Robert Scoble doesn't get Techmeme

Or rather: Robert Scoble doesn't get on Techmeme. Robert Scoble, blogger and video producer, complains: "TechMeme really wants to be Google News, it seems. I see less and less blogs on TechMeme lately and more and more 'professional news.'" Not only his assessment wrong, Scoble's true intent is writ large: "I'm pissed because I'm not on Techmeme."

Scoble wants us to believe that Sun's newly announced blade servers are Techmeme-worthy even though he admits, "This probably will only be interesting to those of you who buy equipment for data centers." Does Scoble think Techmeme is for people responsible for purchasing decisions in data centers? No, of course not. The blogger is merely trying to promote stories no one cares about. He also finds the opportunity to repeat his new tagline ("the guy who put a human face on Microsoft" has worn out): "the guy who reads a lot of feeds" because he can't find one source for news. But, wait, I thought Scoble didn't want Techmeme to emulate Google News? Aren't islands of news with specialized purposes and audiences a good thing? It'd be great if the Scobleizer could sort out what he's trying to say before he starts whining.

Gabe Rivera, Techmeme's founder and developer, thinks so and sets Scoble straight:

Techmeme actually wants to be a selection of interesting Tech news stories. A particular take on "what matters", suitable for a particular audience.

In many ways, it wants to be the anti-Google News, though [in] other ways it needs to be more like it...

BTW, I personally give the advantage to Techmeme on the blade server story, which sounds rather boring, something best passed over. Is the fact that you covered it for Podtech affecting your judgement in this case?

More from Gabe Rivera in the comments.

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