It’s time to do a Blog related review of the year so here goes…
Best Blog Discovery:
Jack Yan – Http://www.jackyan.com/blog/. I found Jack via his blog but this multi-media megastar has a multitude of talents. Heck, he even had me recording morning television so I could follow the blog posts relating to his “You’ve got Male” appearances. He’s an expert on Branding, a Publisher, Type Designer and wonderful blog writer.
Best Comment:
Jack Yan's comments! I think at one stage he was adding more content to my blog via comments, close to 100, than I was via posts! Below is a favourite as it led me to an awesome BMC/Leyland/Rover site:
Jacks comment on New Mini 2 - another successful failure
Thank you, Robin! At last, someone who gets it! I was a big fan of the Mini Spiritual concepts—10 ft long, mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive, and had ambitious interior space targets which it met. Apparently, that was what the Poms thought Mini should be, and they were right in my opinion.
Best Blog Event:
Well, it’s not really a blog event but Autodesk University probably brings together more bloggers than many dedicated events manage so, as in 2005, it’s the highlight. Having the AU plane as Camtasia Screencast of the week was also cool.
Best Podcast:
Penn Jillette (of Penn & Teller) CBS Radio's Free FM pod-cast. I start work late, both to miss traffic and because I'm not a morning person, and finish late. Sometimes when the office gets quiet I retreat into Penn's world while I work. It's a great mix of comedy and craziness with a healthy dose of skepticism. There is one thing I find strange from “The land of the free…” given the language that's accepted on New Zealand public radio. He can't say the name of their TV show without "sanitising it" to “bulls hit!”!
It was also great to see them perform in Las Vegas at the end of perhaps the longest possible “Skeptical Saturday”. I awoke on Saturday morning in New Zealand to hear great radio interview with NZ Skeptics Chair-entity Vicki Hyde and boarded the flight to Las Vegas that evening. It arrived 15 hours later but thanks to crossing the dateline it was Saturday afternoon, again. That evening, something like 30 hours after hearing Vicki, I saw the Penn & Teller show. It was brilliant and my only regret was I didn’t hang around after to say hello in person.
Biggest Surprise?
Phil Bernstein read it. I must admit when VP Industry Relations & Strategy - Autodesk BSD Division walked up to me at AU and said “A client mentioned your blog about my presentation in Seoul so I read it today, in the car, on the way to meet them” my immediate thought was: “Oh shit, I can’t afford a lawsuit!”. It was something of a relief that he thought it was OK!
Busiest Month:
Huge Top Gear related bump in December/Jan and mostly Auto related posts in August for the Personal blog. On the CAD blog it’s usual Autodesk launch related peak around March.
Best Blog Decision:
Was one thing I didn’t do. At one stage during the year I seriously considered giving up, but I changed my mind.
Blog Related Concern:
What went wrong with the Origami? Microsoft nearly managed to be “iPod cool” but they blew it. A combination of poor marketing and a spectacularly crappy Microsoft style name sunk any hope of coolness for the “Ultra-mobile Personal Computer”. I wanted an Origami but I haven’t even bothered to try a UMPC. I haven’t seen any effort to promote them in New Zealand so I doubt few know what a UMPC is and even less care.
Best New Blog Tool:
It’s not really a blog tool but adding GyroQ to MindManager has been a nice addition to retain the thoughts that eventually become posts. Anytime during the day a couple of clicks captures it ready to consider when blogging time arrives. As I generally write and post after dinner that can be anything from 22:00 to sometime the following morning!
“Doh!” of the year:
The post Auto magazines, Print vs Web. Imagine you wrote a lengthy rant about how your favourite auto magazines should change their business model to cope with the increasing influence of the interweb; posted it and emailed a copy to the Editors. Then you discover, unknown to you, they were in the process of doing exactly as suggested and had started several months before. I will blame this Doh! on the fact that the web changes were on-line but the printed explanation didn’t arrive on our shelves until well after my post was written.
Best Reader:
You!, again! I said it last year and TIME copied me! Thanks to all who visit and to all I've met via the blog over the year. Have a Happy New Year and see you again next year
Boring Blog Stats – Only here so I can look back at them 
RobiNZ CAD Blog
Posts: 860 | Comments: 390 | TrackBacks: 67
VISITS: Total 159,389, Average Per Day 144
PAGE VIEWS: Total 284,009, Average Per Day 220RobiNZ Personal Blog
Posts: 978 | Comments: 398 | TrackBacks: 12
VISITS: Total 90,681, Average Per Day 92PAGE VIEWS: Total 128,072, Average Per Day 127
