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The blog as database
 Blogging and the blogosphere through the eyes of
           software and search engines



Anne Helmond, PhD candidate at the University of Amsterdam @WordCampNL, 31 October, Utrecht.
Research on blogging

1. Freshness Fetish
2. Software-Engine relations
3. Template Culture
1: Freshness Fetish
UPDATE!
I’m Sorry Blog

© danielgebhart.com
Blog Abandonment

  © Wefeelfine
2: Software-Engine
     Relations
The Life Cycle of a Blog Post, From Servers to Spiders to Suits — to You

                      © Wired/Infographic: Build
This graph animation illustrates the reach over time of a blog post

                        © Matthew Hurst
The blogosphere visualized




This a hyperbolic display of blogs using both the WWE and the ICWSM 2007
                                   data sets.

                           © Matthew Hurst
Visible blogosphere
The blogosphere according to
        the engines
Software optimized
  for the engines
Software optimized
      for the engines




blog comments do not count for the engines
Software optimized
      for the engines




blog comments do not count for the engines
Software-engine symbiosis
Software-engine symbiosis




        default settings
Engines are the starting
point of the blogosphere
Engines segregate
  web spheres
3: Template Culture
Software Culture


“We live in a software culture - that is, a
culture where the production, distribution,
and reception of most content is mediated
by software.” Manovich (2008)
Template Culture
“h4ck3r” Culture
Database Culture




  CLI WordPress Theme
Widget Culture
The Widgetized Self
Thank you!
Questions?
www.annehelmond.nl

    @silvertje