Tag: indieweb

Posted on
by

Launched: Hyperlink Node Directory

This started out as a thinking out loud type post a few weeks ago.  At that time I couldn’t really think of a straight forward use for it but my instincts told me it could be useful or somebody would figure out a use for it eventually.  Anyway I spent the week before Christmas 2018 getting things set up.

Wat?

Okay, a hyperlink node and “clump of links” are synonymous. If I call your link page a hyperlink node it suddenly sounds legit. 🙂

The Hyperlinks node directory is an index of individual collections of web links, by type.  Therefore it indexes: blogrolls and following pages, directories, search engines, linkblogs, link pages, niche directories, webrings and other significant collections.  Comments are enabled for each listing, if you have a thought on a listing, please share it.  These collections often map out odd little corners of the web.

Utility

Thinking on it some more, I think it has value for: 1. discovery, finding new sites and blogs to follow by seeing what other people have taken the time to link to, 2. eventually I think it might be useful for indexing communities, 3. establishing, at least one, central index of decentralized search and the hyperlinking guerrilla war against the search monopoly silos, 4. an aid to reestablishing “surfing the web”.  There may be more that I have not thought of.

The big utility for me is having a place to list these when I stumble across them, so they can be shared, rather than just bookmarking them (or worse forgetting to bookmark them).

Challenge #1: Build Your Own

My first challenge to you is build your own node: Easiest would be an old fashion link page or a blogroll/following page; or maybe a linkblog or a linkblog-directory hybrid; or even a directory.  Whatever you feel like, build it and show people websites you like.  Examples and ideas are in the directory.  You can do this.

Challenge #2: List It Here

You might already have a linkblog, link page or big blogroll, if so you can either add the URL to the directory or you can send me the URL via the contact form (hopefully it works) at the bottom of this post and I will review it for inclusion.  It dose not even have to be your own, if you run across something drop me the URL and I’ll look at it.

Or if you build something for Challenge 1, come back and list it.

The idea is to have a lot more of these all across the indieweb so web surfers can find human reviewed recommendations. Like Word of Mouth recommendations from people you trust.

I hope this is in some way useful.  Thanks!

Be sure to include the URL to your node in the form below:

 

Liked this post? Follow this blog to get more. Follow

Posted on
by

The difference between Google and Bing in this case is consistent with something I’ve noticed lately, which is that Google seems to be forgetting a lot of old stuff. Maybe it’s because the company is deprecating http in deference to https.

Source: Doc Searls: Google vs. Bing.

Okay there are a lot of “IF’s” in here.  IF this is really about depreciating http sites and IF this is permanent.  But…

  1. It directly effects the Indieweb.  One thing that running Indieseek has shown me is a lot of legacy Web 1.0 sites are still http and will likely never change.  Second: a lot of active blogs and other busy, creative Indieweb websites are still http.
  2. This makes it even harder for Indieweb sites to get traffic from Google.
  3. Google is once again warping the web for their own purposes.
  4. It shows that Google isn’t about quality, it’s about newness and popularity.
  5. It shows the need for decentralized search.

I think this validates what we’re doing here at Indieseek.  So remember, in case some mook at your favorite search engine flips a switch and shitcans all the Indieweb sites we’re here for you, we got your back.

When one search engine controls 90% of search change can happen that quick.  This may be a temporary blip, but the lesson holds: make sure you are listed in more than just one search engine.

 

This was also posted to
/en/linking.

Liked this post? Follow this blog to get more. Follow

Posted on
by

Joe Jenett created a site he calls the “linkport” which combines some of the best parts of a web directory and a linkblog: “directory linkblog” to give it a generic name.  I want to explain how this changes the directory building game and how you can make this Indieweb compatible.

So keep the Linkport (above) open in a tab and look at it as we go along.

The Directory Linkblog

  1. WordPress: The basis of this is a blog script.  WordPress is perfect because there are lots of plugins available to help you do it right.  For simplicity sake you want to dedicate this WP install to the directory.
  2. Search & Categories: Most old style linkblogs do not have a dedicated search or subject categories. These two things combined are what make the directory linkblog different and usable. You want to have your blog search dedicated to the linkblog.  You will want to find a plugin that enhances the WP search.  You want to have subject categories for every link.
  3. One link per post.

If you take a look at Joe’s Linkport you will see all these elements.  That is the beauty of it.  It combines the immediacy, newness and freshness of a linkblog with the categories and listings search of a directory script.  You have an RSS feed, plus you can syndicate to social networks.  And WordPress is a free script available with one click install from almost any hosting company.  Bang! The Walls of Jericho just tumbled down.  Almost anyone can start their own directory linkblog, be it, general, niche whatever and dirt cheap too.

This greatly aids everyone in building decentralized search.

Cons

This does not have quite all the features of a regular directory script.  There is no way for webmasters to submit a URL, although you could use a contact form.  You are also limited to one top layer of categories not a hierarchy.

Now Add Cowbell Indieweb

This makes it even more exciting:  add Indieweb goodness.

  • Use an Indieweb compatible theme.
  • Install the Indieweb plugins for WP and set them up.
  • This means that any time you list a new link you will be telling the blog listed that you have mentioned them.  This helps generate awareness of your directory linkblog and usage. Plus it expands the Indieweb.

This was also posted to
/en/linking.

 

Liked this post? Follow this blog to get more. Follow