view that you’re allowed to post your content, but if someone comes along and uses a bit of logic & common sense to explain why, in their opinion, you’re wrong.

You get called a bully.

I really, really believe the experience I’ve had with supposed “feminists” saying a teenager shouldn’t engage in a debate with an adult; that the teenagers who post their content and cry to the tumblr police when someone takes it apart.

I Really, really hope it’s not indicative of the wider world - I really hope they’re not representative of their generation at large.

Or else we’ll have a lot more to worry about, that what constitutes a “real” fucking book.

—

¹Which I’ll still do. Tumblr allows you to subscribe to RSS feeds - so even if I never log back into the service after today, I’ll still be able to follow peoples’ content. And, of course, you can just access the blogs as websites [name.tumblr.com]

²Though said latest revision doesn’t really differ that much from the original version, at least not in regards the parts I’m quoting.

The “New” Amazon Kindle eReader range

Amazon Kindle - No Keyboard, Physical forward / backwards keys - $79

Amazon Kindle Touch - IR, no keys at all - $99

Amazon Kindle Touch 3G - Free 3G access, IR, no keys - $149

- - 

I need to see more pics, but the $79 Kindle looks like a very, very possible buy for me.

I’ve read at least 3 ‘Amazon to release Color [sic] Kindle 4 in October’ articles today.

It won’t be happening.

Will Amazon release a tablet in the next few months? Yes.

Will Amazon potentially ‘refresh’ the Kindle range, to include a sub $99 unit / Touch Screen version? Maybe.

But a Colour E-Ink Kindle 4?

There’s more chance of me out sprinting Usain Bolt

[Incidentially - touch screen e-readers? I think I’ll pass].

The Problem isn’t E-Readers, it’s you…

So a few days ago [relative to when I’m actually typing this - it’ll actually be posted *checks calendar* eight days after] I typed up a few(!) thoughts regarding the whole e-reader ‘debate’.

I’d like to think it was nicely balanced, and presented my argument in a somewhat respectable way [Because said article isn’t ‘live’ yet, I can’t link it - just go back through my stream and you’ll find it]

Here’s what I actually wanted to type:

So you love your physical books, huh? And you think Kindle users [A somewhat ‘catch term’ to describe all e-readers, which no doubt Amazons marketing department are happy with] are ‘destroying’ the book industry.

That’s nice…

FUCK YOU, you pretentious, snobbish, elitist, cunt / dickhead.

So e-readers aren’t ‘real books’? By implication [sometimes not even implication - it’s outright stated] people who use said tech aren’t ‘real readers’.

Who the fuck are you, to decide what qualifies someone as a ‘real’ reader?

Do you people use mp3 players? Listen to your music on your computer / cellphone? Then you philistines should be sterilised, due to your lack of ‘respect’ to the music industry.

How about films? What - you watch films on discs? Or via LoveFilm / Netflix? Blasphemy! REAL films are shown on 35mm.

Those last two paragraphs are beyond absurd. However, the core argument within them, is no different to the ‘argument’ against e-readers, that’s presented by the majority of fuckwits here on Tumblr.

Can someone explain to me the difference in buying ‘digital’ books and e-books?

• E-Books generate less revenue for authors?

No, sorry. There are at least 5 authors - some pre-existing ‘mainstream’ authors, and a couple who couldn’t get book deals, who’ve cleared $1m worth of sales on Amazon alone, as a result of Kindle books - and that’s just Amazon. By the time the queue gets to this, you can likely add a couple more to that list [I’ve read reports that Michael Connelly is close to $1m worth of Kindle sales]. In terms of authors who don’t have a book deal - it’s even better! Amazon take a significantly lower ‘cut’ of the sale price, than publishers do. Get a best seller in the Kindle bookstore, and you’ll generate far more money, than if that book was put out via a publisher [though of course, publishers are able to generate interest in the book]

It’s also worth pointing out - and on this I’m talking from a UK perspective, that most E-Books are becoming MORE expensive than their print counterparts. This is due to three different factors [The first two for definite, the third is more implied.]

1. Kindle books are subject to VAT.
2. Publishers can force Amazon to sell books at a specific price, and not discount them.
3. No doubt the ease at which people can pirate books has something todo with this. If I chose to, I could have 10,000 new and classic e-books, ready formatted for my Kindle, sitting on my computer in a few hours, simply by downloading and running two separate .torrent files.

• Physical books are ‘special’, and the whole ‘page turning’ crap?

Unless you’re reading something off an original Gutenberg print, I personally struggle to comprehend this. I would bet the majority of people who espouse this bullshit read regular mass market hardcovers [or paperbacks].

I’ll repeat that last bit again - mass market hardcovers [or paperbacks].

There’s NOTHING special about a mass market book. NOTHING. Now don’t get me wrong - I have nothing against mass market books, or ‘physical books’ for that matter [Shock fucking horror - a ‘Kindle fag’, as one comment described those of us who use the things, reading ‘physical books’], but lets not invest anything special into them.

Your mass market copy of Infinite Jest is no different to my Kindle version [A bad example perhaps, given that I actually own a physical copy of the book.] unless it’s signed by David Foster-Wallace.

As for the ‘smell’ - honestly, if the thing that immediately springs to mind when you think of a book, is the smell of a new book, or an old book. I think you might just need help.

Like I said in my ‘original’ post - there’s nothing wrong with having a preference. There’s also nothing wrong with celebrating the books you already own, and displaying them - There’s around 1000 DVDs / Blu-Rays on display to the immediate left of the desk I’m using to type up this rant. [the difference being, I don’t presume to judge people on how they watch films]. There’s also nothing wrong with deciding [even, to an extent, without trying one out] that e-readers aren’t for you.

But passing yourself off as a ‘higher class’ of reader, because you choose to read via print only, and using your tumblr streams as a platform to degrade people who chose to read via alternate methods.

THAT, is what annoys the living fuck out of me.

Ooh - and while we’re at it. How come I can always find 10+ examples of ‘Print lovers’ disparaging e-reader users, but none the other way round - You don’t tend to see Kindle [other e-readers available] users criticizing print readers - unless it’s todo with the various environmental arguments [Which is something I intend to look into when I’ve got some spare time, as I’m not sure I actually agree with that. Again - shock horror, a Kindle user who can perceive a potential negative with the device]

- - - 
And bascially, I’m posting it, because my original post will likely have picked up a few ‘likes’. But I can guarantee that some fuckwit will have posted a ‘Fuck You Kindle’ post that’ll have 100s of ‘likes’.

Also, this way, you can’t acuse me of not exercising a certain degree of editorial restraint, on that original article.

-Michael.

‘e-Readers’ aren’t killing the book industry, arse-backwards publishers are…

Back in December, I wrote a lil article about why, as a recent convert to the ‘Darkside’ that is the Kindle, I’d still be buying physical books. I loved my Kindle [Still do], but felt that, when it comes to long standing book series -such as Michael Connellys works, I’d be sticking to physical books.

One of the issues I flagged up, was the discrepancy between prices - or to be more specific, questioning why Kindle e-books are, in some cases, more expensive than their physical counterparts. Aside from the lack of publishing and (mass) distribution costs, there’s also the fact that I can pick up a Hardback / Paperback book, without having to shell out for technology to read it¹

The issue has raised it’s ugly head again over the last few weeks. Michael Connelly, who happens to be one of my favourite authors, has got a new book out - The Fifth Witness [Released TODAY in the United Kingdom, so go pick it up, if you’re a fan of Richard Castles’ poker playing friend]. The book comes with an RRP of £18.99 / $31. Amazon, being - well Amazon, are selling the hardback for a discounted price of £8.54 / $13.97.

Which is all kinds of awesome. What’s annoying, however, is the Kindle e-book price: £9.99 / $16.34

A quick browse through Michael Connellys website / Facebook page, and Amazon itself, reveals quite a few people who, to put it mildly, aren’t too happy about it. Amazon, and Connelly himself, are quick to point out that, to an extent, their hands are tied - the e-book edition prices are set by the Publisher, and for some reason, Amazon isn’t allowed to sell the books for less.

And Connellys’ latest book is by no means alone, with having this problem.

As I did back in December, I’ve done a quick comparison. I’ve looked at the Top 5 selling books on Amazon.co.uk this week, and compared their ‘print’ edition costs, to the ‘e-book’ costs:

Physical books: £22.73 | $37.16
Kindle books: £24.73 | $40.43

Now it’s quite common for ‘early adapters’ to experience, shall we say, less than ‘ideal’ conditions. The first smartphones, mp3 players, dvd players etc, etc, didn’t compare to the products available after those devices went ‘mainstream’. My first ‘smartphone’ - one of the first to contain a touchscreen, couldn’t even begin to compare to the iPhone, or a HTC. So e-book readers should expect some ‘teething problems’ until the devices truly go mainstream. I think that’s understandable.

However - in the case of e-book pricing, it’s ridiculous. It perhaps, also explains, why book ‘piracy’ is so rampant. It’s worth noting that a perfect Kindle formatted version of The Fifth Witness, has been available on most torrent sites, for the last few weeks. Along with pretty much every other book released this year.

Undoubtedly, as e-readers become more and more mainstream, and people / authors embrace the technology [I can forsee more and more authors opting to release exclusively through Amazon, due to the substantially higher cut they get.] Publishers are gonna have to re-consider their pricing structures. At least - that’d be ideal.

Likely, what’ll happen, is that we’ll be saddled with more restrictive DRM, forced on us by the publishing industry to protect ‘authors rights’.

What I personally can see happening, in that scenario - is that the number of people who ‘pirate’ books, will go through the roof. Virtually everyone is worse off these days, due to the state of the world economy, and so people are having to find ways to cut back their expenditure. I love reading, but ultimately, if it’s a choice between paying the rent / mortgage, and buying books - well those books have gotta have a home.

The other problem, which goes hand in hand with the above - is that due to cost cutting measures, more and more libraries are closing down. So people who - for example, can’t justify buying a book in ‘either’ format, would typically pop down to the local library to borrow it.

No libraries, no borrowing of books.

However, if you’ve got a Kindle / e-book reader, and an internet connection - all those books are available, for free. Soo [he finally gets to the point] - What I can forsee happening, is people still buying books by their favourite author [in whatever ‘format’] and then using torrent sites to ‘borrow’ / ‘checkout’ a book that’s been recommended to them.

Is it legal? Of course not. But with libraries shutting down left and right, people having to tighten the ‘purse strings’, and other factors, can you really blame them?

There’s more to say on the issue, but for the moment - well that’s that.

¹:You can, of course, read Kindle e-books through Amazons Kindle App / Program. However, imo, reading a 400 page book on a PC Screen, simply doesn’t compare to reading it on a dedicated, e-ink sporting device.