Pownce, Non-Blog blogs, Websites we can’t enter and other Spanish wine world follies
Have you heard of Pownce? No? Well it doesn’t surprise me, because it’s the newest addition to the world of micro-blogging, a genre that was recently started by the likes of Twitter and Jaiku. When I first stumbled across these sites, I began to laugh. Think about it, why in the world would I want to tell people what I was doing from moment to moment? I seriously couldn’t come up with one reason, until now. This latest incarnation of the microblog has an interesting twist where you can now send files through a website called, Pownce. This of course leads to the question, “why not use email?” The main reason for using this program is your ability to “broadcast” information out to the masses, or at least the masses that follow your profile page. As far as I can tell, files are limited at this point to just your friends, but messages can be sent to anyone. The problem right now while they are in BETA is that you need an invite to join. Therefore, if you’re interested in joining Pownce, post a comment and we’ll get you an invite(we have about 12). By joining, you can listen to a tasting note I just posted this morning. I’m trying to find a way to share this with you on Catavino, but for now, you need to accept an invitation to listen to it there.
Other thoughts: Blogs = Social. Turning off comments in blogs is like trying to paddle a canoe without the paddle! IT DOES YOU NO GOOD! I say this because I recently started a small list of wineries here in Spain that have blogs, three in total. They are listed on our links page, and while there are only three, (one of which is a client), I hope to see more soon. But in the meantime, I want to bring attention to the fact that one of the three wineries doesn’t have comments enabled, so I’m debating as to whether or not I should keep them listed. The reality is, is that if we keep them listed, aren’t they just another website without the Web 2.0 yumminess? Let us know your thoughts?
Lastly, Gabriella’s been screaming in frustration from our office this morning. Why? Simply because she’s trying to find contact information for a select group of sherry producers, and unfortunately, can’t find anything because it takes too much time hunting for their email/phone number/or address. FREE TIP TO ALL WINERIES IN SPAIN – If we can’t find your contact info within 10secs after coming to your website, you are not only making your customers frustrated, you may be losing business! 1 MINUTE LONG FLASH BASED SPLASH PAGES ARE USELESS…AND ONLY MAKE US MAD! Please, please, please, get rid of your stupid flash intro and give me what I want: your name, contact info and the OPTION to learn more about your wines, bodegas history and other non-business related facts only after I get the main details.
Happy Monday to all and thanks for humoring me while I rant. If you want to be my Pownce friend, the address to my profile is: http://pownce.com/ryanopaz, leave an invite request in the comments.
Till soon,
Ryan Opaz
Hey Gabriella, you want me to help you a little bit in your sherry adventure? Try this:
http://www.sherry.org/english/index.htm “>http://www.sherry.org/english/index.htm and just put you mouse on the name of the bodega, to see the phone numbers.
Ryan I'm still confused about Pownce and micro blogging. I'm just starting to understand chapter one of macro blogging
Only three winery blogs in Spain, WOW!
Which ones?
Emilio Saez
Hey Gabriella, you want me to help you a little bit in your sherry adventure? Try this:
http://www.sherry.org/english/index.htm “>http://www.sherry.org/english/index.htm and just put you mouse on the name of the bodega, to see the phone numbers.
Ryan I'm still confused about Pownce and micro blogging. I'm just starting to understand chapter one of macro blogging
Only three winery blogs in Spain, WOW!
Which ones?
Emilio Saez
Hey Gabriella, you want me to help you a little bit in your sherry adventure? Try this:
http://www.sherry.org/english/index.htm “>http://www.sherry.org/english/index.htm and just put you mouse on the name of the bodega, to see the phone numbers.
Ryan I'm still confused about Pownce and micro blogging. I'm just starting to understand chapter one of macro blogging
Only three winery blogs in Spain, WOW!
Which ones?
Emilio Saez
Hey Gabriella, you want me to help you a little bit in your sherry adventure? Try this:
http://www.sherry.org/english/index.htm and just put you mouse on the name of the bodega, to see the phone numbers.
Ryan I’m still confused about Pownce and micro blogging. I’m just starting to understand chapter one of macro blogging
Only three winery blogs in Spain, WOW!
Which ones?
Emilio Saez
Hi Emilio:
Thanks for the link. I know it was directed to Gabriella but I checked it out and think it is very informative.
Richard
Hi Emilio:
Thanks for the link. I know it was directed to Gabriella but I checked it out and think it is very informative.
Richard
Gabriella's experience highlights the folly of a Flash-based site for a business. Not only does it stink for search engines that can't see your content, but then you get the fun of "mystery meat" by having to mouse over to see contact info – and if I want to copy and paste that info, I'm hosed…
So, Pownce is kind of like micro-mini-podcasting – interesting! How about a 30 second video?
Not only does it take forever Dan, you rarely get the information you need in a reasonable time, if at all. There is no reason why personal style should ever trump my getting your basic information on your product or how I can get a hold of you directly. To me, it's equivalent to my watching you open your wallet and pour your money down the drain.
Emilio,
Thanks so much for the information!
I especially agree with your comment about Flash intros. Since I still use dial-up at home, it takes forever to get into some pages!
Gabriella’s experience highlights the folly of a Flash-based site for a business. Not only does it stink for search engines that can’t see your content, but then you get the fun of “mystery meat” by having to mouse over to see contact info – and if I want to copy and paste that info, I’m hosed…
So, Pownce is kind of like micro-mini-podcasting – interesting! How about a 30 second video?
Not only does it take forever Dan, you rarely get the information you need in a reasonable time, if at all. There is no reason why personal style should ever trump my getting your basic information on your product or how I can get a hold of you directly. To me, it’s equivalent to my watching you open your wallet and pour your money down the drain.
Emilio,
Thanks so much for the information!