The grand podcasting experiment
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Speaking is different than writing. With writing, you can put together an argument and polish it through multiple edits until you reach writer's nirvana. With speaking, you can't do that. Even to the extent that you can in a pre-recorded audio file (audio files can be edited, too), there is something more nerve-jangling about speaking to an audience, even if that audience is the unseen and anonymous visitors to the ZDNet web site.
At least, that was my experience when putting together this podcast. On the other hand, my recent experience with PalTalk (an online IM chat forum that enables audio and video chats) has made more obvious to me that there is something powerful about the spoken word that can't be matched by the written one.
Anyway, this podcast is exhibit A in an ongoing experiment. It's 31 minutes long, and it talks about the nature of corporations within the context of technology markets. Future installments will likely be shorter, but I said that about my ZDNet articles and found myself writing three-installment behemoths.
The podcast is available as an MP3 that can be downloaded or, if you’re already subscribed to ZDNet's series of audio podcasts, it will show up on your system or MP3 player automatically. See ZDNet's podcasts: How to tune in.