DISQUS

Thanks for your kind words! Glad to hear you're enjoying your exploration of Habari.

Keeping things simple is deeply ingrained in the culture of Habari: you won't see us adopting any of the bloat which WordPress has come to see. Heck, even pingback functionality isn't core (instead, it's in one of the default plugins).

Fortunately, there is a very powerful plugin architecture and API (http://doc.habariproject.org/api). Unfortunately, the API is still a little undocumented–but I think you'll be pleasently surprised by how clean the code is as well as how powerful. Almost any plugin can be easily built using the API.

As you explore, we'd love specific feedback about what could be improved–particularly regarding documentation,

You mention I must be '30-something' and that you're not too sure whether I have children or not. How about trying my 'About' page? That shows I'm 27, studying towards an Ed.D., am married and have a 17-month old son. I was commenting about what I would and would not let *him* do if he were that age.

interesting to note this is the exact same kind of laziness you engaged in by not reading *my* about page.

And yes, for the record, I *do* remember being 15. I remember registering with Compuserve with my Dad's credit card, making sure Internet calls were less than 60 mins so they didn't show up on the phone bill, and cancelling the Compuserve account after less than 30 days so it didn't show up on his credit card bill. But if he'd found out I'd fully have expected him to go ballistic. That's the difference.

Saying (and therefore stereoyping) teenagers as 'being a certain way' does them a disservice. That's what people are trying to do with Arthus, after all!

You are the one stereotyping teenagers as somehow being too immature and useless to engage in an adult conversation. We don't all steal credit cards you know...

Unfortunately, society encourages this kind of stereoptyping and assumptions. I can't count how many times I have had a store owner follow me around just to make sure I didn't shoplift anything or cause destruction, just because I am a teenager. (Funnily enough, I bet I make more per hour than him, thus being much less likely to steal.)

I wasn't actually *pushing* Arthus to reveal his 'real identity' - just pointing out the incongruity of revealing pretty much everything else and thinking that by hiding his name that somehow makes for good practice. I was shocked when he responded by video - I felt he'd completely missed the point. :-(

Once again, you miss the point of why I keep my real name secret. I would be absolutely fine with everyone in the edublogosphere knowing who I really was. That's why I am perfectly willing to share my photo or video. In fact, I'm willing to tell people my name in a non-public forum if they want it. The *only* reason I don't share my real name publicly is because I don't want the reverse: people from real life being able to Google my name and find all of this stuff. Why? Let's just say teachers can get rather tough with the grading pen when you are pointing out problems of theirs.

I'm not entirely sure what point you're trying to make with your 'reference to sources' paragraph. However, as E-Learning Staff Tutor next year I'll certainly be trying to instill good practices in both staff and students. That, to me, is part of 'digital literacy' and something I'll be discussing in my Ed.D. thesis. :-)

Knowing to cite sources doesn't require advanced academic degrees, which I think we agree on. I can do it just as well as you (and do, when appropriate and needed).

Wait, so now *thinking* doesn't have to do with intelligence? Give me a break.

Give me a single instance where something is on a "higher level than I can comprehend."

If you want to say I don't have the experience to truly appreciate certain things, that is perfectly valid. But if you are going to insult my intelligent (which comprehension invariably is tied to, not experience), then cite an example.

Look further back, when I actually had the time to take photos. If my only crime is not being a good photographer, than I am far from alone.

He (and others) are being used to serve the agendas of others or to show that they are somehow 'down with the kids'.

Yea, I'm a helpless pawn so stupid that I am easily manipulated into doing and saying whatever helps the agenda of so-called professionals.

Give me a break. That's just plain condescending to assume that my age makes me so naive that I can be manipulated into serving people's agendas.

Nobody created me and nobody controls me.

My point is that your points are moot. You complained of me not showing my image: I just did. That's how an argument works: you make ridiculous points, and I make counterpoints which trump your arguments.

"I'd like to make the point first of all that Arthus, and any other teenager, can't respond in this manner."

That is a flat out lie. I just did, and you know it. I have shared my image many times before and saying I can't respond in this manner not only trivializes your points, but makes you seem like one who couldn't be bothered to check your facts.

You didn't say all teenagers. You very specifically said Arthus.

Nice job lying.

A) I have shown my image in both video and photos.
B) I have talked on plenty of live podcasts or vodcasts.
C) I have spoken at conferences.

You continue to claim that the job of students/student councils is to *inform* the professionals, yet have not offered a single argument as to how what I am doing is not exactly that: informing professional educators.

I am seeing it right now.... don't continue to support rediculous claims with outright fallacies.

Learn to check your facts. You (and anyone) is always free to give me a call: http://myfla.ws/about/. Or maybe you should talk to one of the many people who attended EduCon 2.0 and my session/presentation.

You can also check out my Flickr photos (some of which include my family, I'm sure): http://flickr.com/photos/arthuserea/

As was mentioned above, I have spoken at conferences as well as been on many a podcast or live video. Regardless of what you may feel about me, you can't say I'm some digital mirage.

Seesmic video reply from Disqus.

That's your response for everything, isn't it–that someone else doesn't understand.

I have responded to your comment over on my blog:

http://myfla.ws/blog/2008/07/09/the-140-charact...

That's because, frankly, most student teacher blogs are a load of hogwash.

For the most part, the idea would be to do a parody: exaggerating the ridiculousness of some in the School 2.0 crowd.

Have you even bothered to read my blog?

The point is to prove that his allegations of me somehow being an inferior writer, thinker, or blogger are based purely upon my perceived age.

Even as the exact same writer, without knowing my age, Doug would not criticize me and say I should be barred from the blogosphere.

First, a little context:
<ul>
<li>Doug has a long history of considered me a <q>smart-ass, loner kid...who doesn't make many friends.</q><li>
<li>Doug has held the belief that I am somehow being manipulated and idolized without my knowledge.</li>
<li>This post was precipitated by a post Darren Draper wrote upon a Twitter exchange.</li>
<li>Doug apparently still thinks of me as a little boy stumbling into a world he wants to keep me out of.</li>
<li>I apologized appropriately for my rudeness on Twitter.</li>
</ul>

I am loathe to descend to your level, Doug (since it is such a low level), but I fear I must–if only to make sure your readers get the full story. That being said, I do not wish to participate in your troll tactics. If you want to give me a reasoned, rational response free of blatant ageism, I will be happy to read it. Otherwise, please keep it to yourself.

I’d love to hear some proper justifications of why I should that aren’t platitudes or crowd-pleasing posturing… ;-)

I'd love to think that you, as someone who has at least some degree of intelligence, could write something which transcends that. This very post runs amok with platitudes, and the only reason for publishing it that I can see is to engage in crowd-pleasing posturing.

Since when did Twitter become your domain? This is not a symposium where you can just shut the doors. The internet is a free place, and if many intelligent teachers chose to read what I write, that is their prerogative—you can't dictate what the rest of the world should read.

They haven’t had much life experience. In the same way that you wouldn’t appoint a newly-qualified teacher to run a school, teenagers haven’t got the experience to make fully informed comments on education. They only see one side of the picture.

Your example proves my exact point. Am I teaching or running a classroom? No, I am just giving ideas and suggestions. As for seeing only one side of the picture, the same could be said of you far more than of me.

The transparency that we almost demand in the edublogosphere - even the simple ‘what’s your name and where do you come from’ - cannot be provided by these youngsters due to child protection issues. The edublogosphere therefore just becomes another anonymous forum to them.

First of all, your degrading monikers only prove your own immaturity in the face of perceived threats. Where do I live? Hinesburg, VT. The only reason I don't share my real name isn't because of ridiculous "child protection" issues—I just don't want outright slander like this showing up should someone Google me. Furthermore, how do we even know that you are Doug Belshaw? What keeps you from adopting a fake pseudonym to use when slandering others and I?

They tend to be ships without a rudder, speeding off in one direction and then another. Yes, they need interactions with more mature people to give them this ‘rudder’, but I would argue that they learn by imitation. The best place for this is offline - especially given point 2!<?blockquote>
You offer absolutely no justification for this absurd statement. What was I blogging about last time you chose to display your outright ageism? Education. What am I blogging about now? Education. In the last 10 posts on your blog, far more of them are random spins into strange lanes than any of mine. If the best you can do is make accusations and comments with no proof to back it up, then I can see why you attack 14-year-olds, since they are usually easier targets.

It’s not up to me who you follow on Twitter or whose blogs you read, but I see teenagers as having the same role in the edublogosphere as student councils do in schools. That is informing professionals.

Here is where your argument breaks down atrociously. What am I doing if I am not informing professionals? Hopefully, must teachers are professionals. And I'm certainly not in a classroom teaching.

On a final note about maturity, I would like you to do a search through my blog and find how many smilies I use. Also, find how well I cite my sources. Oh, and maybe take a look at the images I use (they're all Creative Commons license). Who has more Myspace-esque widgets in their sidebar? I don't think these things matter, but if we're going to go into an argument about maturity and sense than I suggest you take a look in the mirror. Do you see a professional?

By the way, I'm 15: at least bother to check your facts, or didn't they teach you that in your years of schooling?

And who does the leaving out? Mainly you, with your "students should be forbidden from participating in intelligence discussions."

For the record, I probably use my phone less than most of you. I hate texting and try to leave my phone at home as much as possible.

Students have a role to play the blogosphere as well. We are the ones being educated and thus we have a unique perspective upon the dialogue.

By your logic, the oldest man alive should be the President.

Ageism: The assumption that a person's age should determine their social status and their roles in society.

I fail to see how this is *not* an example of ageism. Based purely upon my age, you seem to assume I have no valid opinion and should stop playing in a "grown-up's world."

Since we're slinging insults, maybe I should be the one to say: get out of *my* digital world, old man. :P

I have responded over on my blog. http://myfla.ws/blog/2008/07/09/the-140-charact...

It is not your job to establish boundaries. I chose to include myself in this conversation, with the consent of my parents.

Calling names does absolutely nothing to aid your argument.

That being said, I really must thank you for being such a wonderful troll on the ITM post: your fierce ageism attracted far more readers and followers than staying silent would have.

Absolutely not... this is a record of me and how others responded to it. I leave the reader to be the judge.