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What is a tumbleblog?

Just bumped into the latest bit of blogging jargon: a "tumbleblog". What the heck is it, something out of the old west?


Dave's Answer:

That was a new one to me too, but a bit of digging reveals that a tumbleblog (aka a "tumblelog") is a weblog written with a "stream of consciousness" approach, kind of like the traditional journal/diary that begat the entire blogging phenomenon.

Leo Babauta, over at the North x West blog, offers up this missive: 13 reasons why bloggers should use a tumblelog for links. In it, he explains:

"Let’s start by talking a little about tumblelogs. If you’re not familiar with them, they’re about the simplest blogs there are — basically a collection of links, quotes, photos, videos, dialogue, snippets of text, or anything else you might run into while surfing the net.

"A tumblelog can contain regular blog posts, but for the most part it’s links and other media you stumble across that you want to share with others. And it’s easy: you can use a service like Tumblr and get a free tumblelog running in minutes. Using their bookmarklet, you can link to a post or photo or video within seconds. No hassle, no wasted time."
Got it? I'd refer to this as a "linkblog", personally, but the idea is that you just spit out material in the tumbleblog, be it four words (like "too tired to blog") or a few paragraphs. The items don't have to be connected in any logical way, and, just as with any other kind of blogging effort, there are no rules about what is or isn't acceptable.

Having explained that, I have to say that most linkblogs and, presumably, tumbleblogs/tumblelogs I have encountered are useless to me, because they are focused more on resource location than on explaining why those particular resources are of value. If it's just a flow of consciousness, that's different, I suppose, but still, I am more interested in why than in what.

Meanwhile, you can learn more about tumblelogs by simply searching for that word (or tumbleblog, it appears that they're interchangeable) at Google Blogsearch or similar. No six-shooter required.


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Categorized: Blogs and Blogging   (Article 7560, Written by )
Tagged: blogging, linkblogs, tumbleblogs
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Reader Comments To Date: 2

Stumblng Tumblr said, on September 4, 2007 12:48 PM:

I think my tumblelog (http://stumblng.tumblr.com) is a good example of the tumblelog type. I use software called tumblr. It's very easy to use, free and the tumblr people host your tumblelog. If you look at my tumblelog and have any questions about creating a tumblelog with tumblr, I'd be happy to hear from you at the email address shown on my tumblelog.

Paul said, on October 1, 2007 7:51 AM:

Dear Dave,
I have just read a multitude of messages to you addressing the same or similar problem I have. This began yesterday and continues today. When I try to log into my Hotmail email I get the below message (below, beginning with Login Error). With all my efforts I can't get into my email. We have two computers,(desk and lap top) my wife's email address is on the same account and we can get into her email, but not mine! I tried to set up a new address but it won't accept it...?? [Is there any phone number to access Hotmail's tech support?]
Thanks for any help. I'll watch for any response.
P.A.


Login Error

Windows Live Hotmail was not able to sign in to your account at this time. Please try again later.

Help

Starbucks coffee cup I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you, Dave, for all your helpful information by buying you a cup of coffee!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!











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