PageFlakes : are widgets the new blog format?
PageFlakes, the super innovative startpage that has a great RSS Reader and public pages has now introduced a blog flake (widget).
This is starting to feel like a MySpace widget version, only without the social networking part, what I mean is that this may be the new homepage, ie. a homepage for others to surf to that represents you on the web…the new Netvibes Universe is in the same game.
What represents you, what is the new homepage?
In a past post I was asking this question, and still think someone’s blog is their goto homepage, due to the sidebar.
But the new PageFlakes blog widget turns this around, you aren’t limited to the sidebar, you have a page with boxes, and you can also collapse these, thus fitting more on your page, position them as you like, something TypePad added with their drag and drop sidebar’s.
Now with the Blog Flake the original blog structure is no longer, but what I ask is, can you change the size of the blog flake so it becomes the dominant flake, giving the page contextual structure, in that your page is more about the blog, along with some other widgets.
Why doesn’t the Google Startpage (not sure if they have a public option) have a Blogger widget to compete with PageFlakes?
Anyway, a widget format for blogging allows your blog to become more of a homepage.
[ADDED 18/05/07 : I noticed WebJam has a blog module, kind of reminds me of Zimbio Wikizines]
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I’ve been following the idea of lifestreaming and “start pages” for a while. I’ve also been interested in substituting my blog with more streamlined publishing workflow, a mixture of aggregation and direct publishing. I’m a long time Drupal and LifeType (formerly plog) user but have used other blogging/CMS engines as well.
I’ve always been more of a quick blast type of blogger with the occasional longish rant. So the idea of tumblr (tumble logs), twitter and video/audio/photo casting can easily fill in my digital output needs. But I like how pageflakes added a blog flake. It just balances things and brings that inside-out approach to net agg/pub.
I am setting up a new site for myself (sull.outputs.it) which will be a total aggregation of my output… and a light weight publishing engine as well. I’ll use other services and their feeds/widgets, but the plan is to over time, replace them with my own tools. using the other services over time will allow me to fully evaluate and work in my own versions.
your posts are helpful. still trying to figure out what the sound effect is
sull
sull
Comment by sull — April 19, 2007 @ 7:12 pm
Sull,
Great comment, I agree I do like the choice of publishing structures; typical blog or more spontaneous dribble posting like an OPML blog, Jaiku, Twitter, Tumblr.
But now a blog client as a widget brings another format into the mix.
Some other blast type publishing I like: evoca, yodio, nowthen.
Aggregation streams I like: iStalkr, mugshot, ziki….I do like that public startpages allow you to aggregate in a widget way instead of a stream way…non-startpage services where you can create an aggregate widget page are FeedRaider and SpeedyFeed.
Comment by Johnt — April 20, 2007 @ 4:48 am