Podcasting: the best name?
Posted Monday, June 30th, 2008 1:17 pm by Dave Moyer
Since it first started with Adam Curry and Dave Winer (or should I say Dave Whiner) a few years ago, the medium of “podcasting” has grown in leaps and bounds, starting to work its’ way into the lexicon of the average Joe. If you’re unfamiliar with the basic concept, podcasts are, in essence, audio files distributed over RSS feeds (Real Simple Syndication). Users can subscribe to these feeds in an RSS client or a client specifically designed for podcasts, often referred to as a “podcatcher”. Every time a new episode is added, the feed reader automatically downloads the show for a user to put on their iPod (hence the ‘pod’ prefix) or mp3 player, listen on their computer, or burn to a CD.
I’ve been involved in this world for nearly 4 years now, producing and running tech podcasts nearly the whole way. For over a year, I created, hosted and produced the podcast that became the #1 podcast on the internet related to the Neopets online game: Neocast. This show is in the process of being resurrected by a Bitwire Media property, PinkPT.com. I also produced many podcasts related to historic preservation, including the Historic Colfax Podcast Series in 2006. This show, created for runners in the first annual Colfax Marathon, spotlighted the different landmarks around this street, and talked about its’ rich history. It received over 121,000 downloads in the first 4 months of its’ existence, and counting. Through all these years, I’ve always called these shows podcasts. That’s what everyone knew them as, and that’s what I learned to know them as.
Not long after I got on the podcast bandwagon, the movement to find a better name for the medium seemed to take off. Leo Laporte of TWiT.tv proposed the term “netcast”. Others tried “webcast”, but that eventually became the term for a live streaming broadcast, either audio or video. TWiT’s slogan is still “Netcasts you love from people you trust”, but you’ll notice that Leo, on his nationally syndicated radio show every week, tells listeners to visit TWiT, where he produces podcasts. Why doesn’t he say netcasts? Why the inconsistency?
I completely agree with the fact that the term podcasting is misleading. The most common question I get about my shows from people who aren’t really tech-savvy is, “So, do I need an iPod?” Frustration with this question has caused websites like www.noipodrequired.com to sprout up, and videos like this one (my personal favorite) to surface around the net.
Why don’t I call my work netcasting (my favorite alternate term), and why doesn’t Leo talk about his netcasts on his radio show? Because podcasting’s grown too big. We’re too late! Radio stations have started releasing podcasts of their shows, and general society has started to grow accustomed to the term. It’s the same thing that happened to blogging. Do people “weblog” much anymore? Not really! This blog started out as one, but it’s barely anything like a log of my life anymore. Why do we still call it blogging? Why do we call RSS distributed media content podcasts?
We call those things those terms for the same reason that we still “dial” a phone. Aside from Steve Wozniak (who made a cell from a rotary phone), the majority of society hasn’t literally “dialed” a phone for over 30 years. Why don’t we tell you to push a number? Button this number? Because it’s burned into general society. And that’s a stain that has rarely ever, if ever, has been removable.
Podcasting’s got more than its’ foot in the door, and we’re too late to pull it back out. Agree? Disagree? Am I absolutely insane? Comment like the wind, oh readers.
photo credit: Made Underground
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Todo-Tattoo
Posted Monday, June 23rd, 2008 3:53 pm by Dave Moyer
I recently discovered that I’ve had yet another podcast episode dedicated to me (another being on CNET’s Gadgettes), from Beth Skinner’s The Skinny on Home Gadgets series. Apparently because I have an obsession with productivity and GTD (plus a love of office supplies), Beth decided to dedicate her episode on the Todo-Tattoo to me. How… flattering?
Here’s a tongue-in-cheek tribute to anyone who’s ever
scribbled a reminder on their hand or wrist. Err, that would
be about everybody, right? Our To-Do Tattoo kit includes
12 graphic “To Do” forms that you can apply to your body
wherever it’s most convenient (or creative) and a skin-safe,
washable-ink gel pen. You’ll never again have to make
lame excuses for missing bowling night or your mom’s
birthay. Nifty peggable blistercard packaging.
I think I’ll stick with my Hipster PDA. Just saying. Either way, thanks for the mention, Beth! If you want to have a listen to the episode, here you go.
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House (and trampoline) appears in Google Street View
Posted Tuesday, April 8th, 2008 5:44 pm by Dave Moyer
Slashdot reporting that a couple is suing over photos of their private residence (and trampoline) appearing on Google streetview. According to the Daily Picture’s post on the issue:
The Google Street View vehicle drove down a gravel road named Goldenbrook Lane. At the end of this lane, the street becomes a paved driveway for the private residence of the McKees. The vehicle drove up this private driveway, eventually passing the house’s front door and pulling up to the garage where it got an up close and personal view of the McKees’ very private trampoline.
I’m giving Google the benefit of the doubt, and assuming that the van, always taking pictures, unknowingly drove down the couple’s long gravel driveway, eventually ending up right in front of their house!
The pictures have been removed from Google Maps. I don’t think I’m going to post the pictures here, seeing as Gizmodo removed their post, and I don’t want to get wrapped up in lawsuits like Google. However, the Daily Picture post had them posted at the time of posting. (Google it.)
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April Fool’s Day 2008 Roundup
Posted Tuesday, April 1st, 2008 3:14 pm by Dave Moyer
Mahalo Daily had STEVE JOBS on today!
…or not. Oh well. Happy April Fools’ day! Here are a few of my favorite jokes on the net today:
- YouTube Rick Roll’d everyone who clicked links from their front page
- Google “introduced” Custom Time for Gmail
- Nestle “renamed” the Butterfinger candy bar to The Finger Bar
- Pizza Hut made a “name change” to Pasta Hut
- According to the Register, Jimmy Wales Resigns from Wikipedia
- Apple loses legal battle, forced to change name, according to MacUser. Apple is now “Banana”, due to a name conflict with the Beatles’ Apple record label.
For a list of even more, check out the Mahalo page on the best pranks of the year.
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Birthday Juggler
Posted Monday, January 21st, 2008 7:46 pm by Dave Moyer
Happy birthday to me… a family friend sent me this video as a little birthday gift. Absolutely amazing. This was added to my del.icio.us seconds after I finished watching it.
Happy MLK day!
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