Dave Winer asks how linkbacks are different from a referrers page. Answer: my referrers page has scalability issues which this linkbacks system attempts to solve by grouping referrers by the posts they link to. Also, putting them in the same context as the posts creates a positive feedback loop, both encouraging people to link to me and rewarding them for doing so.
I’m more interested in exploring how this relates to IO. In one sense they are similar, in that I can post in my own space but see other people’s responses in context. But that’s really just a surface similarity; I think they serve two different purposes. IO is more controlled — you have to subscribe to other people’s feeds to read their responses — and is therefore better suited for intentional collaboration. Auto-linkbacks are more about exploration and manufacturing serendipity. Must explore this further.
Later: Les Orchard says linkbacks are better that a single referers page because these linkbacks appear in context. The conversation is built up from links in place and on topic and where the action is.
Note that this is only true temporarily (at least in my implementation), since my linkbacks expire within a few days. But what it does do is alert me to responses I may want to link to permanently. Like, uh, this one.
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