Footbag Weblog

DoctorJay · Post by **DoctorJay** » 19 Apr 2006 09:48

I think the footbag community should found a weblog.

Why do we need a weblog?

Other resources like footbag.org/ flipsider and the forums got pros and cons.

The static sites are not that up to date because there are very few persons who update the sites. Another disadvantage is that not everyone who is able to offer proper information got the possibility to publish it.
On the other hand forums consist tons of useless information. Often they are hard to track due to the enormous amounts of posts ( like modified)

I think founding a footbag weblog would be cool because everyone can participate read and comment articles. Otherwise there could be a few people who can decide which articles should be published and/or write articles by themselves.

Moreover there are lots of people between the blogosphere and maybe will start to play footbag.

What do you think ?

Anz · Post by **Anz** » 19 Apr 2006 10:24

ummm.... what's a weblog?

Like Wikipedia?

Iron Clad Ben · Post by **Iron Clad Ben** » 19 Apr 2006 10:35

Anz FYI Weblog is the un-cool way of saying Blog (no offense J).

I think it's a good idea. Questions that come up:

Who can post blog entries

Who can edit blog entries

Who can comment on blog entries

Who "owns" the blog? Is it the IFPA

DoctorJay · Post by **DoctorJay** » 19 Apr 2006 11:47

Anz FYI Weblog is the un-cool way of saying Blog (no offense J).

I think it's a good idea. Questions that come up:
Arrow Who can post blog entries Question
Arrow Who can edit blog entries Question
Arrow Who can comment on blog entries Question
Arrow Who "owns" the blog? Is it the IFPA Question

Ha, I am not familiar if cool people call it blog or weblog- actually I do not care anyway.

To answer your questions, there are no restrictions.

If there are a few people to found a blog then is the day to find our philosophy of rules , not before.

I just offered my help to set up a blog for you or anyone.

My advice for a good footbag weblog or call it an online magazine or resource is to take a few people of modified and a few people of f.org and then choose one or three person who are the person in charge .

All people who are part of the project can accept articles from others or write some themselves.

Everyone can comment on the articles and can send own articles to one of the blog moderators or the blog administrator.

I want to have a footbag blog because it would be good for the sport and good for the community I guess.

How should the blog look like or who should participate?
Like you want!

For those who got no idea what a blog is or how it looks like :
here is one
http://employmentblawg.blogspot.com/
http://www.beppegrillo.it/english.php
http://www.break.com/

Anymore questions ?

dp · Post by dp » 19 Apr 2006 12:29

Definitely a good idea.

sen · Post by **sen** » 19 Apr 2006 12:38

I dunno. It seems kinda like an unorganized way of doing what Flipsider is trying to do.

Why not just contribute articles there? People can already comment on them.

Flipsider · Post by **Flipsider** » 21 Apr 2006 01:36

From "The New Flipsider" on the front page:
-----------------------
News: the news section is meant to be a blog for the whole sport. Users who want to share news that's relevant to the whole community can post their news on Flipsider, including any relevant pictures or other media.
-----------------------
That means articles are not limited to text, and image/video-hosting is provided. The content editor (submission interface) is as user-friendly as any word processing software, like Microsoft Word, plus some added features more suitable for the web. Or if plain text (plus a few links or whatever) is all you want, then it's just like starting a new topic on a forum (pending approval of course).

The most important news submissions will appear on the front page (home), while lesser articles/announcements will show up on the back page (inside the News section).

Tutorials and Advice-type articles go in the Knowledge section as always.

Or you can go reinvent the wheel, like I did many years ago.

But I say use what's available if adequate, which is definitely the case with Flipsider. I know Flipsider has been dormant for a long time, so it will take a while to regenerate the user base it once had, but I guarantee it will far surpass it's previous usage eventually.

DoctorJay, what are the cons of Flipsider? You may just want to PM or Email me since I don't normally read the forum and I don't want to turn this into a "what's wrong with flipsider" thread. I'm happy to hear constructive criticism.

FYI, I could have implemented a lot more features, like event and club listings, dynamic user profiles, and a free-for-all forum, but footbag.org provides all those things adequately. So I tried to do something different, or take some of its existing features and expand on them.

Cheers,

Muffinman · Post by **Muffinman** » 21 Apr 2006 04:43

.Org has been in the process of doing what Eli has done with Flipsider for some time. Steve was telling me that the reason it has taken so long is because before the languages that are prevalent today in website encoding, Steve, because the necessary tools were unavailable at the time, created his own language for writing Footbag.org. Because of this it is harder for him to go through the thousands of lines of code that compose the site in order to convert it to the modern forms of internet publishing.

I was really quite "anti-footbag.org" for a long time because of its static and outdated nature, but I've learned that a big part of my distaste in the website was due to my not understanding what actually goes into the site and the commitees that operate it. The site is the way it is because it is a small group of people who must deal with such a huge responsibility and the tasks that are involved in its maintainance.

It is slowly being converted into the ideal (and importantly 'official') footbag resource that we all crave. The more people that help with the project the faster it will develop.

I think a blog would be even more disorganized than Modified (although certain persons have made an effort to do just as you are describing on this forum (wink wink, nudge nudge)). I think Anssi's misunderstanding would be a better idea. A 'Wikipedia' of footbag knowledge. I've seen numerous databases using the "Wiki" foundation, which makes me think that it is something that is easily attainable and customizable for the use of any particular group (footbaggers!). I think this would definately be something to look into. But maybe this is something that is already available at Flipsider, and soon to be at .org?

ninja · Post by **ninja** » 21 Apr 2006 14:55

There already is a footbag wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Footbag

Flipsider · Post by **Flipsider** » 21 Apr 2006 20:50

no, that's a footbag *entry* on wikipedia. I thought about doing wiki on flipsider, but elected to stay with the Know section because of the bullshit factor. Users can submit Knowledge articles, which I think is enough, especially considering no one ever submits anything anyway (prove me wrong).

Pengu · Post by **Pengu** » 22 Apr 2006 07:45

kingstonfootbag.com's index page is a weblog that documents the website and club's progress, activities, shred sessions, and takes note of its newest members. Props on sessions are usually documented on the front page's weblog and anyone can comment on the posts.

I remember a comment where Adam Greenwood told us to put the Toronto break-dance presentation video into our videos section. I've not gotten around to it yet, but it'll get there eventually. I really like the comment system on the blog to help make the website better.

As for the wiki system, it works only if the network is large enough. Having a wiki system on the website would require much more admin work than allotting certain people the responsibility to post in the blog. Besides, blogs are easy to set up on a webpage compared to a wiki system. The blog system is just an easy way to update and I like it because it is such a personal form of web publishing.

sampotter · Post by **sampotter** » 22 Apr 2006 19:12

DoctorJay wrote:blogosphere

LOL

I personally support a wiki much more than a blog, and I support both very little. Listen to what Erik has said. The more people play around with alternative ideas to supporting footbag.org, the less centralized our sport becomes. We already have modified... we don't need to chop the community up any more.

DoctorJay · Post by **DoctorJay** » 25 Apr 2006 01:37

You are right we should not chop the community.

I think a weblog out of the community would be more useful for people like me. It would deliver the core information.

I subscribed to the modified feed and I cannot handle all the posts due to the lack of time. Moreover many of them are not that interesting.

With such a blog you would gain the community and not chop it.
I would see the weblog as an online mag for footbag and that is not existing.

For those who are happy with modified and f.org like they are - even better. Please consider all kind of media got pros and cons. It all comes down which kind of media is the best for you.

Not even one member of modifie who hate blogs will visit or subscribe to it. Unfortunately it is the same the other way around.

Summing up new media will gain our community. Alternatives with already existing media will chop our community.

It is hard to discuss which category a non existing weblog/ online mag/ resource / clubpage refers to.

PS: Why did you "LOL" about the word blogosphere, Nagasake?

TwistedTorque · Post by **TwistedTorque** » 25 Apr 2006 13:45

Wierd, I just put up a Footbag Tip Wiki, or Tiki as I've been calling it, up on the Missoula Footbag Alliance website and then came across this thread the next day.

The Tiki is not limited to tips on footbag, but could be expanded MUCH further. I pose NO limitations on the Tiki and think that a de-centralized, community-controlled resource could provide a tremendous asset to the world of footbag.
Anybody can edit this, even without an account, so if you want to change anything about it, go right ahead. It does support user accounts and I do think you should sign up if you plan on using it regularly.
If you can't get to the Tiki through our website (if you don't have Flash installed, it could be a problem) then just hit up this link:
http://www.MissoulaFootbagAlliance.com/tips

brian relly · Post by **brian relly** » 25 Apr 2006 14:04

A blog would be ill.

This is an example of an ill blog:
http://www.moleskinerie.com/

That'd be sweet if it kind of took off of this idea. Except it would be about footbags instead of moleskines (which, by the way, moleskines are the greatest thing ever - you should all get one. They will improve your lives in many ways).

TwistedTorque · Post by **TwistedTorque** » 25 Apr 2006 18:39

I think a blog relies too much on single publishers. I realize that multiple authors can be created, but I still feel as though it is too centralized.
With a wiki, anyone can add content and there will be prominent authors who can moderate content - probable taking less effort than for those "prominent authors" to publish content to instead moderate ill-informed or malicious changes.
I plan on putting a bunch of effort into this wiki in the coming months. After school is out, of course. I just wanted to get it out and let the community start playing with it. Once I'm really happy with how it is setup I will probably repost and be like: The Tiki is badass now! Check it out.
Help make it badass, edit today...

sampotter · Post by **sampotter** » 25 Apr 2006 18:50

Weird, I thought I had posted.

At any rate, I really am not a huge fan of blogs for this purpose as I feel they discourage people from contributing. If there is ANY sort of barrier between a person wanting to post and actually posting the likelihood that they will actually contribute is very diminished. What's more, with a blog there is the vague implication that if the blog fails, the people who are the 'main' posters will be in a bad position. Is it their fault? No, but they are, after all, the only ones to point the finger at. With a wiki there isn't anyone to blame. Plus, if it flops, so be it. That will simply reflect the fact that the community wasn't ready to have that sort of a responsibility. Not a big deal.

Evan - thanks bro!! I'll definitely be checking this regularly and contributing. I hope everyone does the same.

DoctorJay · Post by **DoctorJay** » 30 Apr 2006 10:48

As it seems Ellis is very close to my idea of a footbag blog.

I think it is up to you if our small sport could set up a very good blog or not.

Just send articles to http://www.flipsider.com .

There were many people who yelled for an online mag or a blog , so now time has come!

Start typing.

Flipsider · Post by **Flipsider** » 02 May 2006 00:04

To clarify, I will quote some of the email exchange I had w/ Jochen, explaining what I thought was apparent about the new flipsider, but obviously has been overlooked by many:

-----Re: The Cons of Flipsider / A New Footbag Weblog-----

jochen wrote:I think your site is your site and will keep yours. If you want to put it down than it is gone.

(Flipsider) is as much my site as footbag.org is Steve Goldberg's, or at least that's my goal. It will take some time for the transition to take place, the transition to greater public ownership. I plan to keep flipsider part of the footbag community for decades to come.

jochen wrote:I thought a footbag weblog would be cool if founded out of modified. Maybe the community would be more productive than before.

Your intentions are good, but I don't foresee any giant leap in community productivity, despite my own intentions even. It's just not the nature of the beast. 1 of 10 people who talk about doing something will actually do it.

jochen wrote:If people will use flipsider as this footbag blog than it is absolutely okay. I want that there is a footbag blog not who is hosting it. Otherwise I think it is better when such a blog would be hosted on f.org because there would be a guarantee of its endlessness existence.

Yeah, I agree, footbag.org is the be all, end all footbag website. However, footbag.org is a very closed environment. If it was more open/friendly to user activity, I might not have started flipsider so many years ago, nor taken it to this new level. The new flipsider is just a result of footbag.org being tightly administered and controlled, which of course is for good reasons as well.

jochen wrote:I guess the best chance to have a blog would be of modified and f.org would found one.

??.. It's all the same community, despite appearances. I guess you mean you want active users of modified to approach Steve and ask permisison to install a blog on footbag.org, using wordpress or similar. It couldn't hurt to ask, but you better have everything worked out beforehand and a strong support network to keep it alive. Good luck if you choose to do that.

jochen wrote:In my opinion the best blogs are founded by people who are able to meet their decisions on their own without any limits. You are the limiting factor. because you decide what will be published and what not.

That's only because NO ONE HAS VOLUNTEERED to be an editor!

Public Release announcement wrote:Now Hiring
All positions are on a voluntary basis of course, but I hope that won't keep you from joining the team.

Authors: all registered users have Author status by default for ease of contribution, but we need a few people who can be a bit more dedicated to regular involvement. You must be able to write at a college level or better and enjoy keeping tabs on developments in the footbag world. Your job is to keep your ear to the ground and let the rest of us know when something newsworthy is happening.

Editors: a few people with strong writing skills are needed to manage incoming submissions, and moderate the forums (comments and trick tips). No one person will have to do everything. It will be a shared, cooperative effort.

So at present, it is one person having to do everything: ME, not that I should be surprised. Steve still has to do almost everything at footbag.org after 10 years of supposed cooperation.

jochen wrote:Moreover I think a good news resource must be as independent as possible.

I agree. Otherwise bias exists. When activity at flipsider surges, and I have some trustworthy volunteers to maintain the website, I will hand over the keys to edit and administer the site, though of course I will remain an administrator for good measure.

jochen wrote:Summing up I think you are doing great stuff with flipsider but I guess it is not possible to achieve a perfect sourrounding for a weblog in combination with a company.

Maybe you will want to ammend that statement now that you've read what I had to say. Flipsider is not really a company anymore. The slogan would be better-suited as "footbag community, and then some,"

but it doesn't have the same punch. To me, the word company does not equate commercial business in this case, it means "a number of individuals gathered together, esp. for a particular purpose," as stated in Apple Dictionary.

-----End Email-----

Let me know if you have any questions, and I'll try to reply later this week when I have time.

Footbag Weblog

Footbag Weblog

Re: Footbag Weblog

Tiki