MattPippen.com

In the tradition of the Teen Podcasters Network, everytime we become slightly successful we experience a backlash. This time it comes from Chris Thomson in his blog post, “Why I Don’t Like Blog Networks.” This is my response; However, it doesn’t necessarily reflect the views of Teen Media Productions. I will respond using the same sections Chris did.

Have you seen some of the content on TBN or TPN? On TPN, we have podcasts ranging from liberal politics to overclocking. Is that “Im tired so this post wont be two long… I had a cheezburger for lunch today…it was good… THANKS FOR READING!!!!!!” type content? Or if you look to the developing TBN, we have articles from bloggers detailing some of the best iPhone Web Apps to posts about CSS changes in the authors blog.

At TMP, we have developed our goal from the original goal of the TPN. We want to show adults that teens can produce quality content at the same level as them. We don’t mean were all going to be Leo Laporte’s and Rush Limbaugh’s, but we can create content that isn’t “blabber.”

In addition, when people see that amazing content is being produced by teens it boosts the overall teen image.

Instead of avoiding something, it should be fixed. That’s part of what TMP is about, as mentioned above.

This really isn’t targeted toward TMP, however I would like to point out there are no minimum posting limits to either network. All we are looking for is a site actively producing content. I would actually agree with you that requiring people to post a minimum amount of times is harmful, and I would even take it as far to say it hurts creativity.

I would like to clarify TMP’s stance on content. We leave all creative control in the hands of the author, but we do tell you that we do not allow “offensive content.” This is meant in the sense of making of a race or religion. If you use harsh language or are explicit, that’s your choice. You post.wouldn’t even be considered “offensive” under our definition. However, TMP will not stand behind the distribution of the afore mentioned hateful content.

But, what happens if you do choose to distribute such content? TMP will simply notify you that your post has been removed from our site, but you will not be removed from the network.

It is your choice entirely over to join a network with such a policy set in place, but in the same sense, the network has a right to control what is distributes. TMP and myself are large believers in free speech, so I do not in anyway want to infringe on it. At the same time, there’s a certain level of responsibility to maintain.

Teen Media Productions has been online for a full year now, and Teen Media Productions since July of 2005. We are in no way new to the scene. We are, however, reforming ourselves to better suit the podcasting and blogging environment. Did you know Teen Podcasters Network is even mentioned in a book? Tricks of the Podcasting Masters by Walch/Lafferty.

We are a high-quality network that is here to stay.

The “duplicate content penalty” myth is one of the biggest obstacles I face in getting web professionals to embrace reprint content. The myth is that search engines will penalise a site if much of its content is also on other websites.

Clarification: there is a real duplicate content penalty for content that is duplicated with minor or no variation across the pages of a single site. There is also a “mirror” penalty for a site that is more or less substantially duplicating another single site. What I’m talking about here is the reprint of pages of content individually, rather than in a mass, on multiple sites.

From Bytestart.co.uk

That’s simply not true. There are many sites that do syndicate your content simply upon stumbling upon your feed anyways. Point being, if it was going to hurt you it would have hurt you by now.

The second major goal of TMP taken from TPN is to have the community help each other. This has been going on long since the original days (I was there) of TPN. It may not always be apart to all others, but as a community we communicate though forums, chat, and email, among others. Right now we may be a little absent on the forum posts, but I can guarantee if someone did ask for help they would receive it.

Chris, I respect your opinion, but there are several things you are overlooking.

Below is an article published on December 27, 2007 by Matt Pippen from iPhone 24×7. To see the original article and more articles on the iPhone visit iPhone24-7.com.

In response to the previous article on the iPhone being Time’s Invention of 2007. We’re covering the two published responses Time received to the iPhone article.

“In naming the iPhone the best invention of 2007, you forgot about Windows-based PDA phones. They’ve been out for years. Touch interface? Big deal. As you noted, it’s been done before. A miniaturized operating system? Done. Windows-based phones are everything the iPhone is and more. The phones can text, MMS, email (through POP, IMAP, Exchange), surf the real Web at broadband speed on EVDO networks and open, edit, and save documents. The iPhone is for kids. Windows Mobile PDA phones are for adults who need to do real work” -Eagle Bear Morgan, Seattle

“What a brilliant piece of writing from Lev Grossman. I don’t yet own an iPhone, but I plan to in the near future. Like Grossman, I’m sick of the sour grapes from naysayers who moan about what the iPhones doesn’t do and ignore what it does do and just how well it does it. I hate my conventional cell phone with its 100-page, four-language manual that I can’t begin to understand. I’ve used the iPhone without having to look at the manual. And the only language required is intuition.” -Brad Cathey, Wheaton, IL

Let’s examine the letters.

Our first reader has an apparent “I can do anything you can do. I can do anything better then you.” towards iPhones with Windows-based phones. What he forgot is Apple isn’t an inventor or even a re-inventor. They innovate. Remember Apple’s trademark saying - “Think Different”. Apple took the touchscreen interface and made it into a new interface. An interface where you just don’t press things with your fingers. You manipulate the content right in front of you with your fingers.

Next is the miniaturized OS. Windows-based phones are far from being a complete OS. It’s a MOBILE version of the OS as it says in the actual OS name - Windows Mobile. Apple tells you right from the technical specs. Operating System: OS X. You are running a compressed form of OS X capable of working and running applications exactly like a “full-blown” computer.

The reader does mention a weakness of the iPhone in his next point. MMS. The iPhone can not MMS. Is it coming? Yes, it will come to the iPhone in time when Apple deems it important. In my opinion, lack of MMS is one of the critical flaws of the iPhone. One that turns off a lot of teens who view the ability to send pictures or other media as a must.

The last point made is the iPhone is a toy and Windows-based phones are for adults. This has a basic amount of truth. The iPhone wasn’t made for a business executive in mind. If so, it wouldn’t have needed all the “Just for fun” features Apple though in for the normal consumer such as the iPod functionality or even the ability to expand in the future to use applications that have no business use. Chris Pirillo touches on this with one of his recent videos, “Why Your It Department Doesn’t Love the iPhone“.

The next letter makes an important realization that is true. People skip over how Apple truely did innovate the phone industry. If other phone manufactures want to have the “next big thing” they will have to incorporate some of the improvements Apple made with the iPhone. This includes easy-of-use. We shouldn’t have to read a manuel to learn how to send a text message. (Exaggeration, true, but not for all.)