Katie's Blog Feedback

[kretzy]

I'm going to break the spell of evil real quickly and give my comments.

I think Katie is doing a great job on her blog. She is doing the best she can while still working. She is putting her real-world experiences on here. If you know Katie from the forums, you would know that all the little, what you may say, "unnecessary" details are just part of her character. She has no reason to all of a sudden shape up into this hardened tech journalist.

She gives a perspective that hasn't been seen much: that of an average person. Ok, maybe not sooo average, but you get the idea. She is writing in her style that she sees fit and that she likes and if arn had a problem with it, I'm sure he would have told her by now.

Once again Katie, congrats with landing this awesome privilege and look forward to reading your future work.

Wow, you've just said exactly what I was about to type out. I think Katie's doing a wonderful job and its disappointing to see some people's attitude to towards it. I understand if thats not what some people want out of a technical blog but it is what it is and I don't think it ever promised to be more. Personally its one of the very few iPhone related threads/posts/articles I read.

Keep up the great work Katie!

 

[bluebomberman]

I'm sorry to say that I'm one of those MacRumor users who aren't particularly enthusiastic about Katie's blog. I think her last post about her iPhone issues (iPhone iPod, What's wrong with you?!) embodies all my problems with the blog as currently implemented on the site:

1) Her writing style clashes with the no-nonsense, just-the-facts tone of the rest of the site, particularly arn's posts.

2) "Don't like it, don't read it" doesn't work that well here. Her posts seem more prominent on the iPhone blog than the news items - perhaps it's the picture, or the longer posts that she writes. Or maybe skipping her posts is made more difficult by the fact that the headline and lead sentences don't succinctly sum up what the post is going to be about. You can't just scan her post about a troublesome iPhone when she starts by discussing her lunch.

3) Which leads into problem 3 for me: I didn't understand at the end of the post what happened. Maybe I took too many stupid pills that day, but I can't recall ever having trouble figuring out any story that was posted on the main page. If I can't figure out what your site is posting, then I'm going to go to some other website.

I think it sums down to this: Katie's blog is such a departure from the MacRumors formula that I don't see why her writing should mingle with the rest of the site so prominently. I would recommend separating her blog from the main iPhone blog. Leave Katie's blog as a sidebar on the main iPhone blog page, and give her blog a prominent link on the front page if you want.

EDIT: Kinda like the way esteemed newspapers separate editorials and opinions from their news sections. (end EDIT)

Personally, I think this takes care of all the issues worth addressing.

 

[kretzy]

1) Her writing style clashes with the no-nonsense, just-the-facts tone of the rest of the site, particularly arn's posts.

I think that's kinda the whole point actually. Arn's idea, from what I've gathered, was to provide a different perspective than the usual facts and figures and I think KT does a great job at this. The quirky little details mixed amongst the rest of it are what make it (for me at least) an entertaining and interesting read.

Your argument for separating it from the main articles isn't particularly strong either. Sure the blog may be more prominent, but that doesn't mean someone is standing there forcing you to read it.

 

[tk421]

Even though I realize she does have a life outside of her blogging obligation I would have expected more entries by now for someone who is basically being paid to do so.

Yep. That's what my complaint is.

...KT's signed up for a two-year stint at a pay of about $3/day, all told. It's not exactly like she's yachting with the Sultan now.

The people who know the full details of the arrangement are Arn and KT. Not the rest of us. She's got over 700 days before the contract runs out. Perhaps by then, you'll have more to criticize than the simple fact that Arn bought her a phone and she hasn't posted a lot yet.

Do most people look at it as 700+ days of $3 per day? I doubt it. I don't care if she only posts once a month in 2008. The fact is, the news is only relevant when it is new. What can she blog about next year? (I guess if there are software updates, but those will likely be pretty minor)

 

[AlBDamned]

The ranting about it being unfair compared to other events comes across like the ranting of a spoilt child. We have little idea of the agreement, the terms or whatever else.

What we do know is KT was picked a while ago to do a blog of some kind for MR and with the iPhone the opportunity came along to be able to do it. It was a choice made. Deal with it.

I pay money to be a contributor to this site and help it that way because I get a lot back from it, and see the blog as a valuable, interesting development that's only just the beginning of a lot of other things.

And as others have said, it's a blog, it reflects the writer's character and if you don't like it, then don't read it.

Sure, suggest areas for improvement or ask questions but saying, "I have to sift through a load of junk to get what I want from it" and saying it like she should immediately change her style so it better reflects your needs is outrageous, not to mention completely and utterly small minded.

 

[bluebomberman]

I think that's kinda the whole point actually. Arn's idea, from what I've gathered, was to provide a different perspective than the usual facts and figures and I think KT does a great job at this. The quirky little details mixed amongst the rest of it are what make it (for me at least) an entertaining and interesting read.

I don't dispute that Katie's blog has value; clearly the show of support on this thread proves that.

What I dispute is the way her posts are put alongside news items in a manner that makes her posts seem like news items. I'm sure I'm not the only one who comes across a rambling post and wonder: huh? (I think, anyway - it's hard to tell with some of the uncivil insults flying around from people).

Your argument for separating it from the main articles isn't particularly strong either. Sure the blog may be more prominent, but that doesn't mean someone is standing there forcing you to read it.

No, no one is forcing me to read it, but I feel compelled to read it because it's posted along with every other iPhone headline.

At some point, I will have trained myself to actively look to make sure that the post isn't by her, but even that requires more work as there is nothing in the headline of the post (at least when you're reading it via RSS feed) that indicates that it is commentary, not news or a rumor.

 

[njmac]

I would like to see Katie post more. I was expecting to see 2-3 posts a day on her blog but its not like I'm upset about it.

I like Katie's style and I am looking forward to what she has to say.

I'm a little surprised at the people who don't think it was fair that KT was compensated

Do you guys also believe that Arn does not make money off this site? Do you think your contributions help with hosting fees or something?

I do NOT know or care how much Macrumors makes but if Arn feels he wants to start paying to make certain aspects of the site more interesting, then its coming out of his pocket. I doubt he would have hired someone to write for macrumors if he didn't think it would benefit the members. Give him some credit.

 

[fistful]

Why doesn't everyone just **** and fight already? Quit with the talk, let's see some fists flying.

Alright buddy, you asked for it, your smoke is going in the drink. *thwack*

 

[arn]

Ok...

Ok guys...

After reading through this all I see where the issues are stemming from. I had heard that people were angry/unhappy about someone getting an iPhone from MacRumors but I didn't understand where that anger was coming from... but I think I see now.

Revealing Katie's compensation was a conscious decision because I thought it would make for a more interesting experience overall. Which i guess was true. Since I did publicly reveal it, I guess I should reveal the entirety of the terms, so people don't feel like it's a one time fee.

Katie's terms are as follows: She gets a phone + service to provide her blog services with a minimum of 5 posts a week (that number chosen by me). If she blogs for 6 months, she retains ownership of the phone. If we stop before that, MacRumors regains ownership of the phone. Either side can cancel at any time. This is a long term plan, and not a $700 one-time review that some people have suggested.

Katie was chosen specifically for her writing style. The intent was not to be technical/factual, but more of a personal ongoing blog. The goal of the iPhone Blog in general was to be more casual / fun than the main site.

I'm sorry it generated animosity amongst some of the regulars. Obviously, that wasn't my intent. I've very much see this as an experiement for trying to expand some of the content on the site. It's still very early, and I think we'll have to wait and see how it turns out.

arn

 

[bartelby]

Reading some of these posts most seem to smack of jealously and rants of children.

KT is doing a fine job as far as I'm concerned. Her style is great and compliments the MR News sections very well.

Keep up the good work Miss KT.

 

[zflauaus]

~snip arn's big post~

Thank you very, VERY much for ending all this speculation. Now that all you "bashers" see the whole story, maybe you'll take all this down a notch.

Once again, thanks arn.

 

[Markleshark]

Ok, before I respond to the post below let me say I was a bit shocked and a little peeved about the whole deal when I first heard about it for a few reasons;

First off I thought it was a bad use of MR funds and while its not my site and I have no say in what gets spent where, it seemed a bit odd that MR would pay upwards of $2k total for an iPhone + service for a member to blog about when there are probably thousands of other MR members who blog and have already got an iPhone with their own money. If MR can afford to give a $2k+ gift to someone then they certainly don't need the $25 they get from demis. I paid $25 to support the site every year and that wasn't intended to give someone a handout like this.

Nothing against Katie here, she's doing a fine job with what was offered to her, I more object to the deal itself.

I, for one, am glad someone could get across that point, the one I was thinking, without attacking Katie personally. When I paid my $25 yes it was mainly for the banter and the PF but I guessed it would also help with the server and the likes, and the time put in by everyone. But I guess not. In my experience, 'popular' sites not selling anything cost money to run, I've never had one make money. Guess my experience was wrong.

No one has anything against her personally, which I think is very important everyone realizes.

Maybe making the details of the deal public was not the best of ideas, but hey, I guess we've learned for next time. Onwards and upwards.

 

[rdowns]

I'm astounded by the jealousy shown by so many posters in this thread. You didn't get a free iPhone, get over it.

As for the contributors, why do you feel your measly $25 (not to minimize that the $25 gets you quite a few nice perks) entitles you to a say in how Arn runs his site? While Arn has always been responsive to criticism and suggestions, it is his site and he is free to do as he sees fit.

Why did Arn do this? I'm sure he has several reasons why he thought this would be a good idea. Drive traffic to the site is certainly one. Maybe driving non technical traffic, that would otherwise not end up here, with a different style of reporting on the iPhone.

As for KT, keep doing what you're doing.

 

[sillycybin]

jealousy?

not for me. my original post that caused the split in threads was not jealousy based. I could have bought iPhones for three days straight but didnt. I even had an 8gig model NIB in my hand and decided not to buy it but to wait and see how people were doing with the rev A iPhones.

that is what i use MR for, to see how new products are working in RL. To see what problems are occuring, and to see when a product is ready for me to purchase is why i come to MR. I dont use this place as a social gathering, I use it for its original function, Mac rumors and information.

So when I come here and goto the iPhone section to see whats happening, KTs post is front and center and in my face telling me to read it. When i read it, it is filled with much more stuff than iPhone iformation. I want to know what the issue is that she is having and how people are fixing it. not a story about her lunch break and her issues with mall society.

no jealousy, just annoyance at the JUNK surrounding the information that i am trying to receive.

 

[bartelby]

no jealousy, just annoyance at the JUNK surrounding the information that i am trying to receive.

I thought it was pretty clear from the "Say Hello to Katie" post that it wasn't going to be an indepth detailed expose on the iPhone. But more of a "living with an iPhone" type blog.

There are hundreds of websites out there with all the information you want on.

Just because the blog isn't what you expected doesn't justify you calling it junk.

 

[rdowns]

no jealousy, just annoyance at the JUNK surrounding the information that i am trying to receive.

Why didn't you say so. Ignore the iPhone tab atop the forum and go here

https://forums.macrumors.com/forums/103/

 

[sillycybin]

I thought it was pretty clear from the "Say Hello to Katie" post that it wasn't going to be an indepth detailed expose on the iPhone. But more of a "living with an iPhone" type blog.

There are hundreds of websites out there with all the information you want on.

Just because the blog isn't what you expected doesn't justify you calling it junk.

I didnt read the "Say Hello to Katie" post, i want particularly interested in meeting her condidering all the iPhone hype that I WAS interested in so...
and...
I dont think telling people to visit other sites is what ARN had as an intention. nor do i think he really wants people to make that kind of suggestion. I think the more readers that use MR instead of all those 'other' sites, the better for MR. Wouldnt you agree?
and i didnt call the blog junk, i called to banter surrounding the important information junk. which it is. I called to blog a 'turn off', which it also is.

 

[Peace]

arn you do know you had no obligation to disclose any terms you have made with anyone.Contributors arn't board members.We're frackin "contributors".

Look the definition up in the widget folks.

I've been a contributor for 3 years now and I could care less how arn spends his money.As a matter of fact I don't feel it's any of my business.I get ad-free viewing and that's good enough for me.If arn wants to go out and buy 3 beemers that's his choice.To make arn come in here and explain his reasoning is a reflection of a greedy society.

Remember..Money isn't the root of evil.The "LOVE" of money is.

Delete this post if you will but some of you people do not belong here if you have the kind of attitude shown here over the past couple days.
Do you realize how KT must feel about now? DO YOU?.Do you even care?

[unsubscribe]

 

[zach]

I was going to just delete this for being insulting, but I think it's best to reply to it.

This was not an example of devilot being mysterious and misleading people. Her point is simply that Arn and whomever he has compensated are the only ones who know of it, with the one exception, obviously, being KT. It's not like there's some big moderator thread where we all laugh about the perks we get and then hide them from everyone else. KT was obviously compensated. That does not mean she was the only one in the history of MR to ever receive anything from Arn. If anyone else has, they haven't gone public with it. The fact that you all know people who were not compensated isn't sufficient proof that KT is the only one who ever was.

It's Arn's site and Arn's money. If he decided to make KT the first ever paid MR member, fine. If others have received compensation before, fine. KT's signed up for a two-year stint at a pay of about $3/day, all told. It's not exactly like she's yachting with the Sultan now.

The people who know the full details of the arrangement are Arn and KT. Not the rest of us. She's got over 700 days before the contract runs out. Perhaps by then, you'll have more to criticize than the simple fact that Arn bought her a phone and she hasn't posted a lot yet.

if you actually read my post, you'd notice that i say nothing at all about kt. nor do i have any problem with kt getting bought a phone, i never complained about that, and never will.

 

[nbs2]

OK, this is the third time I've walked in here and seen people going back and forth. What is wrong with you people? How hard is it to provide constructive feedback (either positive or negative) without taking a dig at those who feel differently?

There have been more than a handful of attempts to get everybody back on track, giving feedback on the blog. BV imposed a cooling off. Arn came in here and explained the terms and conditions of the contract (the nerd in me would love to see the actual contract - I can just hear my wife "You are such an attorney"). But, it seems like nothing calms people down.

As Deputy Fife might say, "Gee, Andy, I think maybe we ought to shut down the whole gosh-darned thread if these folks can't learn to get along. We could, you know, start over fresh, and just delete anything that is rude. Whaddayathink?" Normally Andy would let things work themselves out, but this time I don't think they will.

 

[Turkish]

I can't believe you people are still talking about this.

 

[sillycybin]

Do you realize how KT must feel about now? DO YOU?.Do you even care?

[unsubscribe]

if i was her, i wouldnt care. I'd probably be laughing at every neg post as I read it on my free iPhone.

 

[jsw]

if you actually read my post, you'd notice that i say nothing at all about kt. nor do i have any problem with kt getting bought a phone, i never complained about that, and never will.

If you actually read my post, you'd see that I wasn't taking issue with a perceived insult to KT.

 

[calculus]

So, from I what I can make out, some people like Katie's blog and some people don't. Well there's a thing...

Can't we just leave it at that?

 

[jsw]

there seems to be three core issues here

1. katie getting a "free" iphone to blog about. in my opinion this is an irrelevant issue since ultimately its between katie and arn. if you are jealous because someone got something you did not, then you have a lot of growing up to do. and when you do the math, she is essentially being paid $2000 for 2 years worth of blogging. 5 posts per week x 52 weeks x 2 years = 520 posts/$2000 = $3.85 per post. that is really, REALLY crappy pay. so stop complaining about it, and as a contributor, if you do not like where your money goes, then stop contributing. my understanding is that you do not get to decide how your money is spent when you send it to arn.

2. the quality of the posts on the blog. my opinion is that the blog is not really very well written. i understand what it is trying to do and i have no problem with a counterpoint to the more traditional "tech blog" stuff you normally see. i feel her prose is poorly constructed and what she is trying to communicate is not getting through very well. I think it would be good to look at bloggers like Jade from Arstechnica and DrunkenBatman who both can mix humor/anecdote/wit with factual stuff in a way that i think this blog is aspiring to do. i think it is reasonable to allow katie to grow into that kind of writing, but i also think it is reasonable to allow those who read the blog of someone who is being paid to blog to criticize it and to expect a certain level of writing from the getgo.

3. people being annoyed at people not liking the blog. last time i checked, people are entitled to their opinions. and the whole "you do not like it, don't read it" argument is simply foolish and skirts the issue that not everyone is gonna like everything. i do think that attacks on katie are absolutely unwarranted and should be immediately deleted, however i think critique is valuable to katie and the community in general.

So, from I what I can make out, some people like Katie's blog and some people don't. Well there's a thing...

Can't we just leave it at that?

I think that's an excellent way to end this.