Well, not entirely random, but…
Why is blogspot so insanely popular with Kiwi bloggers?
No, really. The overwhelming majority of Kiwis- at least, those in New Zealand- blogging seem to be on blogspot. Alright, I know, it’s free, and we’re a nation of cheap bastards (my Scottish heritage is my excuse, what’s yours?), but blogtown is also free and 100% pure New Zealand and infinitely better (being based on wordpress ‘n all. Blogspot is adequate, but it never impressed me). And there are plenty of other free blog service providers out there.
So come on people, what’s with the blogspot obssession?
And no, this does not stop me checking Kiwi blogs, although it does discourage me. I mean, having to use some kind of proxy or other work around is an extra layer of hassle. But still, lately I have been looking around the Kiwi blogosphere a bit more, and I have to say that the biggest discouragement to reading Kiwi blogs is not the blogspot obssession and the resulting need for some way around the Great Firewall, but the almost complete lack of relevance to my life.
That feels like it should be a bizarre thing to say, but reading posts about grumpy Wellingtonian bus drivers is like, well, reading posts about grumpy Gaborone (what is the adjective?) bus drivers. And yet, Wellington is my hometown, and I know perfectly well every street and location referred to in that post.
And, well, Kiwi politics… Yeah, that’s a bit more relevant, but so much of the discussion is so utterly pathetic.
But still, I do like to keep up to date with goings on in Aotearoa, and blogs are one way of doing that- an increasingly important way, considering the rapid downhill slide of New Zealand’s mainstream media.
But come on New Zealand, tell me: Why the blogspot obssession?
I wouldn’t call it an obsession – it’s just there and easy to use. Why make life more difficult and complicated, unless you’re some aspirational blogger who wants to make a big impact. I don’t think most bloggers here or in NZ even consider that sites such as blogspot, wikipedia and Flickr might be blocked.
Well, of course they don’t consider whether these things are blocked or not, it means nothing to them, but that wasn’t the point.
As for “it’s there and easy to use”, yeah sure, but there are plenty of other services there and easy to use and just as free. Not using blogspot does not have to mean making life more difficult or complicated.
Laziness. It’s like asking why more people don’t use Linux.
Also,
When I was away, NZ always seemed so small and obessed with stupid crap in comparison to some of the bigger stuff you are likely witnessing.
Stef, you might be right about the laziness, but I’m not so sure about your second comment. Well, yeah, when I look at what’s happening in China, New Zealand politics does seem very small, petty, and obssessed with stupid crap, but outside of politics, I don’t know, I don’t think NZ is much different from anywhere else.