{"id":161,"date":"2009-07-16T13:10:00","date_gmt":"2009-07-16T13:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/johnpicacio.com\/onthefront\/2009\/07\/16\/cheryl-morgan-convention-reporter\/"},"modified":"2014-12-14T18:45:43","modified_gmt":"2014-12-14T18:45:43","slug":"cheryl-morgan-convention-reporter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/johnpicacio.com\/onthefront\/2009\/07\/16\/cheryl-morgan-convention-reporter\/","title":{"rendered":"Cheryl Morgan & Convention Reporter"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p> $\"\"$ <\/a>Cheryl Morgan<\/a> has unveiled her latest creation \u2014 Convention Reporter<\/a>. Ever spent big chunks of time trolling the internet searching for threads and reports about an sf\/fantasy convention that\u2019s currently happening? Well, this website is the answer to your prayers (and just in time for the upcoming World Science Fiction Convention in Montreal<\/a>). First, a quick word about Cheryl \u2014 she\u2019s one of the nominees this year for the Hugo Award<\/a> for Best Fan Writer, and it\u2019s not just because she generates some of the best fan reporting and discussion found anywhere. It\u2019s just as much for her commitment and vision, creating sites like Convention Reporter and the well-regarded Science Fiction Awards Watch<\/a>. For my money, she\u2019s one of the essential voices of today\u2019s sf community, and when she talks, smart people listen. \n

Have a look at some of the folks that will be joining me as \u201ccon reporters\u201d in this new effort \u2014 Lou Anders<\/a>, Neil Gaiman<\/a>, John Scalzi<\/a>, Mary Robinette Kowal<\/a>, Cory Doctorow<\/a>, and more. Decent company, I\u2019d say.<\/p>\n

So how does this work? Cheryl explains: \u201cThis is what you might call a \u2018mashup\u2019. That is, it is an online service that works by collating information from a variety of other online services and presenting it in an single, simple interface.<\/p>\n

Science fiction conventions are very well reported on these days. Convention attendees write reports on their blogs, and on web sites such as LiveJournal and Facebook. They upload photos. They may even tweet live from the convention. Modern smart phone hardware is starting to allow direct creation and uploading of YouTube video. The potential is endless.<\/p>\n

But how do you find these reports? Hashtags are one solution; this is another. Very simply, we ask people who are planning to cover a convention to register with us, and we make all of their reports easily accessible in one place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Should be a lot of fun being a part of this effort in Montreal, and beyond. \ud83d\ude42 Thanks, Cheryl!<\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"