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My Favorite Graphs... and the future
This blog has always been about optimism, creating better user experiences, helping users spend more time in flow, and learning. There are 405 posts here. More importantly, there are nearly 10,000 comments from y'all that add so much more to the topics, and from which myself and others have learned a great deal. I don't want the last thing people remember about this blog to be The Bad Things.
So, I've moved my original "threats" post--something many people find very difficult to look at-- to a different web page -- rather than keeping it as a post here. If you want to read the original content of the post (it lost some formatting), it's here.
But I want the thing people see when they come here now to reflect what this blog has always been about, so I'm including a few of my favorite pictures from the last two years here.
As for the future of this blog, I know I cannot just return to business as usual -- whatever absurd reasons have led to this much hatred for me (and for what I write here) will continue, so there is no reason to think the same things wouldn't happen again... and probably soon. That includes anything that raises (or maintains) my visibility, so I will not be doing speaking engagements--especially at public events. (And of course it's not just me, it's anyone with a lot of visibility. Think: Scoble. He can take it, I can't.)
I made no money from this blog -- it was always a labor of love. Contrary to what the critics have been saying, I was never on the "paid" speaking circuit, never used it to gain "lucrative consulting contracts" (or even a single contract). I don't have Amazon affiliate links... this blog was because I love helping and teaching and learning from readers.
That leaves me with... what to do next?
I have a few ideas, but I'm now asking for any suggestions OTHER than simply returning to this blog and doing what I was doing before. These are just some wild possibilities that many of you have come up with and sent me emails about. Some are more reasonable or appealing to me than others. I'd love to hear more ideas, plus thoughts on the ones listed below.
1) Get a real job doing this, so that I can continue with the same kind of work, but without raising my own visibility. In other words, it would be for a company and the focus would be off of me.
2) "Ghost write" for someone or something else. I got myself into the Technorati Top 50, I could help someone else (if it's for the right reasons) raise their readership.
3) Create a fake persona and write as that fake person. Unfortunately, almost everything I do has a look and style, and I don't think the quality of my writing is suddenly going to improve, so it would be pretty obvious that it was me. Still... a rape fantasy about a fake person who lives thousands of miles from where I do would not effect me as deeply or as personally as when the dream/imagery is about the real me I don't like this idea as much because anonymity--NOT Owning Your Own Words--is one of the biggest contributors to the problems that have driven me and thousands of others off their blogs or other online communities.
4) Turn THIS blog into a real group blog... with a LOT of authors, and I would take more of an editorial role. That way, I represent only a small percentage and the hatred/anger/threats would be more distributed. Kind of a share-the-attacks approach ; ) More like 37 Signals, less like Scoble, where all personal attacks are directed at him instead of The Blog.
5) Right now, I couldn't pay anyone else so the blog would have to be sponsored to pay other authors. I would agree to sponsorship only if it was by someone/something I already love (Apple? Adobe? Google? Anyone interested?)
(And of course I'd also need authors, so if it looks like a group blog is the way to go, there will be a call for participants)
6) Make the blog private -- where only registered members can see it. That way, it would be much more difficult (and probably less fun) for others to attack it and/or me. It would simply be a private community. My visibility would drop dramatically, yet I'd still be able to write about the same topics. This idea is one of my favorites -- but at the same time it is much less user-friendly (you'd have to log-in, no public RSS feed, etc.) and that would be a really bad idea.
7) Do something else on the blog -- podcasts, video, e-books -- something other than the posts. This might not make any difference, though. But perhaps without the words and pictures... it could just make it worse since it would still be my voice (podcast) or worse, my FACE (video), although I've considered cutting videos that wouldn't have to show me at all.
8) ? ? ?
Please help. This will be the last post here quite some time, until I figure out what to do next. Please enjoy the pictures... most of them have been inspired by y'all.
(I will leave comments open, of course, but moderate with abandon. There will be nothing nasty or personal in this thread. Like I said, I want the last thing people see on this blog to reflect the spirit of this blog and its readers.]
Posted by Kathy on April 6, 2007 | Permalink
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Comments
1. If I had money and ran a company, I'd hire you to come in and give me suggestions. Alas.
2. In doing this blog and thinking about this stuff, have you ever had any ideas for what kinds of tools (software, that is) that people could use to do things like share creative ideas in groups, create customer community, etc. etc.?
2.5. What about a tool that makes it easy to quickly set up cool visual communication graphics like you often do?
3. Write another book?
4. Create an email newsletter? It's so last-century, it's possible that only us folks who are interested in your great ideas will care.
=> Anyway, please make an occasional post here keeping us up to date on new ventures.
Posted by: Reed Hedges | Apr 6, 2007 1:11:01 PM
Way to go, Kathy! Good to see you back, glad the bullies didn't win (because they usually want to silence people).
You wrote the following idea: "Turn THIS blog into a real group blog... with a LOT of authors, and I would take more of an editorial role."
Actually, I'm doing exactly that with Contentious right now, which I'm relaunching this weekend. We should talk about that. Maybe we could help each other.
- Amy Gahran
Posted by: Amy Gahran | Apr 6, 2007 1:21:27 PM
Use your passion and geek expertise to liberate the latent creativity that resides in readers, something that works better than the linear, sequential and fast fading stream of comments (yeah, this is recursive). Comments are writing, but lets have something not as we know it. Writing in this box just feel a little klunky, there must be a better way, make a better blog :)
Something that talks not just to the brain (I luv that, tks!), but connects with the deeper feelings (gut-feelings and heart-felt courage).
PS. we LOVE to hear from you too!
Posted by: ken | Apr 6, 2007 1:29:00 PM
Is there a way use some sort of third party forum moderation to cut through this problem? Then you could go on in whatever way you are comfortable, your forums could coninue to buzz and anyone that's up to no good would hit a brick wall (or get a call from their local authorities, as appropriate). It's just a thought.
Posted by: Tim Costello | Apr 6, 2007 1:36:49 PM
I hate to see us lose your input but I wonder if simply publishing articles with no comments enabled and having a members-only forum wouldn't be a good compromise. There's something about the immediacy of the response form and the lack of accountability available from anonymity (oh, hypocritical me) that seems to encourage people's awfulness.
That aside, I think that a multiple-contributor blog would give you support and provide some other perspectives. You could combine this with your ideas on coaching/ghostwriting and work with 'intern' contributors to hone their skills, see their work supplying your site, and give them the tools they need to take your philosophies and understanding out on their own tangents. It might give you a regular supply of fresh, new writers and keep things going while allowing you to step back a little. (If you did go with the intern idea, drop me a line, will you? *g*)
Whatever you do, I wish you luck and peace. I'm so sorry this has all been so hard on you.
Posted by: Ande | Apr 6, 2007 1:44:21 PM
Honestly said, I don't think you can do anything to fend off the attacks. I don't think you got attacked because of something you did, but because lots of people admire you and your work. That's apparently enough for some people to hate you. Only by unpassionating your readers, can you hope to actually stop the haters. I hope you will reject that option.
I do think that by working in a team, it will make it easier for you. The passion moves away from you and to the team of writers, the hate will move with it. Being a part of a groupblog would be a good solution.
One condition would be that the groupblog would adopt your style. Similar to how the headfirst books have the same style but different writers. If you join the 37signals blog where you put up highly visual articles, in a see of more textual posts, you will still stand out.
Posted by: Jan | Apr 6, 2007 1:48:32 PM
I hate the fact that they have stopped you from blogging as you have been... This has been one of the few blogs where I read every post.
Ok.. with that said...
1) Make this a private blog... kinda. What I mean is that you could insist on registration for comments and disallow email addresses from Yahoo, Hotmail, etc that can't be tied to a person. If that doesn't provide enough comfort to you I'd vote for one of the next 2.
2) Make this a private blog... I'd signup in a heartbeat. Of your options above, this is my fave (aside from simply seeing you continue to blog of course)
3) same content, in an email newsletter. I don't like this as much since a) it's email and b) I think it will be more work for you to make the email look like your posts do, and the visual aspect is important, at least to me.
Posted by: rick gregory | Apr 6, 2007 1:49:27 PM
I suggest having a wiki/blog. That can be community enforced and can be controled from a single pc. I suggest you buy a crappy pc that costs £150 because it sucks, and install a programme called moin moin on it. That allows you to run a wiki from a pc. Then just get a DNS address for your IP address (at first it will be an ip address). Voila, total community policing.
Oh and to those bullies who abused you, i am a staunch believer in karma, therfore, well... you get the picture.
Keep up the good work, Love the blog.
Matthew Hughes
Posted by: Matthew Hughes | Apr 6, 2007 1:53:34 PM
Could also do your (wonderful) thing around the blogosphere for a while (just not always here). Keep the juices flowing, continue to help people, foster even greater community growth, and not be an (ugh) static single target.
I think greater interaction among groups would result (mix up the tech bloggers and the marketers and the VCs and the usability people and, hell, even the sex bloggers) ;) and really spark some awesome conversations.
It would also make it a lot harder for bullying to take place, since anyone stupid enough to try it would be taking on a potentially even bigger community, as well as whoever happened to be hosting you. (Anyone who did host would have your back 100% and be able to manage comment moderation and such so you'd never even have to see the garbage.)
It'd be kinda like the group blog idea, but with more of a "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" vibe. And who didn't love playing that? :)
Oodles of bloggers great and small would give a #1 Technorati rank (or insert personal thing of inestimable value here) to be able to host Kathy Sierra as a guest blogger. (Myself included.)
In any case, whichever path you choose, you have our full collective support.
Posted by: Melle | Apr 6, 2007 1:55:05 PM
Nice to see you back, Kathy.
It makes sense about not continuing with "business as usual" — I couldn't do it, either. But I can't see ghost writing as being satisfiying for someone with as strong a voice as yours. Being an evangelist for the likes of Apple or Adobe might be cool, but would that let you continue with the stream of consciousness riffs that have obviously been satifsying for you — and been so energizing for us, your readers? Don't know.
Maybe the private blog is the way to go, though I suspect you'd need some time to get revved up for that. The pod/video angle sounds great, but that raises a lot of other questions. And it loses the immediacy that you enjoyed so long, which is one of the most unfortunate losses in all this.
Meanwhile, did you ever finish that video project, or did all this erupt while you were mid-stream?
Regards,
J.
Posted by: John Windsor | Apr 6, 2007 2:00:39 PM
I like the idea of a private blog if getting the RSS and reading posts was as simple as public. If there are too many hoops just to get notice of and read a single post it will get frustrating.
I also really enjoy the idea of a group blog mostly because I've always been a fan of group blogs a la 37signals. It's a different take on things that I tend to enjoy, getting to see different opinions, group dynamics, etc.
Having said all of that, I wonder if Ande's idea isn't the best (regardless of what format you choose to go with for the blog). If it was still public with no comments, but you cross-posted entries in a private forum, you could allow people to respond and discuss in a controlled/private environment, but still keep the blog itself public. I'm not sure how much extra work that would be for you, but if it was negligible I would say that's the best option for running your site the way you have and seem to love, but keeping the riffraff at bay.
Posted by: Rachel | Apr 6, 2007 2:04:06 PM
Kathy,
It sucks that you're really not going to be continuing this blog, but I understand that you've gotta do what you've gotta do. I personally would never, ever stop anything I do out of fear from threats or comments, but that's just me and I respect your decision and wish you the best of luck in whatever comes next for you.
Anyway, enough of the past...here are my suggestions for the future. Your blog has been a favorite of mine since the first day I came across it. I think two ways you could continue to offer such great articles would be to either publish an email newsletter or publish your blog with comments turned off. I know that comments can still be made about you elsewhere, but you just have to avoid the negative places like that.
No matter what you choose to do from this point on, I'm thankful for what you've given me and the rest of your readers on this blog. You rock!! Best of luck!!
Posted by: Mike | Apr 6, 2007 2:05:50 PM
Kathy,
I suggest you go back to the CPU book project while you think about next steps. And when that's done I'd be happy to put up with the hassle of a private blog.
Mike
Posted by: Mike | Apr 6, 2007 2:09:47 PM
Kathy, the content you have graciously shared with us every once in a while is both inspiring and entertaining. And a blog is the perfect medium for this. A lot of the content is about your style and creative personality. Thus, I would rule out the community-based ideas. I would probably only read your stuff anyway.
I see two basic options for you: Reduce visibility and do something completely different, or stay visible and continue publishing your own stuff under your own name. All the options you cite can be assigned to one of these two categories. I dearly hope you go with the second option, even though I would totally understand if you decide otherwise.
Posted by: Armin | Apr 6, 2007 2:10:04 PM
Something about this reminds me of a great post I once read called "Be brave or go home"...
"Creating passionate users is NOT about finding ways to make everyone like you. It's about finding ways to use your own passion to inspire passion in others, and anything with that much power is bound to piss off plenty of status-quo/who-moved-my-cheese people. Bring it on."
I would hate to see this blog disappear because of the people who stoop to the level of personal attacks. However, I think if something has to change, then I would prefer that you make this blog private. As Rick Gregory said, I would also sign up in a heartbeat. You have a lot of passionate users (readers) here and I hope that somehow we can all help you beat the bad guys.
Posted by: Natasha | Apr 6, 2007 2:10:39 PM
Kathy, thanks for keeping all of us updated. I don't have any additional suggestions-- though I think several of those you listed sound like wonderful options. Please keep us posted on your decision; I would like to continue learning from your wise and excellent insight.
(By the way, I'm a big, 6'5", 300-pound stock of bulk and intimidation, and would gladly stand by your side to ward off the nasties of the opportunity arose. Just FYI.)
Posted by: Ed Eubanks Jr. | Apr 6, 2007 2:11:47 PM
In the private blog idea, it is possible to have private RSS feeds. A popular idea is to have the authentication in the URL. Instead of one single RSS URL used by everyone, each member has their own RSS URL, that contains a unique alphanumeric string used for authentication. For example, instead of the RSS being /atom.xml, it would be /atom.xml?reallylonguniquestringthatisimpossibletoguess, and the server would return the feed only if the string matches a member. 37signals and others do this. So, it is not such a bad idea. It just may require some custom code (but some blog platforms may already have private feeds).
Posted by: James | Apr 6, 2007 2:22:56 PM
Welcome back Kathy!!!!!
Posted by: Colin Henderson | Apr 6, 2007 2:22:59 PM
I view several blogs a day, but the first ones I always read were Seth Godin's, David Armano's, Techcrunch and yours.
I would look at a blog without comments. I understand people want to interact, but it's worked for Seth and it should for you too.
If you go private, I'm willing to even pay a small subscription fee for it.
Thanks for the inspiration. I'm sorry for the turmoil this ordeal has caused to you and your family.
(BTW, I'm not as big as Eubanks, but I grew up in NYC during the 60s-80s. I wouldn't mind joining him as part of the crew.)
Posted by: Ed | Apr 6, 2007 2:24:32 PM
I needed a little refresher at "You are a marketer. Deal with it." and read the news, your statement, and a bunch of related articles/posts. I was deeply disturbed, but I also realized that you know who you are and you will rediscover your flow. Whatever those choices are, we will understand, support, and love you for it.
Posted by: Mike Harmanos | Apr 6, 2007 2:25:11 PM
Hello Kathy;
I think that you'd probably do well in a consulting role where you are helping companies who want to improve in the area of creating passionate users (products and websites). Your knowledge of the field is shown well by your blogging, and maybe getting out in front of people will give you more of a reason to stay passionate about this subject area (if not the blog itself).
I do hesitate to run with the other commenters that say you should monetize this, but you should make it at least a part-time passion where you are getting to stretch out on the things you write about, and then allow experiences to craft other posts.
Thanks for what you have given thus far. I'll be continuing to keep you in my prayers.
Posted by: Antoine of MMM | Apr 6, 2007 2:27:33 PM
A book would be great that explains all this "learning theory stuff" and how to make it work in real life -- in a non-scientific Passionate User kind of fun way. I'd buy that in a second.
Anything that keeps you blogging on this topic would be great of course, whether that means joining another blog like 37signals or going semi-private. Anonymous won't work, because if it's your writing people will know.
It would be sad to see you and with that your knowledge disappear. I hope that in time you'll be back better than ever.
Thanks for all your fantastic work so far.
-- K
Posted by: Karsten | Apr 6, 2007 2:33:18 PM
Good stuff.
But, the pictures all link to... the pictures. Could you link them to the posting they first appeared in? It would be great to click through to these older articles.
I don't remember reading Where To Start, for example.
Thanks!
Posted by: Yo | Apr 6, 2007 2:34:07 PM
Don't give up, Kathy - you have some of the best content out there.
As it is already, I don't like when others post here...I wish the blog was just yours. I say take a small break, come back and see if things have improved at all. I'll leave your feed in my reader where it will wait patiently for an update.
Posted by: Jeff L | Apr 6, 2007 2:35:36 PM
Thanks for coming back to update us all on this. I've been following your blog for some time now through RSS and have found your posts insightful - and the graphics interesting and fun. Your death threat incident and everything that has happened following has both my wife and I closely watching and waiting for your reactions. My wife has been blogging for some time now as well and has started receiving extremely negative troll-type comments and has decided to moderate with a heavier hand. She does this reluctantly as she is afraid it will quash some desire to comment openly.
Whichever road you choose to go down next, I hope we can continue to read what you have to say. Thanks again Kathy!
Posted by: Rob Brewer | Apr 6, 2007 2:37:52 PM
Hi Kathy, it's great to see you back - with a positive post, with honesty, with pictures...
I was struck by the first picture - don't know the context but it says "don't start here" - "start here"... and I was wondering if that was maybe the answer. Don't start here right now - wait a little until you can start from a position that feels positive, safe, optimistic, creative...
Quite a few of the options that you listed were about ways of avoiding the terrible things that have been happening - avoiding a negative is understandable but probably not the best place to create the kind of future that you really can't wait to move into and make happen.
So, when you're ready, maybe ask yourself:
What are the bits about what you've been doing that you've really loved?
How could you use those in different settings/contexts or for a different purpose?
What would your new initiative (be it business/blog/book-writing/consultancy or whatever)give you that you wouldn't otherwise have had?
I hope you can find a way of creating something even bigger, better and brighter - for YOU as well as for other people - than what you have already been doing.
Good luck
Joanna
Posted by: Joanna Young | Apr 6, 2007 2:41:34 PM
Another option I forgot to add, create a book that has some of your postings.
Posted by: Ed | Apr 6, 2007 2:45:03 PM
Hi Kathy,
I was so enraged when I read your last post I couldn't sleep that night.
You are the most important technological/business blogger on the web today (I am sorry Scoble). If you can bear it, please keep on blogging . It will help entrepreneurs/tech companies and bloggers everywhere.
And please remember - you have a lot of friends. If you need something just ask. There are a thousand of us for every bully with a keyboard.
About what to do:
1. Get those sponsors
a. Don't limit them to Google and Adobe. this way the competition will be greater.
b. Take a lot of money from the sponsors (not only to pay for authors but to make a profit) you may not have the tech crunch readership, but your stuff is of much higher quality
2. Do the group blog - but please get only top notch writers, try to dilute your own quality as little as possible.
3. Get a manager/assistant - With the extra cash from sponsors get a manager/assistance that will do a lot of the bureaucracy and moderate the comments for you so you will not be subjected to those childish/evil rants.
From one of the many good guys (and gals),
Yoav
Posted by: Yoav | Apr 6, 2007 2:47:34 PM
Kathy,
Take a peek out of your trailer window. See that queue? Those guys would give *anything* to have you as their co-author. Take your pick!
For you, the advantage of book-writing is that it takes you out of the public sphere for a while. By the time it's published, I reckon you'll be more than ready to take on those bullies again. They won't know what hit them!
All the best,
Peter.
P.S. If circumstances permitted, I'd be at the front of that queue. Maybe next time, eh?
Posted by: Peter | Apr 6, 2007 2:47:40 PM
It's nice to see you back.
8. That a "blog" should be free (gratis) is an imaginary rule.
Good luck with whatever is next.
Posted by: Mario Rizzuti | Apr 6, 2007 2:54:10 PM
I hope that you would write another book (perhaps even just putting this blog into a book format would be super cool).
I hope even more that you would continue blogging as always, I wish there was a magic phrase of encouragement that someone could say to you, that would convince you. Your wisdom in creating passionate users is profound and it is so sad that one fool has caused this invaluable stream of knowledge to stop at this point. But it is ok for you to choose to not keep blogging. Yes, perhaps some people would be able to shake it off, but please never loose an inch of your sensitivity and heart: that is ultimately where you are so valuable to the rest of the world, where the desensitised environment produce just too many thick skins.
I hope that you would be able to get together a talented community that are able to continue blogging, with you as a background editor and idea-maker: keeping you out of the limelight but still at the center of valuable insights. Please surround yourself with supportive people that encourage you and create a safe environment for you to do what you are passionate about.
Above all, I hope that you find peace and keep that glowing happiness that always shines through your posts.
Posted by: Adeleida | Apr 6, 2007 2:55:34 PM
I personally will miss you, but respect your need to do what you feel is right. You've already written the book on creating passionate users here. Why not actually make it a book?
Posted by: Virginia | Apr 6, 2007 3:01:11 PM
Kathy, I thoroughly respect your decision and I'm sure it's the right thing for you. I'm really sad, though. It feels like we've all lost.
We lose on the speaking engagements too. I know a few people who didn't follow your blog, but were blown away by your European Rails Conference presentation last September.
If you decided on a private blog, I'd join. I'd even pay money - Gruber charges $19.
Posted by: Paul Wilson | Apr 6, 2007 3:02:10 PM
It's so nice to see you back.
Posted by: Anon | Apr 6, 2007 3:03:23 PM
Kathy,
I'll keep this simple. I'd happily pay to read your blog and to keep you blogging.
- Ben
Posted by: Ben Katz | Apr 6, 2007 3:03:59 PM
This is my favorite blog and I'd hate to see it done in permanently. The best part about it is your individual voice and perspective, Kathy. So I personally am not that excited about a group blog. Here's my advice:
1) Take a break. Focus for a while on a more concrete project, where something tangible is created beyond just attention.
2) Make "real" registration mandatory for posting comments. Keep the blog itself public but the comments only open to known people. Alternatively, have no comments but moderate a private message board/google group for discussion.
3) On your break pursue the idea of Hollywood-style development projects. Let's do one! "Is it a conference? Is it a company? No one really knows..." Do something that will be really fun to get done, and along the way take notes and build up the systems, knowledge, etc. for doing it that way.
All the best to you! Do what makes you happy and keeps you sane.
Posted by: Charlie Evett | Apr 6, 2007 3:05:07 PM
Yoav: you don't need to apologize. I agree! It's why when I realized we were about to lose Kathy's voice to the haters that things had gone way too far.
As to the haters. It could be worse. One lady had her house cleaned out cause someone ran a fake Craig's List advertisement!
Me? I'm just going to try to be the change I wish to see in the world and try to add value rather than removing value from people's lives, including my own.
Translation: Kathy, if you're ever in San Francisco, come on down to Half Moon Bay and I'll buy you a mojito at the Ritz.
Posted by: Robert Scoble | Apr 6, 2007 3:05:59 PM
The alternative that appeals to me the most is the private, registration-only blog. I absolutely love this blog and I'm fairly certain I'm not the only person who'd pay to keep it going. In fact what I think you should do is set up a network of registration-only blogs, basically a gated community, with very small access fees but very strict community membership rules. (You have to give your real name, for instance.) Set it up as a walled garden with higher standards of civility and simply raise the bar.
Of course the other thing in my head at the moment is that this is just partly something which comes with the territory of public visibility. You'd face something similar if you were a singer on MTV or an actress in Hollywood. Honestly, I think to a certain extent this is intrinsic to fame, and fame is intrinsic to being interesting, so your only option might be simply turning stupid. However, that would be a pretty bad move. Setting up a walled garden is really the only way to deal with this which is more detrimental to your enemies than it is to your fans and yourself.
I also think you should find the people who did this and make damn sure they're very thoroughly punished in the legal system. Also, you should read Violet Blue's column about this in the San Francisco Chronicle. Even though she criticized you, and I disagree with those criticisms, she had a very valuable, very interesting perspective. Her view was that this was not about stalkers, but about gender harassment. That means if Kathy Sierra disappears from the scene because a group of men drove her out, that group of men won, and basically you have a situation where vicious harrassment of women is used as a way of enforcing harmful gender barriers. This is a very, very bad thing, and it has to be stopped. The long-term repercussions would be poisonous to the tech world in general.
Posted by: Giles Bowkett | Apr 6, 2007 3:07:02 PM
*sigh* As much as I honor your right to choose your own course in life, I have to say, this sucks. It feels like the bad guys won.
Still, I don't have to live with what you've had to put up with, so who am I to tell you to keep on blogging. I just hope you find a venue that you're comfortable in, and soon, because I've enjoyed your work.
Posted by: fiat lux | Apr 6, 2007 3:13:19 PM
Trust me, if we (at my company - Webreakstuff) had the money to do it, we'd have you help us with our initiatives in a snap, Kathy. I keep recommending this blog as the most important blog to read on the web today, and will continue doing so no matter what the medium is, or the changes it goes through. The rest of your loyal readership will tell you exactly the same thing, I'm sure.
Posted by: Fred Oliveira | Apr 6, 2007 3:14:17 PM
Kathy, don't let them keep you from what you love, or from your remarkable talents. I heard you speak at SXSWi this year and thought you were terrific. I shouldn't be one of the last people who ever hear you speak in public again.
I like the "walled garden" concept, and would be happy to register and get an email when you've posted something new. I truly don't think that such a blog would break some silly "Web must remain wild" rule. If it's not open enough for some, fine. Whatever keeps you and your great ideas around!
Posted by: Sheila at Family Travel | Apr 6, 2007 3:37:20 PM
I vote for a modified form of #6 - make it available only to paid members. You don't have to charge that much, but once you have tied a member to a PayPal account, credit card, or whatever, you have a direct path to the person. This strips away the anonymity that allows the mouth-breathing cretins to spew hatred at you from the corner of their parents' basement where they've been "living" for the past 45 years.
Posted by: GeezerGeek | Apr 6, 2007 3:37:52 PM
Hang in there Kathy. I'm hoping sometime you feel better about being in the public eye, but in the meantime here are some ideas for how to go into the future:
- turn this site into a place that links into usability tests or tutorials or games that play out what would have been your posts'theories/points. You could get a marketing firm or sponsor to try that out ("What's my Interface"? the focus then is on the interaction you enable for us, not yourself as one person
- I loved the Carmen Sandiego Roving Blogger idea above. No one can hit a moving target in the blogosphere and for the rest of us, an honor to host your posts. If the New York Times pays you for it, the more the better. :)
- Do your public speaking via videoconference. It works for the Oscars, why not you? :)
My best to you,
Betsy
Posted by: Betsy Aoki | Apr 6, 2007 3:48:02 PM
#4 no doubt about it....you would be great at it...plus i bet you could get great sponsors that would pay a lot more for the kinds of sponsorship opportunities that are associated with communities/social networks.....not to mention it would take your blog to the next level....it would be the best thing that could happen to this blog! talk about turning a negative into a positive! :)
Posted by: kid mercury | Apr 6, 2007 3:48:29 PM
A slightly different take on #5 ~ write for a blogging network (preferably one that pays...email me if you want a short list!) so that you have the force of the team behind you and people on staff who actually specialize in going after the bad guys.
Posted by: Cyndi L | Apr 6, 2007 3:52:54 PM
From the above comments, we are all biased in form of a solution that continues the content of this blog. I agree with that as it is a pleasure to read your writing - whether in book or online form. So while getting a real job doing this may be good for you, it is unlikely to appear in the comments here.
"4) Turn THIS blog into a real group blog" - a variant of this is to not display who wrote each individual post. For example, both you (Kathy) and Dan currently post. What if posts came signed from the "group" (even if it is just you and Dan and additionally anyone else who wants to volunteer)? It would be harder to direct comments against any one individual. You could lower your profile even further by calling it something like the "Head First Group Blog" and not specifying exactly who is in it or not including pictures of the contributors. (Doesn't require a whole lot of guesswork, but it isn't as specific.)
Overall, I think most of us would rather see a private blog/community rather than having you stop blogging. I don't follow all the aversion to being sent an e-mail with either the content or a message that something has been posted. As you know from JavaRanch - communities do work. This one would have to limit reads to members too of course.
Posted by: Jeanne | Apr 6, 2007 4:04:03 PM
Kathy: If you were a victim of road rage, or a house break-in, you would probably not stop driving or sell your house and move. What makes your blog so important and so valuable is your ability to stimulate valuable conversations. (I just blogged on this in a bit more detail: http://blogs.salon.com/0002007/2007/04/06.html)
None of your alternatives, IMO, fully enable you to continue doing that. What you have been doing is what you were meant to do, it's why you're here and why you're so beloved. Unfortunately, attention goes along with that, and it has its dark side. If you can't see yourself doing it any more, I hope you will go off and do something productive and engaging and completely different for awhile (the book, perhaps; I'll take ten copies) and then think about coming back and doing just what you've been doing and do so well. So many of us spend our lives unsuccessfully looking for the intersection of what we love (our passion), what we do well (our gift) and what is needed (our purpose). I believe this blog is that intersection for you.
Posted by: Dave Pollard | Apr 6, 2007 4:19:19 PM
I'm glad to see that you're back, if only in a limited fashion for a limited while, and I'm sure I echo the comments of many of your fans when I say that we'll follow you wherever you decide to take this blog - and I mean that in a totally supportive and positive way, not in the crazy stalker way!!
I don't know if you know Dr. Mark Albion (www.makingalife.com), but he made the decision to take his (previously free) newsletter and turn it into a (paid) subscription-only resource and I believe part of his reasoning was to build a closer network of people sharing ideas. I'm sure he'd be willing to share more about that experience with you.
Best of luck to you!
Posted by: Jennifer Breazeale | Apr 6, 2007 4:20:33 PM
Kathy, for as much as my personal opinion counts, I'm up for whatever option keeps you around, happy, and on my reading radar. If that's a private blog or newsletter I'll sign right up. I'm sure you already have a good idea of what your risk/reward comfort level is on putting yourself out there.
I agree with Natasha's comments above. To me, the idea of "Creating Passionate Users" doesn't also mean "Making Everybody Like You". Passion swings to the extremes of either side of the love/hate scale. As you eloquently mentioned in the past with a simple graphic:
hate|========|irrelevance|========|love
I still see that graphic in my head every time our company encounters criticism -OR- praise. At least people are talking!
All that said, a line was definitely crossed with what you're going through and I don't intend to demean that in any way.
Posted by: Jeff Standen | Apr 6, 2007 4:27:07 PM
Kathy, please don't stop blogging over "the event". If this is a labor of love, you must continue it. There are 8 billion people in the world, 9 billion by 2050, some will say things you won't like and always will.
In my opinion, you should write a book ;)
However, your option #3 rang a bell. I have no idea if there is a group who could fund a study, but it would be interesting to conduct a study of gender bias and see if misogyny really does exist -- perhaps by operating various parallel blogs each apparently authored by overly attractive and overly normally looking "about me" pictures of a male, female, and an androgynous "Pat" character. So 6 blogs in all conducted as objectively as possible. Report summaries of followers and detractors. In theory, that would then be the basis of a book assuming you negotiated that at funding time ;) It's an idea...
With all of the social issues now created, it would appear a waste to not create a useful, objective analysis of gender issues.
Best & Sincerely,
Joey
Posted by: Joey | Apr 6, 2007 4:36:19 PM
Glad to hear from you again, Kathy!
People responding here have lots of great ideas, so I hope you're reading all of them and getting ideas on the direction you want to plot out.
First, if you do go into consulting - an awesome idea - please let me know because I'd pay money out of my own pocket to get you to talk to my company. Maybe they'll listen to you, because some days I feel I'm alone fighting a losing battle (that's how I found your blog in the first place many moons ago!)
Second, I would also pay money to read a private blog. A public blog with comments turned off would be good, but I love the interaction with other readers. The people who post here are great to bounce ideas off of.
Third, it would be a true shame if you didn't write another book. I need another reason to spend money at the bookstore (ok, I really don't, but I'd buy it anyway).
I hope you let us know your plans when you do decide. It's pretty obvious that we all want to keep hearing from you. Take care and thanks for everything you've given us so far!
LanaB.
Posted by: LanaB. | Apr 6, 2007 4:37:09 PM
I'm going to go against the grain here and say that you should continue what you've been doing, in fuller force.
Haters come precisely because they want to shut you down. Hiding away just makes them win. I have friends in very public aspects of the media that get threats - does that stop them? No. If it did stop them, they'd be jobless. They persevere and go on living their life to the fullest, knowing that they have a support system if anything goes wrong.
Continue with your public speaking! Continue blogging! At least now if the attacks return you have thousands of people looking out for you. You're SAFER now, actually, because people are more alert on your behalf.
Also: please don't make this private. I found your blog after following links to your entry on whether college matters. My boyfriend is taking a Virtual Cultures course and has found your blog useful. Making this private would only halt the serendipity possible in spreading your word out. Making it paid makes it even more difficult!
DO NOT let them get you down. DO NOT hide. I've had threats handed to me just before I started college. I could have opted to back away. Instead, I went to college and had a good time.
Be strong. You can make it.
Posted by: Tiara | Apr 6, 2007 4:41:30 PM
Hey Kathy,
Thanks for the update!
* The sponsors idea is great, whatever else you do you should ALSO do that. No need for an either/or on that one. You could generate a very nice income that way.
* Paid Membership might be interesting to explore as well. Metafilter has been doing this for years with great success. They charge $5 for a lifetime membership which helps cover their costs and more importantly, it's great troll repellant. People behave differently when they have something to lose.
* The blogosphere has declared you a national treasure. Truly, don't forget that there are thousands of us that wish you only the best for every hater out there. If only we were all in the schoolyard again. You'd see. ;)
We love you. Hang in there.
Posted by: Aaron Dragushan | Apr 6, 2007 5:30:17 PM
Kathy,
I'd like to second the thoughts of the various people suggesting paid models. I'd also pay $ to continue reading your thoughts on creating passionate users. You could even go with an NPR model requiring a minimum value for a year of access but allowing people to donate as much as they want.
You have a great audience and that model would give those of us who love you a chance to express our affection monetarily.
Regardless, I wish you the best in whatever path you choose to pursue. You're amazing and an inspiration to me and many others.
Eric Mattson
Posted by: Eric Mattson | Apr 6, 2007 5:35:38 PM
I have only recently found your blog, but I wanted to say I love it and feel it would be a shame for you to stop sharing your thoughts with us. I don't have an innovative suggestion and I know how hard it must be to put yourself out there, but even the occasional newsletter would be great. You provide great content which is the reason why you have become so popular. I can't tell you what the next step is, but I am confident there is one.
Posted by: Mikey | Apr 6, 2007 6:21:27 PM
Kathy,
I work in education and we are desperate for your perspective. In fact, my district is not far from your stomping grounds (just down 36). We would love to have you visit and bring your unequaled passion to our neck of the woods!
Can't wait to see what you do next.
Joe
Posted by: Joseph Miller | Apr 6, 2007 6:23:03 PM
I say keep doing what you've been doing... otherwise the bad guys win.
More practically, what I think you should do is turn off (regular) comments on this blog, and start a forum instead. Someone could even help you set it up so the forum is integrated with the blog (each blog post has a corresponding forum thread).
Reasons:
1. Forum software, unlike blog software, has an infrastructure that can easily allow you to appoint a bunch of your users as moderators, and they can deal with the trolls and crazies for you.
2. User registration is built in, and you could put any number of restrictions on registration before people can post comments.
3. The forum would also have its own topics separate from the blog, and you could promote the best forum posts into blog posts. The forum would also be the best place to find potential group-bloggers if you decide to go that route.
4. Forum communities are fiercely loyal and you'd be amazed how well they deal with issues when they come up.
Feel free to email me if you need help with the software side of that idea.
Whatever you do, don't give up! Forget the internet and spend a year writing a book if you'd rather. I'd buy a "Creating Passionate Users" book in a heartbeat!
Posted by: Michael Moncur | Apr 6, 2007 6:45:32 PM
Kathy,
I think you are going about this backwards. You've build something powerful and now come to a crossroads. You seem to want to stay on the same path you've been on, even though it no travels in the same direction.
So step back for a moment and ask yourself, if I could do anything and go anywhere, what would I like to do and be? Work from there, not from where you are.
Regardless of what you decide, you still have my love and support.
Posted by: Michael Vanderdonk | Apr 6, 2007 7:21:23 PM
Kathy - I haven't commented much, but have been a faithful reader for some time. I used to run a user help and training group, and we all found inspiration (and a little conviction)in your posts. We are deeply saddened by the recent incidents.
Have you considered a subscription newsletter?
My prayers are with you as you consider your next step.
Posted by: Steve Wilson | Apr 6, 2007 8:03:32 PM
Take the Jesus Approach to your detractors, Kathy.
If they strike your right cheek, offer them also your left.
Give them exactly the sort of stuff which set them off in the first place. Make it up. Go nuts with it. Heap it on them with a metaphorical front end loader. Make yourself the biggest target ever and remove the challenge of being a hidden target - takes all the fun out of it when they know you're taunting them.
You can't fight Anonymous. Anonymous is too big for anyone to fight. You can, however, disarm Anonymous and thereby prevent Anonymous from defeating you. If you stop doing what you love doing, Anonymous wins.
The only difference between me and Anonymous is I want people to know when it's me that's attacking them. Anonymous is a coward. Vicious, but still a coward. You have thousands of friends on your side and that's an army in anyone's language. Armies can also be anonymous and that's not attractive to Anonymous.
Keep blogging. Moderate comments. You win.
Posted by: Paul Ritchie | Apr 6, 2007 8:07:11 PM
Oh, and "Y'all" is a loser. Get rid of it.
Posted by: Paul Ritchie | Apr 6, 2007 8:11:03 PM
Thanks for posting, it is good to see you back!
I would sign up for a private feed or email newsletter in a heartbeat. I would also gladly read your blog with no comments.
Is it possible to teach at a small college? When I read your blog I can picture you as one of those professors who opens the eyes of kids who never would or could attend top tier universisties and really making a difference where least expexted.
Posted by: Greg | Apr 6, 2007 8:27:21 PM
First: happy to see a new post here. you've been missed!
Second: if you're interested in a small amount of ownership stock in a privately held company, we'd love to have you on our newly forming advisory board
Third: I hope this comment gets lost in a sea of great ideas and well-wishes.
Be well!
Posted by: Amie Gillingham | Apr 6, 2007 8:46:44 PM
Put me down for willing to pay for the amazing content on this blog!
You know...someone once came up with a scheme for letting anyone read the content, but you had to subscribe to comment. I think this may be a good idea here. :)
And, Citizen Agency would love to work with you anytime...on any project...
Posted by: Tara Hunt | Apr 6, 2007 8:58:46 PM
Kathy,
I agree that ultimately you should do what keeps you happy - and what you love. I think though we all sympathize with you through what has happened, we certainly would hate for you to back down to these crazy people. If you think about it - that would mean you're doing exactly what they want you to do. You can't let them get the best of you, but we realize it makes us all think differently about life, privacy and our online presence.
One thing is for sure - You've gotten us excited and passionate to return to your site - article after article. Your ability to instill passion in your users is certainly something we'd hate to see you give up.
Hang in there - we're certain that you'll gradually be back to doing great things.
Posted by: Amanda | Apr 6, 2007 9:01:39 PM
Note that it is possible to have a public RSS feed that presents only summaries or the first few words of the post, while the blog itself is private. (We do that for some company internal blogs here.)
Good luck with whatever you choose to do. This blog is marvelous, and I'd hate to lose your voice. I'm astonished that it has caused the kind of response that it has from the haters, but the Internet seems so able to both delight and appall one with what it says about human behavior.
Posted by: Joe Dzikiewicz | Apr 6, 2007 9:08:20 PM
Many have already been mentioned, but here's my list of ideas:
1) Start a consulting business and contract your time out as a UI expert. I would think your reputation would sell itself, but if not, you can point prospective clients to your blog.
2) Write more books. Authors don't seem to have a lot of trouble with visibility, so that could be a great way to still write, but with less interaction.
3) Actually start speaking at conferences more, but do so in venues with good security, etc. Speaking engagements can be quite lucrative, so it doesn't sound like a bad idea.
4) Work on web standards committees. Not sure how you get on them, but I imagine that you'd have some great insights for the W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative, and that's an area where there's a ton of need for good, insightful thinking.
5) Talk to Google. I think you might have enough Net cred that they'd just hire you automatically. :)
Some thoughts, hope they help.
Posted by: Caleb | Apr 6, 2007 9:10:59 PM
Ms. Sierra,
This whole sored affair has been so sad and painful to see. And that is from a distance. I can't even imagine having to live it.
Whatever you do, please do not let the trolls take away your voice of wisdom and reason.
If you do decide to have a "members only" sorta thing, please let me know. I'll join in half a second.
Larry
Posted by: Larry P | Apr 6, 2007 9:43:29 PM
Great pictures! Thank you for visual demonstrations. They are more helpful, than plain text!
Posted by: ms.kite | Apr 6, 2007 10:13:19 PM
I'd love, and would pay to read, a multi-author site with Kathy in the editor's chair.
Posted by: Todd Sieling | Apr 6, 2007 10:33:46 PM
Change nothing. Take the fact that people feel strongly enough to be malevolent as a complement and keep going.
Posted by: hvc | Apr 6, 2007 10:34:30 PM
I really have to say im so sick of seeing online communities come down to this especially the better ones. Don't you miss when the internet was a nice calm polite place... crap that never was ... oh well
The fact is every blog goes through it and its a sad state of affairs when it starts getting to the admins.
I'd suggest trying to go write for weblogs they hire pretty regularly and from what i've seen your a topcloss bloggers so should be quite easy for you :)
Chris
Posted by: NexTechNews | Apr 6, 2007 10:56:33 PM
Dear Kathy,
I have been a HUGE fan of your blog and have to say that it is without a doubt one of my favorite blogs. I am also a blog writer and an entrepreneur.
If you are seriously thinking about "Ghost Writing" please let me know. I would love to explore some opportunities with you.
Posted by: Mike | Apr 6, 2007 11:10:56 PM
Welcome back Kathy.
Your site and your posts bring joy to a lot of peoples' lives. At least it does to mine. It always reminds me about the human face of doing business, and never lets me forget that customers are humans too. But it's not just the text. The pictures, the graphs that you put out into the world brings a fresh breeze to everyone who reads it. I missed it.
We live our lives day to day trying to make money, to live through the day, but we also need to be reminded of why we are doing all that from time to time. We do it because we want to meet people, to know people, to solve their problems. Money might be needed to survie but the need to help others is why we live. Your post puts the rationality behind that emotion.
And pointing that out you bring joy. It's a very difficult thing, this joy. We can make things 'fun', but to bring joy to another person's life is way, way tougher.
Thank you again. I wish you a wonderful life always.
Posted by: abhijit | Apr 6, 2007 11:14:05 PM
Why not turn this space over to a social network where all of us intersted in community building can post and learn from eac other. http://webcommunityleaders.ning.com I started one here just now and we should take turns writing about our experiences in community building.
Posted by: Greasyguide | Apr 6, 2007 11:40:56 PM
Dear Kathy
I hope you make it to this comment. If you do, know that I've been a big fan of your blog and your writing for as long as I can remember. Please don't let me, or any similar fans, down by abandoning this whole blogging venture. Do whatever seems suitable, but in the end, I want to somehow read what Kathy thinks about all those cool things you've been teaching us for the past couple of years.
Posted by: AL | Apr 7, 2007 12:21:16 AM
Hi Kathy,
8.- Keep on doing this, but make us *pay* for reading the content.
You could set up an online community here, and then allows us to subscribe to your good content. Forums, blogs, and possibly more authors. Registered users instead of anonymous teens.
(You could also get paid for doing this, I wouldn't mind paying a monthly fee to keep on reading your content, IFF you keep on writing these posts.)
(And let me know if I may help in any way with building this online community)
My best wishes,
Antonio
Posted by: Antonio | Apr 7, 2007 1:48:30 AM
I have been a faithful reader for well over a year. I think you have changed my whole attitude to my job. I've bought your books and I would be prepared to pay for your future output in whatever form you decide.
I understand your difficulty with on-line harassment and threats. Basically in the early '90's I was driven off Usenet by spam and tossers. It was an interesting experiment, I suppose.
It's an offense against free speech (yours not theirs) if you feel that you cannot continue. A real shame.
"Be well, do good work and stay in touch."
Posted by: Sue W | Apr 7, 2007 2:48:14 AM
Aaron: Metafilter charges $5 for people to post and comment. Reading is free.
Jason Kottke did the subscription route and it didn't work out that well for him. You have all these people saying "oh i'll pay!" - would any of them follow up?
Posted by: Tiara | Apr 7, 2007 3:26:18 AM
Kathy,
I really am cheered to see some resumption of normality. I know you will still have goons with little to say and a lot of noise to make messing up the place at times. I read a lot of the stuff and feel sorry for some of the individuals. All pretending to be representing some mythical freedom which is bought by causing any group that they disapprove of being dismissed and undermined. Obviously intelligent men with no discernible talent. Such a shame and a waste.
Your talents are communicating and educating, long may you prosper and contribute!
Cheers to you and yours,
Chris
Posted by: Chris | Apr 7, 2007 5:02:04 AM
Kathy,
I've lurked here for over a year and consider it to be (along with your books) one of the best technical publications that I have ever read. I would vote strongly for this blog continuing as a members-only blog. As far as the RSS feeds go, you could opt for public summary feeds to keep non-participants aware of the blog and offer them an incentive to become a member. In any case, best of luck in making your decision and hurry back.
R.
Posted by: Jersey Guy | Apr 7, 2007 5:17:26 AM
It's good that you're taking some time off and thinking about what to do next. I hope you come to a decision that you'll be happy with.
I think opening the blog to multiple authors might be helpful for you. You can choose authors that fit in with the message you want the blog to send. It gets more community support and takes the focus away from just you.
Getting someone else to moderate comments before they appear also seems like a good idea so that you don't have to be bothered by the garbage posts.
There may be other authors or moderators who would be willing to do this sort of thing for free as well.
As far as sponsorship goes, just make sure you stick with your idea of getting sponsorship only from a source that you agree with the ideals of and you shouldn't have any problems.
Posted by: bunnitos | Apr 7, 2007 5:41:58 AM
I draw different conclusions to you from the threats you've been getting, on the issue of anonymity.
You say you don't want to go anonymous, because you associate this with the cause of the threats against you. But I think that it is a lack of anonymity that has enabled these threats to reach you.
What anonymity does is protect bodies from harm, harm that might come their way as a result of what they write on the web, or because of who they voted for.
Anonymity protects the people who you have been threatened by, but it is also your lack of anonymity that had made you vulnerable.
There are many things that one can say that results in people wanting to harm them. This might be an oppressed factory worker speaking out about their working conditions, or it might be someone taking a political stance, or it could be any number of perfectly normal things that bigots find offensive.
I'd like to see anonymity being recognised as something that protects human bodies from harm, which is what it is.
Posted by: Chris Anderson | Apr 7, 2007 5:51:51 AM
Your posts are inspirational, find a way to keep going that still works for you.
Kick off a small collaborative project, take on the design challenge of making a private community user friendly and 'the' community to belong to.
Posted by: 'gene | Apr 7, 2007 5:55:29 AM
Kathy, I love your blogposts, you are in my 'Fabulous blogs' category. My 5 cents:
Turn it into a real group blog but keep blogging on it yourself.
Get authors to contribute on a voluntary basis, they should be honoured to write on Creating Passionate Users, it gets them a lot of linklove and I think a boost on their reputation.
Get a lot of ne time guest appearances on the blog.
Turn it into a partially private community: all can read, only members can comment. (Maybe only comments by trackback???)
Posted by: Sanne Roemen | Apr 7, 2007 6:03:25 AM
My vote is for the private blog with email notifications of new posts. TGood luck Kathy!
Posted by: Matt Jaynes | Apr 7, 2007 6:10:40 AM
One more vote for a private blog. Not an optimal solution, but whatever way I can continue to receive the passionate guidance your blog has provided will do.
Posted by: Niko | Apr 7, 2007 6:44:50 AM
Kathy, dont give up what you love to do because it would be acting against your teachings and yourself (e.g., It's hard for me to see you working for a company. That's not you). The quantity and the quality of the people that support you is far greater than the ones that are trying to hurt you. This blog is in inspiration to many of us and you have built a community that needs you. Your lost is our lost. It would be very sad to see the death of this blog. I cannot imagine it. It would be like watching the parade of the bad guys' victory. Your sad experience can be turn into making this blog even better and provide mechanisms to build a more active community. This is my inspiration corner where I learned to kick ass. This is your opportunity to kick ass at another level. Let's take there. Let's make this blog private. I offer my help to moderate this forum. Let's take a more active role. Let's help Kathy to take this blog to another level.
Posted by: Pedro Martinez | Apr 7, 2007 6:51:08 AM
Hi Kathy. As you can no doubt see from the volume of comments, we're all delighted to hear from you again. I suppose it's naive of me to think things can go back to the way they were; that may be true right now, but hopefully not for the long term. With that in mind, I vote for option #4 where CPU becomes more of a group blog. I'd like to think this is only a short term solution though. My hope would be that enough time passes and your blog has a lot of other faces/voices to distract these idiots and they lose interest. Better yet, maybe that gives the authorities (and the community) enough time to hunt them down and prosecute them.
I know it sounds cliche and all, but giving up means these losers win, and that would be a shame. I'm not suggesting you put your life on the line! It's not worth anything close to that, of course. But I'd like to think good will prevail over evil and these scumbags will rot in jail.
In the mean time, I'm sure every blogger on the planet, including myself, would welcome your contributions from option #2. If you'd ever like to write something on my publishing blog you're more than welcome. I trust you so much I'd e-mail you the ID and password right now -- it would be yours to run for as long (or short!) as you'd like.
Posted by: Joe Wikert | Apr 7, 2007 6:51:21 AM
Invite guest writers to turn your blog into a platform for inspiring ideas and you moderate and contribute as you see fit. Play a delegating role and maintain your love for excellence without having to do everything. I'm sure you could even increase readership whilst being somewhat more detached. Whatever you do don't stop.
Good luck
Tim
Posted by: Timothy Coote | Apr 7, 2007 6:57:40 AM
i suggest trying out membership in the SHAPE http://www.geraldmweinberg.com/shape.html forum for a while. (SHAPE stands for Software is a Human Activity Performed Effectively).
Its was moderated by Jerry Weinberg for a long time, though now the moderation is rotating among some volunteers. Besides being moderated, it's also private, requiring a nominal annual fee to be a member. Plus the people are intelligent and humane.
They could help you decide what to do next (if you wish to start a discussion thread on that subject, many people have done so in the page); you can "lurk" if you want to and read the archives.
Posted by: keith ray | Apr 7, 2007 7:02:45 AM
Kathy, write a book. (Maybe a CPU book?) You might even find a few folks to help out ;)
Posted by: Bill Mietelski | Apr 7, 2007 7:04:21 AM
Here's another vote for a private blog. I wouldn't sweat the usability issues. Registering and logging-in is no big deal.
Every morning I have to punch my PIN number on a touchpad at my office building's entrance to unlock the door. A small price to pay to help keep the *#$%#&! out.
Posted by: Bill Mietelski | Apr 7, 2007 7:28:10 AM
EDIT: "many people have done so in the page" should be "many people have done so in the past".
Many SHAPE members are consultants, so if you choose to go into consulting, the SHAPE forum has a wealth of advice in that area.
Every message posted to the SHAPE forum goes through the moderator -- you can have your postings displayed anonymously in the forum, but only with the moderator's cooperation. They would never let abusive messages go through and no one can be anonymous from the moderator's viewpoint.
The forum is rather low bandwidth - only 5 discussion threads at a time, and some threads only accept one submission per person per day.
Posted by: keith ray | Apr 7, 2007 7:40:51 AM
Hi, Kathy, I just heard about your problems. I have had similar problems with these right-wing nutjobs. I hope you find the right thing out there. Perhaps a book is the best way to go.
You ought to call Laura Flanders and tell her about your experience. She might even let you have a regular spot on her show. I'm sure if you helped organize a stop for her upcoming book tour she might be more inclined to help you out. And since her book is all about the power of grassroots activism and she is way into building women power, she will be likely to take an interest.
Good luck!
Posted by: Tahoma Activist | Apr 7, 2007 8:06:29 AM
Thanks Kathy! Because of you I´m learning Java, and I´m tryng de SCJP, studying with your books (SCJP and HeadFirst).
I love the way you write... It´s so fun :)
I wish you a lot of good things.
Bye.
Carolina, from Brazil.
Posted by: Carolina | Apr 7, 2007 8:34:55 AM
I'm sorry, because you asked for other suggestions, but the right thing, the strong thing, the logical thing to do IS to return to posting as before. Don't give anonymous haters exactly what they hoped for - the end of CPU as we know it.
Your blog is a frequent inspiration to me, although I am not involved in programming in any way. And, this is the first time I've felt compelled to comment.
Posted by: Mark | Apr 7, 2007 10:01:29 AM
I stumbled upon this site a while ago when I was looking for information on Learning Theory and have been a regular vistor ever since. Thank you!
Subscription based site, newsletter, whatever...I'd join in a heartbeat.
Posted by: Bill | Apr 7, 2007 10:26:46 AM
Kathy,
I would normally never give this advice to anyone wanting to start a blog, nor even a brand—but it may be time for you to engage in private, discreet conversations only. Take a page out of the Seth handbook and turn off comments. Focus your energies on books and articles. Limit your accesibility.
It's counter-intuitive to where everything is heading—but I am trying to put myself in your shoes. Clearly you have decided that the risks are not worth it and this is understandable. You have your own peace of mind and family to think of.
On the bright side, you've built up a huge amount of equity. It may be time for you to cash it in. And by this—I mean controlling your accesibility.
Shame it came down to this.
Good luck with whatever you choose.
Posted by: David Armano | Apr 7, 2007 11:06:08 AM
Hi Kathy,
Whatever you do, make sure you'll be able to continue putting your passion in it!! Don't let the bad guys take away your inspiration and passion.
Though I sincerely hope you'll continue writing, in whatever way, I understand your decision. And I'd like to remind you to something you said yourself: You don't want to be mediocre, so hate-reactions are a good thing! I know that that was said in a different context, but don't forget the 100 love reactions for each hate reaction you get! They prove you're far beyond mediocre!
And I trust you to finish the CPU book! I'm looking forawrd to reviewing it since you mentioned it for the first time! ;-)
Posted by: Jef | Apr 7, 2007 11:13:27 AM
Kathy, I am very happy that I can still read your post. For me, all I can remember from you is cool and sweet. I am in Hong Kong, place in the other side of the earth, but you and your words inspires me. You do inspire a lot of people all around the world, not merely in the states. What you said and what you wrote are important to us. You know, actually, I wanna make a book for you with all your posts at this blog and post it to you. Maybe you can actually write a book about "creating passionate user". I love all your posts here and I keep visiting your posts everyday since I found your blog. For the bad things you encountered, I felt very sorry. Sometimes, we just can't entertain all the people. No matter people, pieces of art, technology or anything, when people/stuff become extremely popular/famous, opponents will be attracted. We have a Chinese idiom for this situation(direct translation is "bigger tree attracts stronger wind). It is part of our life. We all grow, learn progressively and become even stronger/tougher when bad things happen. At the stage, from a positive prospective, you may be able to have a breakthrough from what you are doing and start a new horizon/new opportunity. That's what I learn from you. Everything is possible with your passion. Many people are supporting you. I hope that I will be fortunate enough that you do read my comment. I wish you will come back sooner or later because everyone here will always miss you and your post so much. Especially, for me, because of you/your blog, I begin to realize the passion in my life and I have stronger faith/confidence to my passion which is very difficult in my community. Please take care and have a nice break. Stay happy and well. Wish you all the best....and I am waiting for your comeback, no matter in what form: blog or book , or any possibility! Your sincere reader - Uta.
Posted by: Uta | Apr 7, 2007 11:45:08 AM
Kathy, whatever you decide to do, whichever direction you take in the future, please do not deprive us of your wisdom. You're my number 1 creative techie blogger (yes! they do exist), and I've built working arguments around your posts. Up to now, I've never left a comment, but your insights have been at the back of my mind during so many white board discussions/smack down fights, that I'd be lost without you.
Your a human voice in the techie wilderness. You speak for REAL people and REAL users, and that's why we need you. Find your own way, but don't give up.
Firing up Newsgator first thing in the morning just won't be the same without the prospect of another Creating Passionate Users post.
Posted by: Darren | Apr 7, 2007 12:57:14 PM
Kathy, those are all great ideas. I like reading what you write, as do many others, and you like writing so why not continue in some form? I like the idea of a private, invite-only sort of blog. Sure it isn't as user-friendly, but it is way better than nothing at all. Heck, even an email newsletter would be great.
Whatever you decide, know that you have the full support of at least one passionate reader. What you've done with this blog will always stand as an example of inspiring writing and great community. Thanks.
Posted by: Lance Fisher | Apr 7, 2007 1:16:27 PM
Like so many others here, I'll seriously miss your insightful, thought-provoking articles. I might seriously even consider signing up for a private version of this blog.
Thought experiment: what if, rather than giving talks at those big conferences, you could give talks at local schools instead? Get the high schoolers thinking about design and usability issues at an early age. It would help them make that all-important decision as to which career path to follow.
Whatever you end up doing, I wish you the best.
Posted by: Bob Shepard | Apr 7, 2007 1:31:27 PM
Hello Kathy,
I am not as strong as some people here. But obviously, first thing occurred to me, same as all of us: How could I help improve the situation? I would say, you tell me. I am ready...
e.g. I would be a very good moderator, for you or anyone facing such issues.
I hope people are aware and will come forward to pay attention to what they post and what they help moderate. I have already started looking into my own communities/groups, etc.
Just because the internet has its own lacunae, we are not willing to quit the battle so easily. Says all these posts.
Love you
Posted by: Prashant | Apr 7, 2007 3:33:06 PM
Is it ironic that your detractors used fear as the app killer (so to speak)? More proof that angry/negative people are bad for your brain.
But change is good, even when the catalyst is something bad. With time, this experience will distill into something positive. Fortunately you've built up a huge bank of great work we can continue to draw from in the meantime. Many, many thanks.
Looking forward to whatever you decide to do next...
Posted by: mb | Apr 7, 2007 3:56:02 PM
Been an avid reader for a long time. Just wanted to thank you and wish you luck in whatever it is you choose to do.
Posted by: Judd | Apr 7, 2007 4:31:41 PM
Open reading with registration for comments. If necessary, commenters could be required to submit certain personal information (professional affliations) before registration is approved.
Group blog would work only if you can find other people who have your ability to use images creatively, which seems unlikely.
Posted by: david foster | Apr 7, 2007 5:22:39 PM
8) Stop being a drama queen, take some safety precautions, and go back to blogging/business as usual. I don't know if you've been reading all the links to your post but if you haven't I posted some information that you might find helpful here: http://www.jacquelinepassey.com/blog/2007/04/kathy_sierra_is_a_drama_queen_safety_tips_for_female_bloggers.html
Posted by: Jacqueline | Apr 7, 2007 6:00:45 PM
Oh, and I hope that you do find some way to make this blog make money for you. If you're going to put up with crap you should at least get paid for it! Google Adsense, BlogAds, and affiliate marketing links have all worked well for me.
Posted by: Jacqueline | Apr 7, 2007 6:03:59 PM
I think those calling for a private blog are being just a little bit selfish. The problem is that you'd be preaching to the choir; it's a lot less likely that those who haven't yet heard what you have to say would find your site. One of the best things about releasing an idea into the wilds of the internet is the potential for testing it against the opinions of those who have differing perspectives, or finding new ideas, authors and insights through links and comments. That just wouldn't happen, it'd be more like publishing on paper than blogging. I do love the idea of a book and would encourage you to pursue it, but it's a very different kind of thing and a different audience.
You've done an enormous amount of research and work on user experience and learning theory, and you're recognized for it. I'd love to see you start a consultancy, and have this blog become the blog of Head First LLC.
You wouldn't be getting a "real job" exactly, think of it as reviewing a series of use cases. This blog might be your coworkers, clients, and peers talking about your ideas as applied to their own experiences, with you as the editor and illustrator. I suppose that's essentially the group blog idea but with your own business as the sponsor. You'd work directly through the consultancy with those who need your ideas and find them valuable, and others in turn would send those ideas out into the world through the blog.
This may not be something you're willing to do, but I hope you'll consider it. I'm in favor of any new path that keeps your ideas in the public eye while removing you personally from its glare, and I firmly believe that you would find a strong demand for consulting services.
Posted by: Alicia Preston | Apr 7, 2007 6:48:19 PM
This is a difficult question. I believe that you truly like sharing your ideas - so you will remain more or less public. (What, you think people wouldn't mention that you work for them?)
Unless you completely deny your personality in all you do, people will keep attacking you - your ideas are often scary and threaten the status-quo. And I don't think you'll be able to deny your personality or become a conformist... So out of all your choices, #6 sounds most applicable.
Or, you can do as Ken suggests: Turn your creativity to completely breaking the mold, working on a blogging environment that's friendlier to contributors - and less friendly to anonymous mud slingers. If you're going that route, I'm sure there would be a ton of people willing to contribute - just put out the call. (Well, I would, at least ;)
Just hiding is giving in to the bullies. (I'd totally understand it if that's your choice - this is scary stuff - but I'd be really sad if your voice vanished from the public discussion)
Posted by: Robert 'Groby' Blum | Apr 7, 2007 7:10:19 PM
Kathy:
I'm sorry for the terrible experience you're having. I was dumbfounded when I read about threats against you. Your feed is one of a handfull I subscribe to. I love you insight, your positive outlook, you plain, powerful words. I'm a trainer and a developer and your work has had a tremendous impact on me in both realms.
I've never met you, yet I feel as if I'd be losing a friend if you stopped writing. I heartily vote for option #6 - making the blog private. I'd gladly sign up, and pay to read what you write.
Keith
Posted by: Keith | Apr 7, 2007 9:20:33 PM
Kathy,
Just a quick note to say thanks for inspiring firstly, users, and then, developers like me to really EMBRACE PROBLEMS that face all of us.
If you're in the mood to do some pro-bono work, my employer (a non-profit) is engaged in re-writing our software systems. I'm sure that you have plenty of opportuinities, but I thought I'd add mine.
I look forward posts, in whatever form they take in the future.
Again, Thanks
Geek Dave
Posted by: Geek Dave | Apr 7, 2007 10:18:13 PM
Kathy, I've posted a few (hopefully supportive) comments over the past few years, so please take this one in the spirit that I offer it. It was you who taught me (well, actually, put it into words for me), the concept that if you're doing something exceptional, then while some LOVE you, others are going to HATE you.
Ergo, the only way to avoid HATE in this world is to be average/lukewarm/etc... Please, PLEASE don't go there.
So what's my advice? Suck it up. There are plenty of people who have it a thousand (million?) times worse than you. You're tougher than you think.
Protect yourself? Absolutely. But remember, the only way to avoid HATE is to be mediocre.
THANK YOU so much for sharing your ideas these past few years. You've made the world better. If this is something that you've enjoyed doing, then by all means, DON'T STOP NOW.
This is your life, this is who you are. Don't do it for us, keep doing it because that's who you are and that is who you want to be.
One of former President Reagan's favorite quotes was "The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." Kathy, don't become one of those "do nothing" good men. You deserve better than that for your life.
Please note: This isn't about "us" - your audience - this is about you. About what you want to do with your life. From the passion you've always shown here, I'm fairly confident that what you've been doing is exactly what you've wanted to do. Changing it - for just about any reason - would be somewhat tragic.
Do what you have to for protection, be it physical, financial, even peace of mind. But don't let anything stop you from living. (I define "living" as doing the things that you really want to do.)
You are one of my all-time favorites. Thank you for living. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Your life has made my life better. And I, in turn, have been able to help others live better.
Remember, not for us, but for you!
Posted by: Dean A. Nash | Apr 7, 2007 10:33:55 PM
So many other commenters have offered their good advice and ideas -- and most of all, their good wishes. That's why I'm here, wishing you all the best. I want you to know that your keynote at SXSW inspired me not only to do (and see!) things differently work-wise, but to honor the optimist inside. All of your work on CPU has been such a ray of light for me.
So, whatever you choose, thank you for everything you've done here. I, like thousands of others, look forward to whatever you write, however and whenever it appears again.
Posted by: Asha | Apr 8, 2007 12:35:52 AM
Kathy,
good luck for the future with whatever route you decide to take. Like many others, I'd like to keep reading what you post, and I wouldn't mind paying for it for a monthly/yearly subscription. This way we get to continue to read your good stuff and you'll make some money out of it to help you pay for things, and you'll keep the fucktards away.
I think it would actually be an interesting precedent in the blog world and in a sense, you'd be going where no one has gone before - taking a previously public blog private/paid and seeing what impact it has on content, readers, comments etc. So I encourage you to consider this route, but as a reader, Im happy to support you in any other way too, whichever way you decide to go :-) good luck.
Posted by: Jaanus | Apr 8, 2007 5:19:08 AM
How about organising conferences around your preferred topic?
Posted by: Ben | Apr 8, 2007 5:40:11 AM
Kathy!! Noooooo!
Please, keep writing.
And I say this as someone who has received death threats, been stalked, and also survived a sexual assault--don't let them control your life.
(those three events are unrelated, BTW--death threats over my teaching evolution, stalking by mentally disturbed student, and rape by a "friend".)
Yes, please take some time to feel better.
But ceasing to be a public figure isn't the answer.
I have too much to say to stick it all in a little comment, so please feel free to contact me if you want to process/talk/whatever.
Posted by: bug_girl | Apr 8, 2007 7:14:01 AM
I'll be really unhappy if you don't keep on writing here! I know you've been through a lot, but I hope that the fact that you have hundreds of people rallying in support of you will give you some encouragement. But don't back down. Anyone in some kind of publicly visible position eventually finds their detractors. You've found a special breed, to be sure. But my real hope is that you continue writing here!
Posted by: phil | Apr 8, 2007 7:39:47 AM
I read your article on the Guardian, http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,2051394,00.html
and I have one sucint response: John Gabriel's Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory:
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19
Also, while many people do speak out in ways they would not normally otherwise do so for fear of consequence, a great lot of people just do it because they can, and thier threats and insults are without deeper intent or meaning, they're just doing it for shits and giggles, as it were. However, keep yourself self :)
Posted by: MrShinra | Apr 8, 2007 8:31:10 AM
Hi Kathy,
As someone who has read your blog and reviewed your books I am sad to hear that your voice will be harder to hear.
My suggestion, why don't you ask your publisher, O'Reilly, for a spot on one of their blogs - you would have slightly less visibility and assistance in moderating the puerile and viscous from your comment stream.
Hugs and best wishes,
# Tony
Posted by: Tony Williams | Apr 8, 2007 4:58:09 PM
I hope you find a venue. Your personality as it is expressed in writing, and the style and conviction of your blog, is a huge value. Yours is one of the few blogs where I routinely e-mail links to my colleagues. I have no clue why people would behave as badly as though do, but I reap significant positive value through what you're doing (Head First books, too!).
The upshot: You rock. Your attackers are mites.
Posted by: John | Apr 8, 2007 6:20:10 PM
This blog was the first I ever read on any regular basis and the one that I scan most assiduously for new posts. I have found it both interesting and stimulating, so I'd really hate to see it disappear. If this could be a private blog with admittance only by subscription I'd sign up like a shot. If it became a commentless blog I'd be ok with that too, as it's principally your writings rather than the comments (inc. mine) that draw me. Either route would lower the risk of trolls.
The option of a group blog could work - I am sure you'd have no dearth of volunteers who would love to partner with you.
Whichever you choose I hope you continue to publish as you have a lot of original ideas to offer and many of us are the better for reading them.
Posted by: Neil | Apr 8, 2007 6:36:12 PM
No great wisdom to offer, but I know blogging is much easier when I'm having fun, and it's a chore when I'm anticipating criticism. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
Posted by: Eric Eggertson | Apr 8, 2007 6:56:56 PM
You may know Leo Laporte and the TWIT gang. They have started a program on the Law as it relates to the Internet. I've not listened to it yet and you probably already know about it as the attacks on you were the basis for a recent show.
Here is the address.
http://www.twit.tv/twil5
Since I've not yet listened, I can't advise on the content; but, I can't see anyone supporting your attackers.
Larry
Posted by: Larry P | Apr 8, 2007 8:46:36 PM
Katty:
I want to thank you because I've learned a lot from this blog, I just started reading it a few months ago and now I have a whole new perspective.
I'd love to read more of your posts, and hope it will be soon :)
maybe your idea of making this blog private is the best solution.
Let me tell you one more thing, this is my first online comment ever :P
So, g