From Augie DeBlieck’s Pipline:
You get used to the “Bang! Pow! Zap!” headlines from the stalwart old media. It doesn’t make their lack of creativity any less stultifyingly silly, but you get to be numb after awhile. Plus, those headlines create a signal that the story you’re about to read is likewise written from a position of journalistic incompetence or ignorance.
When a member of the “New Media” blows it, though, it raises my hackles. For a group that so proudly proclaims itself more responsive, more open, and more creative, there are some very old concepts behind the curtain that make the hairs on the back of my neck stand on edge.
In a recent This Week in Tech, Leo Laporte dissed Google for explaining the technology behind their new web browser, Chrome, in a comic book. Leo claimed that it was insulting to the people that Google felt they had to dumb things down by putting it into comic book form.
Lord knows Andy Ihnatko tried to set the man straight earlier in the week on MacBreak Weekly when he compared the Scott McCloud comic to having a training video directed by Martin Scorsese.
In Augie’s article, he tears into Leo for this slight on the comics medium.
Though judging by his commentary on Chrome, and what makes it different from other browsers, I suspect he didn’t even read the comic.
And Leo, while you’re at it, I suggest that you read “Understanding Comics”.
Sigh…