Gregory Szorc's blog

Why I Haven't Made the Permanent Switch to Blog@Case

I have been playing around with Blog@Case for a while now. I love the interface. I love the templates. It is everything I could want in a blog system. So, why do I still maintain two blogs? It just might have something to do with losing blog access when I graduate.

For those not in the loop, I maintain a personal blog at zorro.case.edu. Not only do I host a blog, but I also provide my own photo gallery and other web applications. Some are public, others are private. My entire blog archive on my personal site is automatically imported into Blog@Case at the top of every hour thanks to some XML-RPC scripts I wrote. Truth is, I would much rather completely compose using Blog@Case and import everything to my personal site.

What holds me back? Security-- Security in knowing that I will still be able to do this a few years down the road when I graduate. I will always have my personal desktop to store blog entries. Unless a similar service can be found, there is no compelling reason for me to swith. Although there are other blogging services out there, few can provide me with the features and cost (free) that Blog@Case provides. Not only that, but I know that by reading a blog hosted by Blog@Case, I am reading the words of someone who is qualified to be part of a reputable university. With free services on the internet, there is no such guarantee.

I am looking for a reason to completely switch to Blog@Case, but until I get some assurances about the remained activation of my account after graduation, I am afraid my hands are tied.

If Blog@Case were accessible by alumni, the following would occur:

* More people would use Blog@Case. This means that Case gets more attention- rarely a bad thing.
* Alumni bloggers would have Case as part of their daily lives. The more alumni are involved, the less likely they are to forget who gave them a degree and the more likely they are to give $$$.
* Alumni and active members of the university would have a similar medium in which to interact. The transformational impact of the university extends past graduation. Shouldn't alumni be allowed to inform others about their developments?
* Case would be a pioneer in this area of IT. We are already making waves by actually deploying a campus-wide blog system. We could make tidalwaves by granting access to alumni.

Until something definitive is said, I'm afraid I will have to hold off making the switch. It is a shame. It really is. Until then...

You can ping this entry by using http://blog.case.edu/gps10/mt-tb.cgi/1575 .

I really have to agree with you, Greg. I've got a couple blogs myself, and, much as I'd like to rely on my Case blog, I'm holding back, though my plan is to export my entries to elsewhere before I graduate next May. It would be brilliant to have alumni on Blog@Case, but, as Jeremy pointed out in my journal, a lot of that will have to do with the cost of such a proposal.

Excellent points on the almuni. I might just try to call up some friends in development and alumni relations and point this out to them. Although, I may first have to explain what a blog is, then how they are used, then how alumni relations could actually benefit. I don't think my message would be very effective.