Where is the Kernel of Your Blog

February 9, 2009 · Comments

kernels In software terms, a kernel is the deep core functionality of your operating system. It’s really that which defines the rest of what follows. Kernels are tiny cores from which everything else flows.

Saying J.P. Rangaswami is brilliant probably would be selling his multi-faceted self short. I read his blog all the time. I was fortunate enough to have dinner with him and many more thanks to an invitation from Laura Fitton this past year. Though we didn’t talk much, I was happy to see that he was every bit as engaging in person as he is on his blog.

But, the real point is this: J.P. ’s kernel. Yes, he has a kernel for his blog.

I’ve read it before. I’ve actually read it about four times over the last year. But the idea is brilliant.

Could you distill your blog down to a simple operational kernel around which you’d write the rest of your “code?”

What do you think?

Photo credit That Girl

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader.

Tagged as: , , ,

ChrisBrogan.com runs on the Thesis Theme for WordPress

Thesis WordPress theme

Thesis is the search engine optimized WordPress theme of choice for serious online publishers. If you’re a blogger who doesn’t understand a lot of PHP, Thesis will give a ton of functionality without having to alter any code. For the advanced, Thesis has incredible customization possibilities via Thesis hooks.

With so many design options, you can use the template over and over and never have it look like the same site. The theme is robust and flexible enough not only to accommodate a site like ChrisBrogan.com, but also to enable the site to run far more efficiently than it ever has before.

  • I am going to put my marketing hat on and suggest that the "kernal" should really be a landing page designed to encompass who you are and why someone should read your blog in less than 10 seconds, plus an opt-in form.
    Sure you can add a verbose version, but it should still encompass a structured format and be designed for a specific purpose.
  • Our "kernel" is being the local lifestyle magazine on-line. This encompasses, interestingly, almost everything I want to write about, but also service pieces which are what people want to know, particularly about businesses and schools, parks and recreation.
  • My blog is actually about corn, so I this game might be too easy for me?
  • A blog's kernel is in front of the screen, it's the writter I think.
  • Hm. I find his kernel longish, more in the entire cob range. That's a great big lot of italics to call a kernel -- there's a lot of thinking in there, but the mental picture it evokes is not "kernel." The word "kernel" evoke something small, dense, and with fantastic potential for growth or unpacking; something latent, not developed at length.
  • I like this concept, would you say this was analogous to having a theme for your book?

    But I agree with Sophie above, the kernel on his site was pretty long, more like a manifesto really. It certainly shows a great deal of thought went into the blog, but I think he could have pared it down somewhat to its core principles for publication. he's really making the reader work at it. ;)
  • I think the "kernel" of an author's writing will come out over time if they truly enjoying writing. If you're here just to echo the big tech blogs and such, you don't have much of a kernel.

    But if you enjoy writing and put effort into it, over time, your voice will come through. I think it's only natural.
  • I agree with @Andy Beard. JP's treatise, albeit lofty and engaging, is anything but the "tiny core" :)

    What's the difference between kernel and manifesto anyway?
  • In my opinion, a site's kernel should be evident on every page. To me, it shouldn't matter what page visitors first land on. They should easily be able to get a sense of what they entire site is about. If they want to read more in depth without having to go through every post, they can (and hopefully will) read the About page.

    On every page, visitors to my site can see the kernel "Self-Promotion for Smart People."
  • I have to agree with Sophie, I thought "kernel" would be something small. As I read the example, I thought of exactly the word Scott used; manifesto. I think if a kernel could be reduced to one phrase, and could be plastered on every page, maybe in the footer or the header, it would be effective. It could then be a filter for every post, a constant reminder of why the blog exists.

    That's what I've tried to do in the slogan of my own blog: "Write strong. Work smart. Live well." Sure, that's really a motto. But I guess I don't really have the patience for such an extended blog justification. At least not right now.
  • How about a kernel of truth, or is that too corny!

    Gary McElwain
  • Thanks for drawing attention to this, Chris. A powerful viewpoint on what it means to build community and how transparency and technology are changing business.
  • Couldn't it be just as simple as having your tagline at the top of each blog page? Mine is below the title, MarketingMoment, and is simply:

    "For When You Need New Business –– And Fast!"

    Hopefully, that sums up what my blog is about (mainly, as I sometimes inject some personal stuff in there, too -- which begs another question: should a business blog be purely about business, or could it accommodate more personal posts, too?).
  • The kernal of my blog might be that as thing progress, to really realize everything that's going on and what the possibilities are we're going to have to change the way we look at everything.

    Nice idea though.
  • I've been working on this for quite some time. I think that my tag line probably sums it up best:

    "There are more than 2 or 3 ways to look at any issue; there are at least 27."
  • Interesting post. A metaphor I like more than kernel though is to compare it to a movie logline - essentially a one line description of the movie's concept. A good logline can convince a studio to spend millions of dollars on a movie. A good blog logline may not do the same, but it's probably just as crucial for success.
blog comments powered by Disqus

Previous post:

Next post: