Comments on: the Australian Blog Awards (and the usual suspects) http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/20/the-australian-blog-awards-and-the-usual-suspects/ Life, Culture and Politics from BrisVegas Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:53:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Kim http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/20/the-australian-blog-awards-and-the-usual-suspects/#comment-290420 Kim Fri, 22 Dec 2006 14:31:27 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/20/the-australian-blog-awards-and-the-usual-suspects/#comment-290420 I speak as someone who has written several posts on depilation, and remains somewhat obsessed by it :) I speak as someone who has written several posts on depilation, and remains somewhat obsessed by it :)

]]> By: Kim http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/20/the-australian-blog-awards-and-the-usual-suspects/#comment-290419 Kim Fri, 22 Dec 2006 14:31:01 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/20/the-australian-blog-awards-and-the-usual-suspects/#comment-290419 Agreed, Dr Cat. Also what TimT said on Zoe's thread: <blockquote>Kate, give me an essay on leg hair over yet ANOTHER damned analysis of Howardbeazleyruddcostellogeorgebushadinfinitumetceterablablabla anyday. The first is original and interesting, the second is neither.</blockquote> Agreed, Dr Cat.

Also what TimT said on Zoe’s thread:

Kate, give me an essay on leg hair over yet ANOTHER damned analysis of Howardbeazleyruddcostellogeorgebushadinfinitumetceterablablabla anyday. The first is original and interesting, the second is neither.

]]> By: Pavlov's Cat http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/20/the-australian-blog-awards-and-the-usual-suspects/#comment-290418 Pavlov's Cat Fri, 22 Dec 2006 14:26:41 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/20/the-australian-blog-awards-and-the-usual-suspects/#comment-290418 <blockquote>People could always do what nexus6 has done and give out their own awards with reasons</blockquote> As Zoe has also done at <a href="http://crazybrave.net/2006/12/17/something-a-little-bit-different" rel="nofollow">crazybrave</a>, from a somewhat different perspective on the blogosphere, if not the universe.

People could always do what nexus6 has done and give out their own awards with reasons

As Zoe has also done at crazybrave, from a somewhat different perspective on the blogosphere, if not the universe.

]]> By: Kim http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/20/the-australian-blog-awards-and-the-usual-suspects/#comment-290417 Kim Fri, 22 Dec 2006 13:07:58 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/20/the-australian-blog-awards-and-the-usual-suspects/#comment-290417 I guess the alternative to voting is some sort of expert panel, but that's more problematic IMHO - and it's also produced odd results in the past. If people want to cast the net wider, the best way to go, surely, is to publicise the thing on their own blogs and encourage others to do so also. I guess the alternative to voting is some sort of expert panel, but that’s more problematic IMHO – and it’s also produced odd results in the past.

If people want to cast the net wider, the best way to go, surely, is to publicise the thing on their own blogs and encourage others to do so also.

]]> By: Andrew Bartlett http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/20/the-australian-blog-awards-and-the-usual-suspects/#comment-290416 Andrew Bartlett Fri, 22 Dec 2006 13:06:02 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/20/the-australian-blog-awards-and-the-usual-suspects/#comment-290416 You could probably make the same sort of complaints about the Oscars, the ARIAs, the Walkeleys and the rest. Tim Blair did pretty well in the <a href="http://2006.weblogawards.org/2006/12/best_australia_or_new_zealand_blog.php" rel="nofollow">Best Australian Blog category</a> in the recent 2006 Weblog Awards (self-styled "world's largest blog competition"), although it was a strange bunch of finalists I must say. I can't see how you can design something like this that could really satisfy everybody - especially a group as electic as blog readers and writers. Either you have a popularity contest, as most of them are, and you get stuck with people voting for their friends, stacking the vote or just getting all their readers to vote for them - all of which is fine really, even if it may seem a trifle gauche to some, given it is about popularity - or you have a panel of people doing a 'best quality' type of judgement, and then you just get peope whinging about the biases of the judges. <a href="http://www.clubtroppo.com.au/author/ken-parish/" rel="nofollow">Ken at Troppo</a> is doing a version of the latter soon, where he will select what he (and maybe a few other people) reckon were the best quality essay type post on Australian blogs through the year. I imagine whatever they pick will leave some people dissatisfied. Having disagreements about 'best of' awards is part of the interest of them. If these things had big prizemoney or somesuch attached, there'd be reason to whinge, but I just see them as ways to celebrate blogging and give people a chance to look at some different sites. A bit of bragging rights is always nice, but in something as diverse and differentiated as the blogosphere, an award won't count for much either way. An award may make someone visit a site once, but if they think the site is crap (or just not their cup of tea), they'll still think it, regardless of what any award says. You could probably make the same sort of complaints about the Oscars, the ARIAs, the Walkeleys and the rest. Tim Blair did pretty well in the Best Australian Blog category in the recent 2006 Weblog Awards (self-styled “world’s largest blog competition”), although it was a strange bunch of finalists I must say.

I can’t see how you can design something like this that could really satisfy everybody – especially a group as electic as blog readers and writers. Either you have a popularity contest, as most of them are, and you get stuck with people voting for their friends, stacking the vote or just getting all their readers to vote for them – all of which is fine really, even if it may seem a trifle gauche to some, given it is about popularity – or you have a panel of people doing a ‘best quality’ type of judgement, and then you just get peope whinging about the biases of the judges.

Ken at Troppo is doing a version of the latter soon, where he will select what he (and maybe a few other people) reckon were the best quality essay type post on Australian blogs through the year. I imagine whatever they pick will leave some people dissatisfied. Having disagreements about ‘best of’ awards is part of the interest of them.

If these things had big prizemoney or somesuch attached, there’d be reason to whinge, but I just see them as ways to celebrate blogging and give people a chance to look at some different sites. A bit of bragging rights is always nice, but in something as diverse and differentiated as the blogosphere, an award won’t count for much either way. An award may make someone visit a site once, but if they think the site is crap (or just not their cup of tea), they’ll still think it, regardless of what any award says.

]]> By: Kim http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/20/the-australian-blog-awards-and-the-usual-suspects/#comment-290415 Kim Fri, 22 Dec 2006 12:50:14 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/20/the-australian-blog-awards-and-the-usual-suspects/#comment-290415 People could always do what nexus6 has done and give out their own awards with reasons: http://n3xus6.blogspot.com/2006/12/2006-inaugural-nexus-6-weblog-awards.html People could always do what nexus6 has done and give out their own awards with reasons:

http://n3xus6.blogspot.com/2006/12/2006-inaugural-nexus-6-weblog-awards.html

]]> By: audrey http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/20/the-australian-blog-awards-and-the-usual-suspects/#comment-290414 audrey Fri, 22 Dec 2006 06:01:58 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/20/the-australian-blog-awards-and-the-usual-suspects/#comment-290414 Yeah, I'm in two minds over the awards as well. I nominated some bloggers that I know aren't particularly widely read, but despite how brilliant I think they are, it does seem to be a rather superfluous gesture. Cursory glances at most links lists will reveal the same names over and over. I'm not taking anything away from any of these blogs - clearly they're popular for a reason. But I do think there's something to be said about the phrase 'popularity for popularity's sake'. Most blogs, even if they were light years better, wouldn't stand a chance against some of the more 'famous' sites out there. Yeah, I’m in two minds over the awards as well. I nominated some bloggers that I know aren’t particularly widely read, but despite how brilliant I think they are, it does seem to be a rather superfluous gesture. Cursory glances at most links lists will reveal the same names over and over. I’m not taking anything away from any of these blogs – clearly they’re popular for a reason. But I do think there’s something to be said about the phrase ‘popularity for popularity’s sake’. Most blogs, even if they were light years better, wouldn’t stand a chance against some of the more ‘famous’ sites out there.

]]> By: Cristy http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/20/the-australian-blog-awards-and-the-usual-suspects/#comment-290413 Cristy Fri, 22 Dec 2006 01:31:34 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/20/the-australian-blog-awards-and-the-usual-suspects/#comment-290413 <blockquote>Otherwise why not just subpoena the stats for every Australian blog and rank them 1-10?</blockquote> Um... because it is not litigation?

Otherwise why not just subpoena the stats for every Australian blog and rank them 1-10?

Um… because it is not litigation?

]]> By: comicstriphero http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/20/the-australian-blog-awards-and-the-usual-suspects/#comment-290412 comicstriphero Fri, 22 Dec 2006 01:29:03 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/20/the-australian-blog-awards-and-the-usual-suspects/#comment-290412 Well, I am planning on reshuffling my front page, reconfiguring my boundaries and doling out squillions of dollars in hand-outs – I understand this is a sure fire way to win election-type thingies. Second tier options include, disenfranchising the voting base of my opponents and challenging any final decisions in a court stacked with my cronies. Man, I am a <em>cert!</em> With this plan I think I can simultaneously win best ACT blog, best Vic blog and best overseas blog. Well, I am planning on reshuffling my front page, reconfiguring my boundaries and doling out squillions of dollars in hand-outs – I understand this is a sure fire way to win election-type thingies.

Second tier options include, disenfranchising the voting base of my opponents and challenging any final decisions in a court stacked with my cronies.

Man, I am a cert!

With this plan I think I can simultaneously win best ACT blog, best Vic blog and best overseas blog.

]]> By: Jason Soon http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/20/the-australian-blog-awards-and-the-usual-suspects/#comment-290411 Jason Soon Fri, 22 Dec 2006 00:09:55 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/20/the-australian-blog-awards-and-the-usual-suspects/#comment-290411 Oh FFS Jet Jackson, I don't even know who you are, much less your politics. Our registration system is broken - even our old faithful JC couldn't get in without emailing me. Stop being bloody paranoid. No one is promoting 'cliquery'. If you want a password if I know who you are on the registry list I can send you one. Oh FFS Jet Jackson, I don’t even know who you are, much less your politics. Our registration system is broken – even our old faithful JC couldn’t get in without emailing me. Stop being bloody paranoid. No one is promoting ‘cliquery’. If you want a password if I know who you are on the registry list I can send you one.

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