Do you read archives?
Feb. 16th, 2006 11:31 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
llcoolvadI've been reading online journals and/or blogs since 1998, when Patrick started keeping one. When I'd start reading a new person, I would always read their archives, and generally I'd start at the first entry and read forward -- an especially lengthy process with daily updaters like Kymm, but I persevered. It was kind of like reading a novel with really really short chapters, and I usually found it much more fulfilling than just reading current entries. How has the writer changed? What's new in his/her life?
However, it's now 2006, and starting to read a "new" blog/journal means (usually) that there are many years of entries that I'd have to read to fulfill my compulsion. So now I usually read at least the last year, but sometimes no more than that. Now this only applies to personal or journal-style blogs. I don't back-read political or links journals like Daily Kos, BoingBoing, Metafilter, or kottke. But if I started reading your blog this year, for example, I'd go back to January of 2005 and read forward until I got caught up. This still feels incomplete to me, though, and makes me wonder what everyone else does.
So my question to you is: Do you read archives? Do you skim archives? Do you just read current entries?
BTW -- I've discovered a fairly easy way to read LJ archives: navigate to the first entry using the "calendar" option, but then once in the first entry click on "comments" -- that will allow you to navigate just using the arrows at the top of the comments view page (plus you'll get to see all the comments, too). There are a few bugs that way, but easy enough workarounds. (If you know a better way please share!)
However, it's now 2006, and starting to read a "new" blog/journal means (usually) that there are many years of entries that I'd have to read to fulfill my compulsion. So now I usually read at least the last year, but sometimes no more than that. Now this only applies to personal or journal-style blogs. I don't back-read political or links journals like Daily Kos, BoingBoing, Metafilter, or kottke. But if I started reading your blog this year, for example, I'd go back to January of 2005 and read forward until I got caught up. This still feels incomplete to me, though, and makes me wonder what everyone else does.
So my question to you is: Do you read archives? Do you skim archives? Do you just read current entries?
BTW -- I've discovered a fairly easy way to read LJ archives: navigate to the first entry using the "calendar" option, but then once in the first entry click on "comments" -- that will allow you to navigate just using the arrows at the top of the comments view page (plus you'll get to see all the comments, too). There are a few bugs that way, but easy enough workarounds. (If you know a better way please share!)
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no subject
Date: 2006-02-17 02:17 am (UTC)Um...no
I will read the last few entries to see what's going on now, then I'll go through the archive from past to present.
I guess it really depends on how much I care for the person.
Loved Sam, the One-Eyed Wonder-Cat.
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Date: 2006-02-17 03:01 am (UTC)I named Harry for Prince Harry, because when I adopted him he was very nervous and awkward, and at the time poor Prince Harry looked awfully orange and awkward compared to his glorious brother. He only lost his eye last summer, although he was blind in it since I adopted him. He is a lot less awkward now, but no less orange!
no subject
Date: 2006-02-17 03:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-02-17 07:53 am (UTC)