17 September 2008

So, I removed the script from my site that allows Google to keep an eye on traffic. I offered my reasoning for doing this as ‘one less thing to distract from writing and thinking and working.’ This is true. I had a direct link to the data for this site, which I checked often enough. I realized, though, that no matter how many visitors I get, no matter how many traffic spikes I receive (however big or small), none of it adds up to much if what I am writing and publishing doesn’t stir discourse. If no one emails me in response, if no one posts a response on their own blog, what is it worth?

Which brings me to comments. Or, the lack thereof on this here journal. Just a few entries back I expressed possible interest in allowing folks to comment on entries. But I have since been reading more ideas on the value of comments. I like the idea of publishing ideas and engaging industry conversation, but there is one form of ‘comments’ that I have long admired, which was inspired by the way John Gruber writes his Daring Fireball. Rarely rarely do you ever see him leave a comment on another site. His usual style is to write a response on his own website. And then you’ll see someone else write a response to him on their website. Blog to blog. I like this. This is what I set out to do when I started this journal, and I’ve decided to stay this form. (Jeremy Keith has a more convincing post on blog comments, which was probably the post that helped me to decide about whether or not to use them.)

From here on, I don’t measure the ‘success’ of my journal in terms of how many people are reading it (although I hope it evolves into something good enough to merit at least that). From here on, I will measure the worth of my journal in two ways. First, am I growing and expanding my own understanding of design by what I am writing and publishing? If yes, I am doing well. Second, are people responding (positively or negatively) on their own websites or via email? If yes, I am doing well. If I am not achieving either of these, I don’t have any good reason for continuing.

[UPDATE: About a year later, traffic analytics tools were reintroduced.]