Maybe I'm Just Oblivious

There has been some concern voiced about us poor souls that do our blogging via Blogger. (For example read DougPetch.com or The Glittering Eye.) It maybe just that I've been away this week and didn't experience outrageous difficulties, but I'm not sure what all the hand-ringing is about. I've had no serious issues, although there have been the occasional minor troubles. Since November I've lost maybe three posts. Annoying? Yes. The end of the world? Hardly. What amazes me is how complacent people have become about computer technology. If I put a lot of time and effort into a bit of my online writing I back it up, exactly as I have always done with my offline writing. Evidently that places me into a distinct minority.

The thought of paying for a blogging service fills me with a sort of dread. Oh, I can see myself maybe getting my own domain name for the blog at some point in the future, but it is sort of like how I envision myself visiting St. Petersburg; It will probably happen but God only knows when. The dread part of the equation comes in when you talk about paying for a blog service because that would be a sure sign that I was treating this as more than a hobby. Right now it is a hobby that takes time but no money. That seems to be a fair trade off. Working on the blog helps keep me informed and actively engaged with ideas, as well as offering me the chance to improve my writing through sheer repetition. (Ooo! Me write English good!) As a result I watch far less television. (A pretty good win-win no?) However, if I start outlaying cash to keep on blogging, well that changes the dynamic a bit. It turns from being a win-win situation to being a simple transaction. It is a transaction that might remain worthwhile, but it might not. Likewise, it is the sort of transaction that would need to be constantly re-evaluated. The time may come where I get back far less than I put into it. It is the kind of worry I'd rather avoid.

Maybe I'd feel differently if I were getting a couple of hundred visitors on a good day as opposed to a couple of dozen. I tend to doubt that I would feel differently. If that day ever comes I'll let you know if my mind changes.