Listics

Of course, it must be about TypePad. SixApart has never wanted others to become major-league hosts of Movable Type software because the founders have long planned to make a business from paid hosting. And that’s fine… except now that they are charging for their software, the conflict of interest immediately comes to the surface: SixApart is not selling generous licenses to MovableType because it does not want to affect TypePad’s business; it does not want to enable competitors (even small ones) to TypePad and it still wants to motivate people to move to TypePad (and pay a monthly fee instead of just a one-time fee: an annuity, we call it in the biz). But that, in turn, is clearly hurting the software business. They are in inherent conflict.

One of the best things about the recent blatherCon-fabs was the opportunity to sort out the Abbott and Costello riffs… Clearly Jeff Jarvis, the author of the above sharp-eyed piece of industry analysis knows who’s on first. Last fall, when I began to seek a more flexible and less politically charged piece of software (POS) than Radio, I toyed with the notion of putting up an MT blog, with a little help from my friends. Ultimately a little burningbirdie told me that I could do that but I likely wouldn’t find much third party vendor support for it down the line (namely her) so I shyed away and bought into the Typepad product. I’ve been nothing but pleased with the product, the service, and the support. The company is run by honorable people whose egos don’t get in the way of doing business. The employees are sharp, talented, engaged, concerned. The latest upgrade to the MT product has carried some licensure changes that last November or December Shelley suggested would be coming, so what’s the big deal? SixApart is growing and changing and positioning themselves for the future. The general concern among the current MT 2.661 user base is understandable perhaps, but the level of rancorous discord is not. Independent minded people (and Richard Bennett) are moving toward WordPress. The less technically facile, like me, are happy with a Typepad blog. But the nonsense that Jeff Jarvis buzzed up I include here simply for comic relief. “Divest?” Give me a fucking break. Who’ve you been talking to? Sir Pings-a-lot?