More arab Bloggers voice thier frustration

By: Qwaider

On:Saturday, October 14, 2006 12:25:53 AM
In:Thoughts
Viewed: (5949) times

Currently 4.6/5 Stars.
1
2
3
4
5

Rated 4.6/5 stars (228 votes cast)

A bunch of Arab bloggers with very active blogs have voiced their frustration with a service called iToot.

final

The service is supposedly professional and adds blogs as based on diversity and good content, while many argue that it's not the case and that it's based more and more on Wasta

+ Moeys
+ Amino
+ Abed

A few months ago, I voiced similar frustrations over the approach that toot has towards the addition and selection of blogs

Many blogs on iToot, are not really as great as iToot claims them to be, and many have not been updated in months. Some even don't have content! While others are full of what I can describe as pure junk! Extremely personal posts, One liners, Copy and paste, and new re-reporting.

When I complained about it to Co-founder Ahmad Humaid on 360East, and stated that there appears to be "Wasta" at play here. He totally ridiculed my comments (and later on deleted them), he was also supported in that by Roba. Later on expressing that it's a "Private venture" justifying giving them every right to be as unprofessional and personal as they want.

UPDATE:

The article I mentioned is here:http://www.360east.com/?p=561 With comments below. I did say that they were deleted, but I apologize, they are there

I don't want to start bashing iToot for their work, I think it will take them time to really be professional and impartial in their judgement. Rather than basing it on "personal" likes and dislikes

Additionally, if any site is rejected, it should be stated as to "WHY" which is a basic right many need to know to actually improve.

Many of the sites that didn't make the final cut (For example AbedHamdan's life, Moey, and Memories Documented just to name a few) are WAY more active than ... well lets say 90% of all the blogs on iToot combined.

It appears that a bunch of the frustrated Arab bloggers (iToot claims to be the Arab blog network). Have joined together to create iBaloo6, I'm not sure about how serious this venture is but it seems to be legitimate so far.

Hopefully, with time, we will see iToot grow to become what it was "supposed" to be, a place for all good Arab blogs to be, and not based on Wasta and personal opinions about people ...

And I'll leave you with this funny picture by a good friend of mine, (when he saw my frustration with iToot) I think it's funny, while others don't ...

Other Memories Documented on October 14

Conclusions.....
by: Qwaider.
In: 2009
Viewed: (2393) times

Always, follow your passion..
by: Qwaider.
In: 2008
Viewed: (2252) times

Abu Nakad!..
by: Qwaider.
In: 2007
Viewed: (3651) times

ZZZzzzzzz!..
by: Qwaider.
In: 2007
Viewed: (2203) times

اللي بدّو الدنيا ابيض و اسود..
by: Qwaider.
In: 2006
Viewed: (3869) times

Memories Documented in JP Iftar..
by: Red Rose.
In: 2006
Viewed: (4869) times

مظاهرات حاشدة تجتاح العواصم العربية احتجاجا..
by: Qwaider.
In: 2006
Viewed: (6366) times

Memories documented enters bid..
by: Qwaider.
In: 2006
Viewed: (5036) times

« Welcome to Wireless@SG

Memories documented enters bid »

Memories....

#1
Moey
Said
On: 10/14/2006 12:30:49 AM

hahahaha meen 3emelha.. hahahahahahah

#3
Abed. Hamdan
Said
On: 10/14/2006 12:45:32 AM

Ummm,

let's say im not that frustated, but I think that itoot is not "open-minded" as they claim. Rather, they are biased to certain political orientation which has become more and more obvious and as a normal consquence of being biased; it's losing decency and readers loyalty.

#4
hamede
Said
On: 10/14/2006 12:46:52 AM

This is v good one.

#6
Ahmad Humeid
Said
On: 10/14/2006 2:24:05 AM

Qwaider,

You have the right to think what you want about toot and what moey and co are doing is cool.

But I have problem with your wrongful accusation that i rediculed your comment and deleted it on 360east. I think you have made a big mistake in what you said.

Our whole conversation about toot including all your comments is here:

http://www.360east.com/?p=561

I did not delete any of your comments as far as I remember. And I did not redicule you. It's simply not true.

#7
Batir
Said
On: 10/14/2006 2:33:28 AM

I sense your frustration and although I do not know the real reasons for not including the active and cool blogs taht you have mentioned I think it is because some people might accuse itoot of being "too Jordanised" if it contains a lot of Jordanian blogs. I would be interested to take a look a the list of non-Jordanian blogs rejected by toot to make a pattern.

#8
Nas
Said
On: 10/14/2006 3:04:18 AM

first, yea it was too jordanised but the creators are jordanian so thats only natural to have it be like that during its first few months online. it's the sphere of influence. but its branching out more and more to become arab.

secondly, i don't know the process of selection, i was just added from the get go. however i have to say it is their site, and it is a privlage to be on it and not, as some seem to feel, a right. itoot is not the olympics, there is no set standard and you don't get a letter saying you failed to meet it or your urine sample came back with traces of heroin. it's completely subjective selection and that's the point.

i dont see that there's any wasta involved but if there is then that's their choice. i do feel that the top reads involve a lot of what roba personally likes as sometimes someone will have a more comprehensive post and a much better post on a certain topic but another blogger's post will be picked. but once again, thats the point, it's supposed to be selective not to mention she's only one person and cant be expected to read over 148 blogs a day.

third, i don't quite understand the criticism at times. it makes me wonder: would it make a difference if you or others were added? i'm not trying to be patronizing btw, i'm actually curious to know.

anyways, if people are really pissed off about not being added or the process of selection or have difficulty with unexplainable rejection..then they start their own site/aggregator.

(just dont forget to add me bro) :-D

#9
Qwaider
Said
On: 10/14/2006 3:11:13 AM

Ahmad, I did feel that your replies were kind of sarcastic regarding my comments. Especially when I gave "wasta" as an example.

I thought I had my comments on a different article, so I cordially apologize, and I will make an update with that

#10
hamede
Said
On: 10/14/2006 3:25:29 AM

Read by hamede 42 times,how is that.

#11
Ahmad Humeid
Said
On: 10/14/2006 3:38:28 AM

Thanks Qwaider for correcting your post. Maybe I was a bit sarcastic, but I did not mean to redicule.

#12
SweetAdmin
Said
On: 10/14/2006 3:47:48 AM

Hamede, why did you read it 42 times?

#13
hamede
Said
On: 10/14/2006 3:57:31 AM

I did not read it 42 times it is wrong.

#14
Moey
Said
On: 10/14/2006 4:46:12 AM

I didnt for 13 as well

#15
7ala
Said
On: 10/14/2006 9:11:35 AM

I think you are all making a big issue of this !

Guys , do you write becoz you love writing, you want your voice to be heard by many people and you want to make a difference , or you write becoz you want to be added to JP and toot and other communities ??!!

Ma tkabbro el2omor !

#16
Shaden
Said
On: 10/14/2006 10:44:55 AM

I would understand your "frustration" if itoot was some kind of annoying commercial that is imposed and forced upon you but it's not.

They can claim that they add the best blogs out there, or that Jordanian blogs are better in terms of design and content and therefore have more right to appear on toot, and nothing should be wrong about that. It's their aggregator, just like this is your blog and you can add only blogs you like and not what others think should be on your list. You will post about whatever you want and say what you want, there's nothing such as professional when it comes to blogging, it's not a job to start with.

I'm not on toot either but it's not a big deal ya3ni.

#17
Qwaider
Said
On: 10/14/2006 11:02:04 AM

Well then Shaden, Objectivity is no longer maintained and the "picking" is always biased towards what one (or select few) think is right.

I agree, it's their own little gig and they can decide to run it any way they like it to be run

#18
Khaled
Said
On: 10/14/2006 12:29:51 PM

ya 3amme ele bejannen bezyadeh eno hay esha'3leh mawjodeh kanam 3ala el Jordan Planet... sho y3ni bedna was6a meshn nefoot el Jordan planet? Efft ya :P

Y3eeeeesh elbaloo6!

#19
Qwaider
Said
On: 10/14/2006 12:45:32 PM

Wallahi ya Khaled Jordan planet are clear, 1 month and you're automatically in (with few exceptions)
And frankly, they spoiled us with this ... we're expecting transparency from everyone now

#20
Khaled
Said
On: 10/14/2006 4:52:31 PM

bas I've sent a request for them 10 or 11 months ago and still waiting... even I told mala2e6 that I'm not intrested anymore with a site that needs this period to add me!

#21
queenie
Said
On: 10/14/2006 11:23:04 PM

I thought I was the only person who thought there was some "wasta" going on in at Toot...
Over the past year, I have applied to be added around 3 times, and each time they add new blogs, I notice that many of them have just started up, and not nearly as professional, it was annoying. I'm glad there's another more "Arab" alternative :)

#22
Abed. Hamdan
Said
On: 10/15/2006 12:02:03 AM

Queeni:

you have noticed http://dwwen.com , haven't you ??

It's a decent arab blogs aggregator, that will add you within two days, it's decetn, unbiased, and professional..go add ur blog!

#23
pissed off gulfie
Said
On: 10/16/2006 10:43:14 PM

itoot discriminates against gulf blogs especially kuwait blogs, unless they happen to have 'jazira' or 'anti regime' or 'anti american' sensibilities - most accepted from kuwait are lebanese or non kuwaiti nationality

there is wasta in itoot anyone who says otherwise is a liar - i expect a professional and unbiased approach towards the gulf ...dozens upon dozens of great blogs with brilliant writing about the region are not included in Itoot and some blogs ..which talk about cheeseburgers and donuts - are included in itoot.

its all b.s.