I always enjoy reading your blog. Keep it up.

I have also been reading your blog for years, but have never posted (yes, I am a jackass and will change my ways). You have always been ahead of the curve and I truly appreciate all of your posts. I have implemented many of you solutions to meet my business needs. You are an inspiration to the lotus community. I will continue to read your site regardless of any shifts in your blogs (write whatever you are interested in). Thank you again for all of your time, efforts, and down to earth explanations of complex issues serviced with real world domino solutions! As many expressed before, xpages truly change everything. I am currently drinking the kool-aid, and I only hope you do too and continue to assist the loyal domino community!...RockOn!...Peace....robk

I've been reading for years and have never commented. I don't do much notes web development, but like to keep tabs on it (you never know when your job will change).

I have enjoyed all your posts, regardless of what technology it is about. It is always good to see what is new and interesting.

I really enjoyed posts on your home office. I must admit it makes me jealous when I see someone who has created a job that allows them to work at home.

Cheers

Tim

Stop freaking out. I haven't done domino development or let alone any development in about 2 years. I still check out your site mainly because I find it interesting and I like the mix of new technology blogs, fun blogs and the blogs about domino.

The reason I like your blog is you don't seem to take things too seriously, and you enjoy what you do.

Life is too short and you have to do what makes you happy, otherwise you will look back at your life with a lot of regret. Nobody wants to do that.

Wishing you all the best, wherever your curiosity leads you!

- In short, blog for yourself. People who care or are interested will listen. Please do not conclude that Flex and Gears is not found interesting by your readers. I think most are interested, plus, this blog is about what you are interested in, not us. You continue to produce quite unique content that is appreciated by many.

- Don't confuse few comments for few readers. An overwhelming majority reads but does not comment. This is true for almost any website. Not commenting != not interested.

- I can imagine that only a small part of your website audience is a potential customer. It's good that the site gave you an initial, trustworthy network of customers, but it is risky to rely on it for new customers so it seems. I would focus on building a great portfolio, getting enlisted and doing pro-active marketing to further build your network. To be honest I see the current site as a tech mag, a good one at that. I happen to know that you have your own business, but it is not really obvious from this site. It does not seem like a site that sells your services.

Oh, and don't ever ask "permission for an early start" again. Just start early. Stop the pussification of the world ;)

You need to make yourself happy, that's for sure. But for me, like many others have said, I don't comment on every article even though I read everyone because I'm a novice in comparison to you.

But I do want you to know that because of you and Codestore I've started developing my Notes apps for the web and because of you I'm trying to start using Notes for my moonlighting business instead of PHP.

I find all of your articles interesting whether I can apply them or not; the ones about your family and the one a few months ago about Google Maps was great. Daily I find myself checking Codestore just to see if you've had a few extra minutes to write about something because I do enjoy it so much.

Unlike what others have said about being part of many blogs, yours is the only one that I care anything about reading. Occasionally I read come across others while Googling something but that's pretty much it.

Well brother I've wasted enough of your time, just hang in there and whatever you decide I'm still a devoted reader.

Thank you,

Aaron

-John

I half expected a response like this, but that is *not* why I wrote it. No, honestly!

I wrote it to just get it off my chest and release the mental shackles I'd placed on myself. From now on I want to make it fun for me to write on here. I need to take it way less seriously and disassociate this site from Rockall. Let's hope it works.

Jake

I agree with the comments above.

Most of the stuff you write about I haven't even thought about yet. You are probably always a year or two ahead of me. This site gives ideas and shows what's out there and helps shape direction. I feel I am not qualified to comment on your blogs although this is the only blog that I read consistently even when I'm on holiday and trying to forget about work.

I do enjoy equally your non domino posts and if you look back at "Going Down Town" for instance you will find that there are many comments and the majority of these are all from regular subscribers.

So in essence my message to you is to KEEP WRITING, but write about your interests as well.

Although we've never met and most likely never will I feel I know you from your blog and would miss our "friendship" if you left this cyber town.

Comments don't exactly equal interest. I specifically enjoyed reading about Flex and Google Gears, even though I didn't have anything specific to contribute. I would think your Google Analytics data would be a better indicator than the comments.

I eagerly check CodeStore everyday to see what's on your mind and the rest of the community!

Time passed and he noticed each day one man stopping to admire the clocks, then moving on. The clock maker wondered if the passer by had any interest at all in his clocks and wanted to have the chance to make a clock for the man if he didn't see what he liked in the window. So, one day, he stepped out and said, "Excuse me, I couldn't help but notice your interest. Is there something I can do for you? Perhaps a clock you would like which is not on display?"

"Oh," replied the man, "I'm not looking to buy a clock. I stop each day to set my watch by your clocks so I can be sure to ring the church bell precisely at noon each day."

Who's following whom? You've always been at the forefront, Jake, leading us into new areas - challenging us to keep up - an I've been one to profit from your curiosity about that which you find interesting. Thanks for that, and mind the perils of setting your clock to someone else's time! :-)

Like some of your readers, I read the majority of you posts and comment on a few - so don't read anything into the comments. I also like the fact that you do cover other technologies. If I ever find myself contemplating gears or flex and domino, then I'll be returning to your articles as a quick, well written and researched references to get me started. I even found the SQL article interesting and timely.

Personally, I blog about what interests me or something that I think might be useful, that said, my blog doesn't generate any business for me - so I don't need to consider that aspect. Maybe now that Rockall is the business site and you are well established then you can blog for yourself.

Now, as for 'dicking around'. I have stopped telling my other half that "I am playing with PHP or reading XYZ blog/website". If she asks, then I always say "I am working", because at the end of the day it is all related to work - just because I'm not in an office doesn't mean that it is less important.

I'll continue to read your articles, regardless of what you dickaround with...err...blog about.

;-)

The readers aren't going anywhere. You spent a lot of time writing about PHP a while ago, and yet you were still at the very top of the Domino blog list for everyone.

If Flex is more fun for you than XPages, show us how cool it is. You're definitely not the only Domino guy who's into Flex, so there's already some interest out there - maybe you could build up a thriving mini-community of Domino Flex geeks. Or you could just give a lot of Domino geeks a chance to see how the other side lives, and maybe they'll decide to invest some energy in that direction too.

I'm not a huge Flex fan, but the Gears topic is very interesting for me, personally. That doesn't always mean I'll comment, because, well, stuff happens. But if there was a thumbs up/down rating, I'd be clicking the up arrow.

Codestore seems to be less Domino lately, and more about related and allied technologies.

Gears is bound to have limited appeal on a replicating platform, personally I rather like it so I enjoy your gears stuff. I had a look at flex, and decided not, but at least you motivated me to have a look.

I always loved Codestore most when you were doing stuff with Domino that no-one else had thought of.

I'm hoping that when you really get into 8.5 on your newly installed server you'll be at it again. - When you get into xpages etc, there's plenty of scope for innovation. Even I'm at it, and I'm sure that all your regulars can't wait for you to start posting your famous 'hacks and work-arounds' for the new platform.

I don't think you should pack it in. The world would be a far poorer place without Codestore, and I remain a supporter and fan.

Codestore is something that really worth the job. Maybe you don't feel but me and all readers world around send to you and your family very positive vibes. The dedication and effort used on this blog for sure is not in vain. Maybe my hands doesn't reply your posts but surely my thoughts are always gratefull for your nice works and all your sharing. Keep sharing! Keep going! Maybe you don't realize but you help a lot clarifying us all.

There is a hugely useful back catalogue of information on Codestore for Domino developers. One of the reasons for this is your ability to make technical topics so readable and understandable to the rest of us. I don't think there are any other bloggers in the Domino arena that have deliverable anywhere near the quality of the articles that have appeared on Codestore. I still refer to many of the old ones and would be gutted if they disappeared a la "notestips").

Although Domino topics are most relevant to me I still find your other subjects interesting. I think you will have a loyal readership whatever you write about. But not writing at all would be a massive loss to the rest us.

Have you ever considered that you are actually ahead of the game, hence people are not commenting?

Both examples mentioned above, Gears and Flex, triggered heaps of discussion between me, friends and colleagues. In fact, I've only had a session with a Flex developer last weekend who wanted to have a closer understanding of Notes/Domino as there are huge cross selling and integration capabilities for specialists on both sides.

Keep the innovation flowing and share your findings on this blog. Your thoughts are a huge asset for the community, who is going to follow you eventually :-)

Christian

I've always liked the personal aspect of your blog, and also the non-domino stuff. At the end of the day technology is moving all the time as we all know too well, so in my world right now that means trying to utilise new technologies with domino (your flex tutorials were a perfect example). All excellent stuff.

Also, no comments doesn't mean no-one was interested, as you know so well, keeping up with all the blogs around nowadays is almost a full time job in itself, there is no way I could post a comment on everything I read.

Here's to the next 6 months anyway mate... And thanks for the past x years, invaluable.

So let me be clear about my interest in your blog.

I am currently subscribed to 181 blogs, which I look at every day. I always look at yours first. Yours is the only blog where I'm subscribed to the comments. Many of these 181 blogs have unread posts, 1000 unread right now, because my interest in them waxes and wains but there are several I always keep read up to date. Yours is one of those.

I am extremely interested in Notes/Domino for web development, XPages, Flex for Domino. I'm also quite interested in Google Gears and anything else that may have application to web development.

Keeping up with all my interests takes all my time so my reading is very focused. Commenting takes time away from that so, as I said above, I only comment when I think I can make a significant contribution to the discussion. I won't be commenting just to say, "Cracking post, Jake" if that's all I have to say. But I do try to say something nice if I'm making a comment.

In conclusion, I support you in whatever you decide because, after all, it's your life. I might say this about one or two other blogs but ... I'd pay to read your blog ... It's that interesting to me.

Peace,

Rob:-]

Codestore is popular because of the passion you put into it, regardless of topic. Sure, it's been mostly Domino, and that has attracted a specific audience. But if you do good work on other platforms or topics, that will attract an audience too. Your Google Gears post is an example -- it will find an audience just because it's good work and a good post.

So I agree with Aurora and recommend you follow your interest.

I also think that if Codestore were to move away from being a show of your technical expertise (regardless of platform), you'll come to regret it. There will come a time when you want a new client and Codestore will be a help in getting that new client... as long as it's still technically meaty.

I like the idea of thumbs up/down ... similar to other apps too like Facebook.