Where to start with this one? How about the inspiration for this post? First, I sent out two apparently controversial tweets this morning:
surprise, all those iPad buyers are Mac Fanboys and girls http://bit.ly/bZt9y5 gotta give it to Apple they have a loyal community
and
LOL and a great follow up story, the ipad doesn’t work http://tcrn.ch/aGmSWy LOL suckers /ipad rant off
That set off a storm of comments from what I would like to think are supporters of our event. One of them actually unfollowed us/me because of it. I’m going to try and provide the time line in reverse chronological order here but please forgive me if I mess it up somehow:
victorcajiao
@blogworld I see. Maybe you should Mac hate under your own name. Many new media peopley use Macs, and we would (cont) http://tl.gd/oim80
donmcallister
@blogworld I’m sure the majority of us Mac users don’t know the back story but I’m with @victorcajiao on this one.
StefaanLesage
@victorcajiao @blogworld i would have to agree with victor. Pretty strange reading that from the official blogworld Twitter account
victorcajiao
@blogworld so that’s Blogworlds official position on us being loyal to Macs ? If so the count me out of supporting @blogworld.
BlogWorld (AKA me)
@victorcajiao no thats my official opinion and im surprised at your reaction i’m not free to share my opinion?
victorcajiao
@blogworld no you can share it. I don’t have to participate. Goodbye @blogworld
StefaanLesage
@blogworld yeah, but wonder what would happen if all mac users stay away from blogworld
johnfbraun
@blogworld @victorcajiao Probably best to separate personal opinion from official BlogWorld communication, which is what I though this was.
StefaanLesage
@blogworld @victorcajiao you are free to share personal opinions from your personal twitter account, be careful with branded / company acc
StefaanLesage
@johnfbraun @blogworld @victorcajiao i agree with my us colleagues. Create / use a personal Twitter acct.
GeekCred
Wow @blogworld, I’m not an Apple fanboy, but way to go and damage your brand by shamelessly disrespecting your customers. Fail… “sucker”!
PodcastHelper
@GeekCred @victorcajiao agreed, keep your personal opinion off your “official” conference feed, wrong fight to pick…@blogworld fail
donmcallister
@blogworld Before this blows out of proportion. I would not expect someones personal opinion on an event branded Twitter feed.
donmcallister
@blogworld esp calling a good portion of attendees and speakers losers ( albeit indirectly by association)
BlogWorld (AKA me)
@DonMcAllister wow no I didnt, putting up a blog post, this is far more than a twitter conversation
donmcallister
@blogworld Sorry, you didn’t say “losers” it was “LOL suckers” yes, that was it!
GeekCred
@blogworld That kind of personal opinion does’nt belong on an event branded Twitter account; totally unpnrofessional, undermines credibility
@GeekCred sorry I disagree. our event is all about personal credibility
StefaanLesage
@blogworld let me know when it’s online.
BlogWorld (AKA me)
@StefaanLesage will do typing as fast as I can
StefaanLesage
@donmcallister @blogworld I had the same feeling about this. Made me think it’s an official blogworld statement
BlogWorld (AKA me)
@StefaanLesage a statement about what? Did you read the posts I linked to? They were both interesting and informative
BlogWorld (AKA me)
@victorcajiao Did you actually unfollow me just now Victor? I wish you would reconsider after reading the post
donmcallister
@blogworld Rick, for the record, completely respect your opinion and personal credibility, just needs to be voiced via your personal twitter
psimac
@donmcallister @blogworld I’m with you, Don. Considering many laptops I saw at Blogworld featured glowing Apple logos, this is in poor form.
DaveHamilton
@DonMcAllister @victorcajiao Some of the Rick Calvert begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting (i.e. @blogworld) Mac-back-story on MGG 220. http://tmo.to/ecUo
DaveHamilton
@johnfbraun @blogworld @victorcajiao Agree with John 100% on this one: separate Twitter accounts for personal vs. corporate tweets.
and it is continuing.
There are so many points here. First off, did anyone responding to my tweets read any of the posts I linked to?
Like the one about Apple’s draconian PR tactics?
Or the TechCrunch story about all the complaints about the Ipads not geting WiFi reception?
Or the story showing how many ipad buyers were also iPhone and Mac owners?
But the largest point is: can I, Rick Calvert, share my personal opinions or jokes as my tweets clearly were on the BlogWorld twitter account?
Here is my @blogworld Twitter bio:
Tweets from Blogworld & New Media Expo, and its founder Rick Calvert
For the record, I have put up tons of personal opinions and thoughts in that twitter feed since I started the account Oct 31 2007. Never, ever, have I received a reaction like today. I did have one person complain about posting stuff other than directly related show information. I informed that person that its my account and my bio explained they were my tweets as well as company stuff.
Just two weeks ago Chris Brogan, me and several others had an interesting discussion about Twitter avatars. Chris told me I should change the @blogworld avatar to a picture of me because “you are blogworld”. I disagreed because I do see a distinction between a completely personal twitter account and a brand. But based on that discussion I just asked Dave(my partner) to create a new avatar for me/ @blogworld showing my face and the logo.
Today several people suggested I start my own personal twitter account to share my personal opinions. I am not going to do that. First off because I started this event for me and content creators like me. I think offering a view of my thoughts and opinions is relevant to what our show is about. I do try to keep a balance between the personal and the official event stuff. I am very careful not to spam out “buy now” type messages. I try very hard to provide useful and relevant information to our community and my friends. I try to introduce and expose different friends and members of the community to each other who might not otherwise have met except for through our event.
That is what I think my / the @blogworld twitter account is for. Obviously some of you disagree. I do see the arguments for it but I am not convinced its the right thing to do particularly for BlogWorld and the type of event it is. I may change my mind and I hope others can make those arguments why I am wrong in the comments below or on their own blogs and podcasts.
Now lets talk about what personal opinions and what type of jokes are and are not allowed in a business context. Religion; I think everyone agrees that’s a no no in a business setting. Politics; I was a political blogger, that’s what inspired me to launch BlogWorld & New Media Expo in the first place. I killed off my political blog when we launched the event specifically to not offend people who might disagree with my politics. Are there any other third rails of polite business discussion?
Are Macs, the iPad, Iphone, and all Apple products untouchable for conversation and in particular dissent and mockery?
I didn’t think so but I guess I was wrong. Microsoft now that’s a fair target. Everybody hates them right?
Apple can base their entire ad campaign on mocking PC users (most computer users in the world) and that’s ok but bash a Mac and the world comes crashing down?
I’m sorry guys, I find that weird. I like the PC guy in those commercials. I was just having fun at the expense of some of my friends who maybe love their macs a little too much. I never meant to offend you and certainly didn’t mean to hurt your feelings so if I did I sincerely apologize for that but come on people make fun of me for my PC all the time.
As @victorjaio pointed out lots of new media content creators are Mac users. I know that, I get that. I know many Mac products are new media friendly, many of my friends are mac users, but seriously Apple is not a new media friendly company, guys. They are not all that supportive of their community and they know there is a certain percentage of their community that will buy anything they sell even if its phone that doesn’t work, or its on the worst mobile carrier in the country.
That’s my problem with Mac’s and Apple. Can we be friends again or have I crossed the Rubicon on this one?
***update 4.8.10****
I just found out that I am a “Hipster New Media Douchebag”
At least according to John C. Welsh. And all this time I thought I was just a fat guy in a Harley shirt.
***
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