Medium.com: (Twitter + Blogger) / 2 + algorithms for recommending content = Habr option for everyone?

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    The ranks of blogging platforms have arrived . The creators of Twitter and Blogger, Evan Williams (Evan Williams) and Biz Stone (Biz Stone), in August opened (in closed beta mode) service Medium , but they are starting to pay attention to it only now. Here is how the creators describe it (quote):

    Publishing on the Medium (not yet available to everyone) is elegant and simple, and you don’t have to carry the burden of a blogger and you won’t be hurt about how to solve the difficult task of attracting an audience. Collective posting will provide an “attractive and rewarding experience.”

    After reading this, you can cry with joy!

    The medium is intended primarily for the publication of images and texts of medium, even small size. Posts, as on Habré, are published in groups called "Collections", each of which can be posted by other authors, and which is available at a unique URL. Groups can be closed (by invitation), or open to everyone ( example ).

    Those who have studied a little of the content currently available say that it is surprisingly good. Perhaps this is provided by full-time journalists for whom vacancies are open .

    The creators of the medium emphasize that they are revolutionizing the way people create, group, and consume content.

    minimalistic interface for creating a new post:

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    The main idea is that ordinary people prefer to consume content created by ordinary people. The medium will offer each user a content feed that is personalized automatically based on its own algorithms.

    The creators boldly argue that for the vast majority of users, the Medium will provide a better return on investment from blogging than maintaining a personal blog.

    Posts can be sorted by time and rating, and, accordingly, vote for them. It is especially emphasized how cool it is that you don’t need to think - choose a category and write a post (instead of creating a post, and then painfully choose a category).

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    No individual authorship anymore?


    Of the most detailed of all, the ideology and structure of the service is discussed in this article (dated August 2012): Nieman Journalism Lab: 13 ways of looking at Medium, the new blogging / sharing / discovery platform . Interesting, I recommend!

    The article reflects on the fact that projects such as Medium erode the concept of authorship, and further degrade (reduce) its value . At one time, blogs allowed to shift the focus of attention from the brands of newspapers or magazines to the author, but now - the focus shifts from the author to the actual content (article, photo, etc.). As an example, it is said that few people really knowwhere popular news or photos come from, sent in tons via e-mail, social networks, or copy-paste, and who actually created them.

    In the Medium, they are trying to use the idea of ​​the theory of authorship ( Auteur theory - did not find the Russian equivalent, can anyone tell me?), According to which, most modern works are created collectively, and can not have one author (i.e. can not belong to one person) .

    Despite the passage of months, visually the service has not changed. At present, the prevailing opinion in the Western press is that "so far there is no clear evidence that people have an urgent need for something like that."

    You can register at the Medium here .

    Judging by the logo, the creators are not going to be shy:
    • in the logo - a tsunami wave that washes everything in its path ;
    • the name "medium" as it hints that they will know everything about everyone, and who needs what?

    optional: How Medium Works

    What do you think about this service?

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