I’m sure longtime readers, and friends, won’t be very surprised, but sometimes I can be a real ass. A brand new blogger, Elliott Bäck posted something today. It was something I’d written about earlier.

He used Trackback to indicate that he’d talked about it as well. He hadn’t quoted me, which I took offence to.

In fact, here was my comment on his post:

Yes, and trackback spam’ll get you ostracized.

Use trackback more wisely next time, please :)

If you want to notify me that you’re talking about something I’ve talked about, but aren’t actually quoting me, feel free to use email :)

If Elliott had been a longtime, and known, Trackback spammer my reaction would be one thing. But he isn’t and wasn’t. He’s a new, young, smart blogger who deserved better from someone as “wise” and “seasoned” (riiight) as me. Someone who’s helped hundreds of people start blogs really should know better.

I was an ass.

Here was my apology email to him, for what it’s worth:

Elliott,

Sorry, I was an ass. Having a rather bad day at work (and online), and took it out on the wrong people, yourself included.

Blogging is just like any community endeavour. There are lots of unwritten rules of etiquette which aren’t firmly established, aren’t observed by all and generally aren’t communicated very well.

Trackbacks are one of those gray areas. Everyone wants to know when:

1. You’re talking about what they’ve said (not just the topic they’re talking about)
2. You’re talking about them
3. You’re quoting what they’ve said

And this is really where most people see Trackbacks. As an extension of a conversation. I’m sure they have other perfectly valid uses, such as alerting someone to something topical you’ve written. However, lots of us … I’ll say “older” bloggers have literally written about hundreds of things. If I got a trackback everytime someone wrote about something related I’d be swamped. 2500 posts’ll do that do you.

But you’re right, it’s a perfectly valid reason. I shouldn’t have flipped out on you. Thanks to your Trackback I found your blog.

I’ll be issuing an apology right away. One of the things I love to do is to welcome folk to blogging, and I’m sure my comments made you feel decidedly unwelcome, and I feel (rightly) like an ass for doing it.

My apologies, for what it’s worth.

Jeremy

Rightfully, he’s blogged about all this.

If I was in school, the Principal would threaten that this would be “going on my permanent record”. Thankfully to Google, this will be on my permanent record. Hopefully I can learn from it.

I’ll leave you, the smart folk who don’t stick your ass in someone else’s face, witha quote from his post:

There might be a point to be made on indirection versus direction. If you quote a blog, trackback is 100% appropriate. But what if you’re commenting on the same topic? Isn’t it ok to point a reference to your own thoughts?

Yes, Elliott, it’s okay. It’s not the most common usage, but you’re right it isn’t wrong. Ultimately I should have been honoured that Elliott:

1. Found Ensight
2. Wanted to talk about something I’d talked about
3. Decided to let me know he’d talked about it

I should have been honoured. Instead I’m embarrassed.

Again, Elliott, my apologies.