Comments on: How to Write Good Blog Post Disclaimers http://usabilityworks.org/2007/02/02/how-to-write-good-blog-post-disclaimers/ Making next year's Human-Computer family reunion a lot less uncomfortable. Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:13:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Matthew Oliphant http://usabilityworks.org/2007/02/02/how-to-write-good-blog-post-disclaimers/#comment-14676 Matthew Oliphant Sat, 03 Feb 2007 01:28:54 +0000 http://usabilityworks.org/2007/02/02/how-to-write-good-blog-post-disclaimers/#comment-14676 More disclosureness... <a href="http://scobleizer.com/2007/02/02/payperspeech-disclosure/" rel="nofollow">Scoble discloses being paid by PayPerPost</a>. I honestly think this makes a bigger deal out of things than is necessary. Should he tell? Yes. Should it be the point of the post? I don't think so. Though for someone like Scoble, perhaps this is an easier way to deal with it than answering any queries as to his motivation in the comments. More disclosureness… Scoble discloses being paid by PayPerPost.

I honestly think this makes a bigger deal out of things than is necessary. Should he tell? Yes. Should it be the point of the post? I don’t think so.

Though for someone like Scoble, perhaps this is an easier way to deal with it than answering any queries as to his motivation in the comments.

]]> By: Matthew Oliphant http://usabilityworks.org/2007/02/02/how-to-write-good-blog-post-disclaimers/#comment-14670 Matthew Oliphant Sat, 03 Feb 2007 00:44:46 +0000 http://usabilityworks.org/2007/02/02/how-to-write-good-blog-post-disclaimers/#comment-14670 Admittedly, this entire post started with the stray thoughtage of, "Hm, wonder why he wrote that disclaimer... Shouldn't that be claimer... I need more coffee... I need to write a post..." I highly recommend you delete the disclaimer. Also, I recommend you leave it. Yeah, one of those. :) And that's a good idea: call it what it is! Brag: Scott Berkun commented on my blog. Admittedly, this entire post started with the stray thoughtage of, “Hm, wonder why he wrote that disclaimer… Shouldn’t that be claimer… I need more coffee… I need to write a post…”

I highly recommend you delete the disclaimer. Also, I recommend you leave it. Yeah, one of those. :)

And that’s a good idea: call it what it is!

Brag: Scott Berkun commented on my blog.

]]> By: Natalie Jost http://usabilityworks.org/2007/02/02/how-to-write-good-blog-post-disclaimers/#comment-14665 Natalie Jost Sat, 03 Feb 2007 00:16:56 +0000 http://usabilityworks.org/2007/02/02/how-to-write-good-blog-post-disclaimers/#comment-14665 Hey Scott, for changes made, you can use the <ins> tag to "insert" new information. Likewise <del> is used to strike out text which no longer applies. I should use those both more than I do. :) Hey Scott, for changes made, you can use the <ins> tag to “insert” new information. Likewise <del> is used to strike out text which no longer applies. I should use those both more than I do. :)

]]> By: Scott Berkun http://usabilityworks.org/2007/02/02/how-to-write-good-blog-post-disclaimers/#comment-14656 Scott Berkun Fri, 02 Feb 2007 22:55:06 +0000 http://usabilityworks.org/2007/02/02/how-to-write-good-blog-post-disclaimers/#comment-14656 Guilty as charged. If I promise to do better next time, can I get a suspended sentence, or early parole? I think I've been annoyed when I discover, midway through a piece, that the writer owns stock in / is married to / or is under magic spells from / the subject of the article. Tucking it away does have its elegance, and I'm all for flow, but it also seems like hiding broccoli in the mashed potatoes. In this case I really don't know why I even mentioned it. I met Bill once 5 years ago and who would care to know that? Or would think that would impact the objectivity of my review? I think now I was probably bragging. And now an additional dilemma: now that I'm writing all this, is the proper etiquette to go back and strip that lead disclaimer out? Or is removing it worse that leaving it in, as it would break your example in your essay. I wish there were a standard, simple way to notate that changes have been made to live posts but I don't know of one. Guilty as charged. If I promise to do better next time, can I get a suspended sentence, or early parole?

I think I’ve been annoyed when I discover, midway through a piece, that the writer owns stock in / is married to / or is under magic spells from / the subject of the article. Tucking it away does have its elegance, and I’m all for flow, but it also seems like hiding broccoli in the mashed potatoes.

In this case I really don’t know why I even mentioned it. I met Bill once 5 years ago and who would care to know that? Or would think that would impact the objectivity of my review? I think now I was probably bragging.

And now an additional dilemma: now that I’m writing all this, is the proper etiquette to go back and strip that lead disclaimer out? Or is removing it worse that leaving it in, as it would break your example in your essay. I wish there were a standard, simple way to notate that changes have been made to live posts but I don’t know of one.

]]> By: Matthew Oliphant http://usabilityworks.org/2007/02/02/how-to-write-good-blog-post-disclaimers/#comment-14623 Matthew Oliphant Fri, 02 Feb 2007 20:14:31 +0000 http://usabilityworks.org/2007/02/02/how-to-write-good-blog-post-disclaimers/#comment-14623 I constantly editorialize my writing (look at all those parentheticals and statements between commas up there!) (disclosure: I can't help it.) :) Just like you, random thoughtage. It's a word now. I constantly editorialize my writing (look at all those parentheticals and statements between commas up there!)

(disclosure: I can’t help it.) :)

Just like you, random thoughtage. It’s a word now.

]]> By: Natalie Jost http://usabilityworks.org/2007/02/02/how-to-write-good-blog-post-disclaimers/#comment-14597 Natalie Jost Fri, 02 Feb 2007 16:48:24 +0000 http://usabilityworks.org/2007/02/02/how-to-write-good-blog-post-disclaimers/#comment-14597 As a person who uses a lot of "by the ways" in her writing, I laughed and laughed at this. You're right, of course, though in my case, I have to say, it's not so much disclaimer or disclosure but simply random thoughts that come to mind after the fact and I feel I must include them right then and there without forethought (or morethought may be a better word). See, no disclosure, just random toughtage (thoughtage? um, ok, thoughtage). :) As a person who uses a lot of “by the ways” in her writing, I laughed and laughed at this. You’re right, of course, though in my case, I have to say, it’s not so much disclaimer or disclosure but simply random thoughts that come to mind after the fact and I feel I must include them right then and there without forethought (or morethought may be a better word). See, no disclosure, just random toughtage (thoughtage? um, ok, thoughtage). :)

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