The First Blogs and Bloggers?

Thanks for the comment Emmer Group. It's helpful to look back and see what the best did and see how we can apply it today.  How can you use this information or where do you suggest we look to spark ideas?

Funny, I used to think I was on the cutting edge by having a professional paid blogging group at IBM in 1987 - until I looked at the 15,000 pamphlet titles that were produced in the 1700's. 

BTW, one answering comment to Thomas Paine's Common Sense ran over 70 pages in a pamphlet.  Would that qualify as a "rant?" LOL!

Bryan I'll bet you're right. Makes me want to go research!

Hey Donna: Thanks for your comment. How do you think Thomas Paine would have handled Twitter?

Thanks for your comments. What can we learn from history?

Tammie: Speed is the name of the game! I tell the real estate sales people I advise they have 15 minutes to respond to a weblead, not 24 hours. The publishing world has been turned upside down. Now it's web first, everything else after.

Christine: Old English, the king's English. It was like poetry and I can't imagine trying to write that way. Read some of the pamphlets to see the writing style. 

Kathleen, Pamela, and Fernando: Were the first tweets on the walls of caves?  They had to be short... imagine writing with something fashioned like a hammer.  Graffiti, or wall art/writing, has been around since the beginning of humans. You're right, it's in our DNA.

Carla: You're absolutely right. I wonder what the cost (in today dollars) would have been back then. Only the rich and organized could do it. The cost is lower now but as I tell clients, e-communication is not free.  The time and talent to make and distribute quality content is worth a lot.  What is the time worth?

Question: Was one of the first tweets "Don't tread on me"?

Mel & Gretchen: You are correct about the education aspect of this. I teach college writing classes at night. Public opinion is that young people don't write enough. However, becasue of e-communication, they are writing constantly now. The quality and content may not be what we would like but they are writing like crazy.  My step-son wrote 9,000 text messages in 1 month. Yikes! One thing they are learning, cream rises to the top. Better quality content and writing usually gets more attention. I'm concerned now that students don't interact face-to-face enough or by talking - phone etc. Some refuse to do anything but text even if they are standing in a small group together. 

Thanks again for your comments!