I know where you’re coming from in your need to defend the integrity of the term “podcast.” It’s good someone is still banging that drum as I’m resigned to accept that “podcast” will become a generic term as online audio becomes something that more and more people will use.

Reading your rant reminded me of the discussions that were going on in 2001-2002 about blogs vs. online journals and, well, as far as I’m concerned we lost that battle. (Well I was still trying to correct people as late as 2005, but I just got strange looks when I corrected people that livejournal hosted online journals not blogs so I gave up.)

For the non-techies and technophones “blogs” and “podcasts” are just so much catchier and nicer sounding than “online journals” and “downloadable audio files” so people will use them in much the same way Coke means soda.*

I’m not saying it’s right, but as the media continues to use these terms interchangeably we lose the fight for linguistic purity. I’m glad to have caught this discussion between you and Angela.

*I’ve had students in my classes fervently argue (a la Leo Laporte) that even our current use of “podcast” is wrong as it implies that the file should only be played on an I-Pod device. While such adherence to the origins of the term was noted in their grades, it does point out that we’re already on a slippery slope with the term.

Thanks for your response. I believe that you “get it.” But I think you were wrong to suggest that there are podcasts and “true podcasts.” That, in my mind, is a false distinction and bad information. My good friend Dgold is similarly wrong. Again, even Wikipedia will back me up on that.

As far as CiL is concerned: No, they do not get a pass. Sorry. Peer-reviewed or not, they are an influential magazine in our sphere and I’m gonna call them out when I think they’re publishing bad information. And, in this case, I most fervently do.

That said, it was a good article with much to suggest it. I said as much above. Understand that I’ve been banging this drum for years now. This is but one podrant amongst many.

Thanks again for your response. I’m disappointed that the UCOL project appears to have died with your departure.

Firstly, let me say I’m glad I have started a debate over my article as this at least gets people talking about podcasts and podcasting and thinking about how they might use them especially in libraries! That was the whole point of the research I was undertaking.

Speaking of which, I would like to point out that the article is based on research I was doing towards my Masters in Library and Information studies. For the purposes of my research I was not required to set up an RSS feed for my “Digital Audio Recordings”. My supervisor felt there was enough work involved in collating responses to the survey on the usage of the files and gathering feedback on useful topics libraries could cover. I am well aware this does not make our recordings true “Podcasts” which is why I carried on and ensured an RSS feed was set up after my research was finished. I am glad, Greg, that you did read and look further to discover our podcasts are in fact true podcasts now. But as you say at least it gives you something to rant about on your blog right?!! I would like to call you to question on your comment “this group of librarians doesn’t quite get it”. I believe I very well “get it”. During my research I discovered a lot of people had no idea of what a podcast was and so I was trying to explain it as simply as possible without losing them on grand explanations of RSS feeds and feed readers etc. I have found many people don’t know or even want to know about the technology behind how these things work - they just want them to work!! I do apologise if the explanation on our web site is not thorough enough for experts such as yourself, oh and thank you Dgold for backing my simple explanation.

I also note your next comment is how the 5 initial “Podcasts” have not been added to since the beginning of the year. This could be perhaps because I am no longer working at UCOL and obviously no one else there has the same passion for Podcasting as I did. Not a lot I can do about this I’m afraid! I do however hope that the podcasts that were made will continue to assist the current UCOL students and that in time someone will pick up this project and add to it.

I would like to put in a vote for the Computers in Libraries magazine. I personally find it a useful publication (which is why I wanted to write something for it!) It is not a peer reviewed publication therefore you cannot expect them to scrutinize everything they publish. In fact I was asked to produce a practice based article for the beginner so I’m glad you did find it useful from that point of view. The title of the article was not the one provided by me, perhaps the journal publishers felt this one about building communities would be catchy? I don’t know. The first time I saw it was when it came out in print and I received copies in my mail box. A bit late for me to correct things then I’m sure you will agree?

Anyway thanks for the chance to answer your “rant”. I’m not sure you actually have the right to “rant” that our podcasts are not podcasts considering during your “rant” you actually go on to discover that they are - but there you go!! Free speech and all that.

Go forth and create library podcasts (the real sort) and I’ll be happy - that’s all I was trying to achieve!

Angela

I’m gonna agree with you and disagree with you. There’s a surprise, right?

I’m gonna stick to my guns that an unsyndicated podcast is not a podcast. Not that this is a particularly good source to cite, but Wikipedia will back me up on that assertion: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcasting

But I’ll definitely take your point that I’m using RSS to encompass a variety of specifications, including ATOM, but that it’s not really accurate to do so, since ATOM really is a different spec altogether. So thanks for pointing that out. Think I might update the post to make note of that.

Laura, I hear what you’re saying, but we had downloadable audio files well before syndication of such. You know what we called them then: downloadable audio files. Sure, not as catchy, but at least it was accurate.

The problem for me is that people (and in particular, librarians) are trying to hop on the buzz-train, but they don’t understand where the train is going. At least, this group knew what the “true podcast” train looked like.