Ed Bilodeau

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This weblog had moved: http://www.coolweblog.com/bilodeau/

# Notice (Oct 19/05): So ends my stay here on Blogger. This morning Google implemented an anti-spam 'feature' that forces me to answer a challenge phrase when I want to post to my own blog. No notice of the change, nothing. Worse is that it doesn't even work! I type the phrase, submit, "An error occured", post deleted. Damn you, Google. Chances are I will revive my blog somewhere else, sometime soon. I'll post the new coordinates here as soon as they become available. (BTW, I'm unable to post anything to my RSS stream, so I'd appreciate it if readers could spread the word and ask people to take a look at this notice)

Update (Oct 19/05, ~noon): After a frustrating few hours (and not just trying out alternatives to Blogger), I've decided that this is a good time to take a break from all this. A day? A week? Who knows. But I need to step away from it before I pass a heavy magnet over the whole mess.

Update 2: According to this post, the reason I'm seeing the CAPTCHA (challenge phrase) is that Blogger has classified my blog as spam. Thanks. User for five years and now I'm spam. I searched the Blogger site, but there is no mention of how to get the spam flag turned off. There is also no way of contacting anyone at Blogger. Wow. Spam they say I am, so spam I must be. Maybe it is time to take a break.

Thursday, April 28, 2005

Google Turns Attention to RSS :
The search giant started testing a version of its contextual ads that would help advertisers tap into new inventory on RSS or Atom feeds, and potentially help publishers monetize content distributed through that channel. Though Google declined to comment on the new implementation, word spread via its publisher partners.

Although I'm still not through my second cup of coffee, I have enough of my wits about me to know that this is a Bad Idea. My RSS reader is like my e-mail: a private space that I work hard at keeping free of distractions and other garbage.

With e-mail, I'm more or less a sitting duck, since anyone can try to put stuff in my inbox. Less now, with all the blocking and filtering software, but the usefulness of e-mail requires that I keep it more or less open.

My RSS reader is another matter entirely. I have total control over which feeds are included. There are no lack of feeds, so I'm quick to prune away any feeds that are more trouble then they are worth. A feed that includes advertizing definately falls into that category.

"Hey, let me show you something interesting!"
"Hey, let me show you something interesting!"
"Hey, let me show you something interesting!"
"Hey, let me sell you something interesting!"
"Hey, let me show you something interesting!"

No thanks. Policy update: any feeds including ads will be automatically unsubscribed from. I may bookmark your site to visit manually, but, for having abused the priviledge of talking to me, you'll no longer have access to my primary inflow.