Today 9Rules is down. I don't know if it is gone, or just lost.

When my site was accepted in 2009 I was pretty happy. Even though the network had been backsliding awhile - there was hope for a fresh revamp. It didn't quite seem to ever really happen though. I'm still part of 9Rules and I'm not giving up on it. But, I'm disappointed. Tonight, seeing it come up 404, I'm not feeling a lot of faith in it.

Just for inspiration, here are the original 9 rules:

According to the about page 9rules is a collection of blogs, showcasing the best content of the Independent web. 9rules was created in 2003, around 9 rules:

Love what you do. Never stop learning. Form works with function. Simple is beautiful. Work hard, play hard. You get what you pay for. When you talk, we listen. Must constantly improve. Respect your inspiration.

Long before the Internet people used the mail service as a cheap way to protect and establish their copyrights for written material. You just make a copy of your work and mail it to yourself. If you keep the envelope sealed you have a preserved copy of your work, dated by Canada Post (insert the name of the postal service in your location).  It was a cheap and fairly good way to prove your work was your own original work.

Now we have the Internet. Publishing online is risky if you want to control your written work, your words. Copyrights are in battle with artists, governments, corporations and the public all pulling in their own directions. Each group has their own agenda and all too often they don't really seem to listen to each other. At times they actually want the same thing and yet, can't see it.

Anyway, today I found a link to MyFreeCopyright.com on a blog by Veronica The Pajama Thief. I have seen it before but today I clicked the link and went for a visit.

I thought it was funny how the basis of the copyright plan was following the traditional idea of mailing your work to yourself. Something so old is still around, just in an updated version for the digital age.

This could work for most people. You would have something to show for the date your work was created. It would be using a service not of your own making to prove the date.

However, it doesn't really do anything to control your written work online. It's still out there, waving around like laundry on a clothes line. Anyone can still come along and take what they want. Publishing online is still reliant on the honour system, old fashioned trust and good will.

Is it frustrating? Yes. Is it worth steaming and stewing about? Not really. As individual artists we just don't have the resources to do a lot about it. I have had my work taken. I've even had my ASCII Art taken and claimed to be created by the person who took it. I only know about that because she was silly and posted it to the ASCII art newsgroup as her own. I was active in that group. Everyone that mattered knew I had created the work. She looked like a fool. So, in that case I had my petty revenge and the thief did admit what she had done. From that I learned to stop focusing on controlling my work online. Once I put it out there it really is available, fully and completely. I just have to do what I can to protect it, which isn't much.

I would like to see the copyright laws made to protect artist's work online. But, I can't see it really happening for us. For the corporations... yes. The music industry, the film industry... etc. those will be protected, as an industry. As individuals... I think we really just have ourselves and an old fashioned reliance on the honour system, good will and trust. Maybe a touch of karma, now and then.

This is an actual job post for an Online Editorial Assistant:

The ideal candidate will have consumer writing and web experience, as well as a background or educated interest in interior design. A post-secondary education is also required. Experience with a content management system (CMS) such as Drupal, WordPress, Joomla or Moveable Type are also assets. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word and Power Point for Mac computers is a must. The online editorial assistant will report directly to the Online Director, and liaise with the web team, iPad, Sales, Video and Creative Services Team and other departments of House & Home Media.

Job Responsibilities

• Research and write photo galleries, articles, blogs and other online content
• Reception relief duties
• Assist with research and production for iPad issues
• Contribute to online promotional materials as needed
• Assist with content creation and uploads for digital partners and initiatives
• Conduct photo research and crop images
• Assist with updating the online editorial calendar
• Contribute to online forums and social media communities
• Monitor site traffic, content performance and user experience
• Grab screenshots for results reports
• Review press releases/product info directed to houseandhome.com and, on occasion, attend/blog about events
• Develop content ideas and opportunities
• Other tasks as instructed by Online Director.

Really glad to see someone else thinking of Twitter as a social network rather than a marketing platform.

Copywriting.com: Copywriting for Twitter

Twitter has a strict limit of just 140 characters and that requires you to be concise… there’s no room for fluff or hype! So the real question should be: How do you use copywriting in a way that works for microblogs?

Microwriting 101 Learning to write in a sort of web-shorthand can be a challenge for those of us born to be verbose. Cramming all of my thoughts on a subject sometimes requires multiple postings, chunks of a virtual conversation, so to speak. But this type of writing can lend itself to opening up yourself to allow others a glimpse at your personality, which is ultimately what they will follow. This type of writing obviously can be very informal, but the goal here is to get across your ideas in a few words as possible, and spark reciprocal conversation.

Use Twitter to announce what you’re doing, share your trials and tribulations, seek answers or just about anything else you can imagine. The one thing you DON’T want to do is try and sell anything off Twitter. Work around it; the sales will come, when you’ve put in the time to build relationships.

This is a 30 day blogging challenge. Mainly for personal bloggers as the questions are all about you - who you are, what you like and what you are like.

Here is the list of the each day if you'd like to try it yourself!

• Day 1-Introduce yourself and give 15 interesting facts
• Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name
• Day 3-Your first love
• Day 4-Your parents
• Day 5-Your siblings
• Day 6-A picture of something that makes you happy
• Day 7-Favorite movies
• Day 8-A place you've traveled to
• Day 9-A picture of your friends
• Day 10-Something you're afraid of
• Day 11-Favorite TV shows
• Day 12-What you believe
• Day 13-Goals
• Day 14-A picture you love
• Day 15-Bible verse
• Day 16-Dream house
• Day 17-Something you're looking forward to
• Day 18-Something you regret
• Day 19-Something you miss
• Day 20-Nicknames
• Day 21-Picture of yourself
• Day 22-Favorite city
• Day 23-Favorite vacation
• Day 24-Something you've learned
• Day 25-Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs
• Day 26-Picture of your family
• Day 27-Pets
• Day 28-Something that stresses you out
• Day 29-3 Wishes
• Day 30-A picture

via It's Good to be Queen: 30 Day Challenge.