While I was recovering I decided to start a new site. Its name is DFWProgrammer.com. My goal is to build a community site built around being a programmer or other type of high-tech professional in the DFW region of Texas.
Part of my goal is to learn how to build a high traffic web-site. In this case I mean doing the stuff that attracts traffic, not developing the software. I’m pretty confident that the server and the software will handle however much traffic I throw at it.
So part of my strategy will be to post actual technical stuff over there. I have several articles queued up that would normally be posted here, but given my direction I’m going to post them in the forum areas of DFWProgrammer.com. I’m going to be interested to see how it works out. My goal is to use what I write to start conversations in the forums. I think this will have two advantages over the usual blog approach. First, I write stuff from my point of view and based on my experience. Based on my experience presenting stuff this leaves gaps creating questions for my audience and a forums makes asking questions really easy. Second, I don’t turn on comments on my blogs so if you want to respond to something you need your own blog and do a trackback. Using a forum means you can just respond right then and there.
Ultimately DFWProgrammer.com is going to be a 12 month experiment (May 07 to May 08). If it achieves my goals I’ll let it live. Otherwise – I nuke it and try something else.
The biggest problem I’m having right now is finding time to get my initial content created and posted. I have several articles waiting on me, but I have so freaking many distractions. I need to figure out a way to get things moving a little faster. Basically, I need to work on better time management.
What about GuerillaProgrammer.com? It will remain and continue to be my personal web-site. This blog will get the usual pabulum crap of my life – motorcycle racing, back porch philosophy, etc. The meaty technical stuff will be put in DFWProgrammer.com.