Rules are for others

Dave Winer posted an explanation of why it is OK for him to attend and participate in secret events but events are not OK if they don't include him. "It's a fine line," Winer says in trying to re-define the meaning of double standard. Ironically he also claims, incorrectly that Apple didn't consult Podcasters before the release of iTunes 4.9 and that "he had no idea the software was coming". Duh. Dave and some person lost in the jungle for months would be the only ones who could have missed the pre-release hub-ub. But those people who did the consultations with Apple had NDA's that they honored. And of course worst of all for Dave's ego they did a great job without any input from Dave Winer.

Nice to see Dave Winer is listening

After the I'm Not Dave post yesterday Dave Winer corrected his original post to note that it is his RSS aggregator, not the IT Conversations feed that is hosed. Of course he still wants them to fix it. But that is really just more about trying to bash Adam Curry in public for not letting Winer ruin his new venture.

Sad just sad

It is a really sad day when the spec you contributed to is working just fine and you can't figure it out. Dave Winer whines today that the PodShow folks maintaining the Gillmor Gang feed are doing it wrong. Thing is, Dave, the RSS is valid. Even Dave's own validator says so.

What Dave Winer is unhappy about is the lack of content in the Title element of the RSS feed. All the spec says is that the title element must be present, not that it has to have a length greater than 0. This is particularly funny as at the item level Dave notoriously leaves off the optional title element. Again it's legal. Legal doesn't make it a good practice or make your feed understandable.

Dropping off the A-list

Dave Winer has always considered himself an a-list blogger. He's quite willing to tell everyone how he invented blogging and that nobody did it before he did (a flat out lie by the way). Now along comes Technorati with their second web spam summit. Winer said Thursday "I'm going to try to be at this discussion". Oh what a difference a few days makes. Now the story is that Winer wasn't invited so the conference is a bad idea and Winer's new line is "I'll probably keep my appointment, and skip the summit." Plenty has been written about how divisive Winer can be and why he is considered by many conferences to be an influence that doesn't lead to constructive work.

Narcissistic

Wake the fuck up Dave. Just because you are so self-absorbed doesn't mean life stops for everyone. Congratulations to the folks in New York who are continuing on with their lives. Thankfully there isn't the absence of diversions that marked the weeks following 9/11. Dave Winer seems to think that 9/11 was "an instant event". Whatever. So sorry you don't understand it was months not an instant.

Here's the deal. Let's pretend for a moment it was anywhere close to a good idea to cancel the US Open. Fine. Done. Now what? What in the hell do you expect the people to do? Should they all get in their cars and head to New Orleans? Should they sit at home and do nothing? Where was your condemnation of the celebration of New Year's in the west while the cleanup from the tsunami was still progressing? I'll bet you will find some sick way to suggest this terrible tragedy has a personal impact on you. That is, after all, the American way.

So Dave, sit in your room, convince yourself that if you're not too stingy you can give them a few bucks, and watch CNN. But for the love of Christ, shut-up.

PS - Once Winer shuts up he can always watch tonight's New Orleans Saints game on TV.