Comments on: State of the military historioblogosphere, March 2008 http://airminded.org/2008/03/31/state-of-the-military-historioblogosphere-march-2008/ Airpower and British society, 1908-1941 Sun, 07 Sep 2008 22:07:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Brett Holman http://airminded.org/2008/03/31/state-of-the-military-historioblogosphere-march-2008/#comment-73291 Brett Holman Mon, 21 Apr 2008 23:14:56 +0000 http://airminded.org/2008/03/31/state-of-the-military-historioblogosphere-march-2008/#comment-73291 Thanks for your comment, Liz! I think it's a good idea, for the reasons you mention and also from the point of view of marketing, I suppose. I've noticed that the <a href="http://hnn.us/blogs/entries/9665.html#military" rel="nofollow">Cliopatria blogroll</a> (still the biggest listing of history blogs) has always listed only the AWM homepage, rather than having links to each individual AWM blog. I suppose it was too much trouble for them to list them all, especially given that they would come and go as exhibitions opened and closed. So you may wish to inform them of your new group blog! BTW, <em>Sydney</em> has been a popular topic here too -- my <a href="http://airminded.org/2008/03/17/out-of-the-depths/" rel="nofollow">sole post</a> on it has been getting quite a few hits, especially from googlers interested in the conspiracy angle. Seems that the <em>Sydney</em> conspiracy theorists haven't discovered the internet yet! Thanks for your comment, Liz! I think it’s a good idea, for the reasons you mention and also from the point of view of marketing, I suppose. I’ve noticed that the Cliopatria blogroll (still the biggest listing of history blogs) has always listed only the AWM homepage, rather than having links to each individual AWM blog. I suppose it was too much trouble for them to list them all, especially given that they would come and go as exhibitions opened and closed. So you may wish to inform them of your new group blog!

BTW, Sydney has been a popular topic here too — my sole post on it has been getting quite a few hits, especially from googlers interested in the conspiracy angle. Seems that the Sydney conspiracy theorists haven’t discovered the internet yet!

]]> By: Liz Holcombe http://airminded.org/2008/03/31/state-of-the-military-historioblogosphere-march-2008/#comment-73250 Liz Holcombe Sun, 20 Apr 2008 09:59:20 +0000 http://airminded.org/2008/03/31/state-of-the-military-historioblogosphere-march-2008/#comment-73250 Brett, you ask in your post (and a very interesting one it is too) if the AWM is going to abandon having separate blogs for exhibitions. I am the Web Manager at the Memorial, and the answer to your question is yes. There are two main reasons for this: firstly, on a practical note, the work involved in maintaining an increasing number of blogs was beginning to take more time than we had; and secondly, we felt a group blog would allow more staff to contribute on a wider variety of topics, and we hoped that would attract a wider audience. So far, this is working, with great interest shown in the posts on finding HMAS Sydney, the opening of new galleries focusing on conflicts since 1945, and of course, on the conservation work being carried on the Albatros, to name a few. Brett, you ask in your post (and a very interesting one it is too) if the AWM is going to abandon having separate blogs for exhibitions. I am the Web Manager at the Memorial, and the answer to your question is yes. There are two main reasons for this: firstly, on a practical note, the work involved in maintaining an increasing number of blogs was beginning to take more time than we had; and secondly, we felt a group blog would allow more staff to contribute on a wider variety of topics, and we hoped that would attract a wider audience. So far, this is working, with great interest shown in the posts on finding HMAS Sydney, the opening of new galleries focusing on conflicts since 1945, and of course, on the conservation work being carried on the Albatros, to name a few.

]]> By: Brett Holman http://airminded.org/2008/03/31/state-of-the-military-historioblogosphere-march-2008/#comment-72388 Brett Holman Thu, 03 Apr 2008 03:17:06 +0000 http://airminded.org/2008/03/31/state-of-the-military-historioblogosphere-march-2008/#comment-72388 That's very true. Airminded's been dropping drastically too since the last 'state of ...', even though my readership has apparently climbed by more than 50 percent in that period. FWIW (which, equally, is not very much) I suspect that IoaD would be no. 5 if I used the TTLB rankings, as it's a lot higher than KoW there (with BTOOTSA at 1, followed by CWM, Rantings and Airminded -- separated by only 1 place). But that website is a lot harder to use and the rankings are, if anything, even more flaky than Technorati's. That’s very true. Airminded’s been dropping drastically too since the last ’state of …’, even though my readership has apparently climbed by more than 50 percent in that period. FWIW (which, equally, is not very much) I suspect that IoaD would be no. 5 if I used the TTLB rankings, as it’s a lot higher than KoW there (with BTOOTSA at 1, followed by CWM, Rantings and Airminded — separated by only 1 place). But that website is a lot harder to use and the rankings are, if anything, even more flaky than Technorati’s.

]]> By: Gavin http://airminded.org/2008/03/31/state-of-the-military-historioblogosphere-march-2008/#comment-72341 Gavin Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:47:08 +0000 http://airminded.org/2008/03/31/state-of-the-military-historioblogosphere-march-2008/#comment-72341 Technorati rankings are just strange. I don't think there's been much change in IoaD in terms of quality/frequency of posts or number of readers since the start of 2007, but it's gone from being massively overrated in the first round-up to crashing right out of the top 5. I'm now ranked 246,538 with an authority of 33 but in practice it makes absolutely no difference. Technorati rankings are just strange. I don’t think there’s been much change in IoaD in terms of quality/frequency of posts or number of readers since the start of 2007, but it’s gone from being massively overrated in the first round-up to crashing right out of the top 5. I’m now ranked 246,538 with an authority of 33 but in practice it makes absolutely no difference.

]]> By: Brett Holman http://airminded.org/2008/03/31/state-of-the-military-historioblogosphere-march-2008/#comment-72335 Brett Holman Tue, 01 Apr 2008 11:21:44 +0000 http://airminded.org/2008/03/31/state-of-the-military-historioblogosphere-march-2008/#comment-72335 No worries. I'm glad to hear you're trying to tap your local historical talent -- we historians are indeed a rather fusty lot. Good luck! While I'm here, I probably should have pointed out in the post that in the top 5 graph, lower numbers are better (more popular). No worries. I’m glad to hear you’re trying to tap your local historical talent — we historians are indeed a rather fusty lot. Good luck!

While I’m here, I probably should have pointed out in the post that in the top 5 graph, lower numbers are better (more popular).

]]> By: Woohhoo! We’re in the Top 5! « Kings of War http://airminded.org/2008/03/31/state-of-the-military-historioblogosphere-march-2008/#comment-72313 Woohhoo! We’re in the Top 5! « Kings of War Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:04:00 +0000 http://airminded.org/2008/03/31/state-of-the-military-historioblogosphere-march-2008/#comment-72313 [...] Woohhoo! We’re in the Top 5! Airminded · State of the military historioblogosphere, March 2008 [...] [...] Woohhoo! We’re in the Top 5! Airminded · State of the military historioblogosphere, March 2008 [...]

]]> By: David Betz http://airminded.org/2008/03/31/state-of-the-military-historioblogosphere-march-2008/#comment-72312 David Betz Mon, 31 Mar 2008 23:53:39 +0000 http://airminded.org/2008/03/31/state-of-the-military-historioblogosphere-march-2008/#comment-72312 I'd just add to the above that I probably should have put 'proper' in inverted commas actually; it being a somewhat superficial and tongue-in-cheek piece. I’d just add to the above that I probably should have put ‘proper’ in inverted commas actually; it being a somewhat superficial and tongue-in-cheek piece.

]]> By: David Betz http://airminded.org/2008/03/31/state-of-the-military-historioblogosphere-march-2008/#comment-72311 David Betz Mon, 31 Mar 2008 23:51:10 +0000 http://airminded.org/2008/03/31/state-of-the-military-historioblogosphere-march-2008/#comment-72311 Thank you for running this analysis. I confess to being easily impressed by numbers and 98,047 sure sounds a lot. Cool. I need to figure out this Technorati thing. It is true that KOW is very focussed on contemporary wars. I am trying to change that. There are wonderful military historians in the department--lots of them. Unfortunately they tend to the type of person who when saying the word 'blog' feels compelled to place it in inverted commas sort of like the the way Dr Evil says 'laser'. It's a newfangled thingy that people use on the interwebs, right? Oh well, 'if you build it they will come'. In the meantime, I've put up a proper military historical post on KOW about British COIN in 1776 for historically-minded readers. Thank you for running this analysis. I confess to being easily impressed by numbers and 98,047 sure sounds a lot. Cool. I need to figure out this Technorati thing. It is true that KOW is very focussed on contemporary wars. I am trying to change that. There are wonderful military historians in the department–lots of them. Unfortunately they tend to the type of person who when saying the word ‘blog’ feels compelled to place it in inverted commas sort of like the the way Dr Evil says ‘laser’. It’s a newfangled thingy that people use on the interwebs, right? Oh well, ‘if you build it they will come’. In the meantime, I’ve put up a proper military historical post on KOW about British COIN in 1776 for historically-minded readers.

]]> By: Brett Holman http://airminded.org/2008/03/31/state-of-the-military-historioblogosphere-march-2008/#comment-72282 Brett Holman Mon, 31 Mar 2008 01:04:52 +0000 http://airminded.org/2008/03/31/state-of-the-military-historioblogosphere-march-2008/#comment-72282 Yes, the rankings do bounce all over the place, or alternatively, drop precipitously for no obvious reason (the top 5 were all a lot higher 5 months ago). I probably should use the alternative figure published by Technorati, the "authority", which is more stable (it's the number of incoming links to a blog over the last 90 or 180 days, or something like that). But as that's essentially was Technorati use to measure popularity, it wouldn't change the ranks any. It's no doubt a very inaccurate measure but as you say, enjoy it while you're number one :) Yes, the rankings do bounce all over the place, or alternatively, drop precipitously for no obvious reason (the top 5 were all a lot higher 5 months ago). I probably should use the alternative figure published by Technorati, the “authority”, which is more stable (it’s the number of incoming links to a blog over the last 90 or 180 days, or something like that). But as that’s essentially was Technorati use to measure popularity, it wouldn’t change the ranks any. It’s no doubt a very inaccurate measure but as you say, enjoy it while you’re number one :)

]]> By: Kevin Levin http://airminded.org/2008/03/31/state-of-the-military-historioblogosphere-march-2008/#comment-72275 Kevin Levin Sun, 30 Mar 2008 23:45:25 +0000 http://airminded.org/2008/03/31/state-of-the-military-historioblogosphere-march-2008/#comment-72275 Interesting report. I never know what to make of those Technorati rankings, especially given that the number has fluctuated widely over the past few months. That said, I'll take #1 while it last. Thanks for taking the time to do this. Interesting report. I never know what to make of those Technorati rankings, especially given that the number has fluctuated widely over the past few months. That said, I’ll take #1 while it last. Thanks for taking the time to do this.

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