Originally published May 28, 2002
Is Dave Winer to traditional journalism what Martin Luther was to the Catholic church?
That may not be a perfect analogy, but anyone who’s serious about blogging is familiar with the bet Winer placed with Martin Nisenholtz. I believe that blogging will become a powerful force because people are, by sheer force of will, making it so.
Now, every person with a computer, internet access and blogging software can be free of the frustration that results from feeling there is no forum for their particular point of view.
I think back ten years when I considered publishing a newsletter and handing out free copies on the street. I felt that I had a particular point of view that wasn’t being voiced by the mainstream media. I wanted an outlet for my ideas, and I also wanted feedback.
A few years after that initial impulse, the World Wide Web became a part of everyday consciousness. However, I did not consider creating a personal website in order to stage my ideas. The thought never crossed my mind. I did not want to create a so-called vanity page. Also, I was intimidated by the prospect of learning HTML. I had no idea how easy it was to learn.
Now we have Blogger, Movable Type, Greymatter and a host of other tools available to present our viewpoint (with style!) to the world quickly and easily.
What a great time to be alive.
Will Leon 