Yesterday morning, when I heard the news about the AOL Time Warner deal, I posted a quick commentary on this page. Later in the day I rewrote it. Rewriting is the most essential part of the writing process.
The piece became my Tuesday column, part of the the SiliconValley.com’s coverage of an event that looks more and more like a watershed.
UPDATE
This morning, after the column appeared online and in the San Jose Mercury News, I received the following e-mail, addressed to “Dan (knee-jerk) Gillmor:
Gillmor:
You’re column is beginning to look more and more like predictable, bathroom quality reading material. Truth be known, you don’t know squat about the AOL/Time Warner deal. Knee-jerk that.
MY TURN: Apart from his bad grammar and content-free message, the writer showed the kind of spinelessness I’ve come to expect from some of my correspondents. He didn’t sign his name, and he forged his return address. This character didn’t want to discuss anything.
I welcome criticism and conversation. I learn more from people who don’t agree with me than from people who do. But I prefer rebuttals that go beyond — dare I say it? — knee-jerk flames. And won’t bother replying to anyone who doesn’t sign his or her name.
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