Comments on: Am I professional enough for CellarTracker? http://wine-scamp.com/2008/02/12/am-i-professional-enough-for-cellartracker/ Wine, wine, wine, more wine and motherhood Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:47:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Andrea Middleton http://wine-scamp.com/2008/02/12/am-i-professional-enough-for-cellartracker/comment-page-1/#comment-1112 Andrea Middleton Sun, 17 Feb 2008 18:57:57 +0000 http://wine-scamp.com/2008/02/12/am-i-professional-enough-for-cellartracker/#comment-1112 Thanks for all the comments, everyone. Seems like the quandary's resolution is out of my hand, regardless of my professional status. ;-) I'm definitely in good company, though, on CT! I agree that it's not pretty to look at, but I must say it's one of the most useful pieces of free software I've encountered since Gmail. I look forward to sifting through my wineblogger colleagues' TNs... Thanks for all the comments, everyone. Seems like the quandary’s resolution is out of my hand, regardless of my professional status. ;-)

I’m definitely in good company, though, on CT! I agree that it’s not pretty to look at, but I must say it’s one of the most useful pieces of free software I’ve encountered since Gmail. I look forward to sifting through my wineblogger colleagues’ TNs…

]]> By: Dr. Debs http://wine-scamp.com/2008/02/12/am-i-professional-enough-for-cellartracker/comment-page-1/#comment-1045 Dr. Debs Wed, 13 Feb 2008 22:07:13 +0000 http://wine-scamp.com/2008/02/12/am-i-professional-enough-for-cellartracker/#comment-1045 You did use winescamp. Nice cellar. Can't wait to read your tasting notes! You did use winescamp. Nice cellar. Can’t wait to read your tasting notes!

]]> By: Dr. Debs http://wine-scamp.com/2008/02/12/am-i-professional-enough-for-cellartracker/comment-page-1/#comment-1040 Dr. Debs Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:30:34 +0000 http://wine-scamp.com/2008/02/12/am-i-professional-enough-for-cellartracker/#comment-1040 Andrea, they choose the "professionals," so even though I think you would qualify, it's not clear how Eric selects them. But it's his database, so he gets to decide. However, it is possible to search for reviews by using the searchbox and typing in a user name, then using the pulldown to search under "users." Most people have easily figured out usernames. Mine is "drdebs." Brooklynguy's is "brooklynguy." Monkuwino is "monkuboy," and eljefetwisted is, well, you guessed it. I would agree that the database's look is simple, but I would argue with Ryan that the reason this site "works better than any other wine tasting note site" is precisely because Eric works on functionality rather than bells, whistles, friend groups, buddies, and all the other stuff that so many of his competitors front-loaded into sites that simply don't have the traffic to be truly useful. So I'm glad you made is on there--I'm guessing your user name is "winescamp"? Andrea, they choose the “professionals,” so even though I think you would qualify, it’s not clear how Eric selects them. But it’s his database, so he gets to decide. However, it is possible to search for reviews by using the searchbox and typing in a user name, then using the pulldown to search under “users.” Most people have easily figured out usernames. Mine is “drdebs.” Brooklynguy’s is “brooklynguy.” Monkuwino is “monkuboy,” and eljefetwisted is, well, you guessed it.

I would agree that the database’s look is simple, but I would argue with Ryan that the reason this site “works better than any other wine tasting note site” is precisely because Eric works on functionality rather than bells, whistles, friend groups, buddies, and all the other stuff that so many of his competitors front-loaded into sites that simply don’t have the traffic to be truly useful.

So I’m glad you made is on there–I’m guessing your user name is “winescamp”?

]]> By: ryan http://wine-scamp.com/2008/02/12/am-i-professional-enough-for-cellartracker/comment-page-1/#comment-1038 ryan Wed, 13 Feb 2008 10:23:59 +0000 http://wine-scamp.com/2008/02/12/am-i-professional-enough-for-cellartracker/#comment-1038 I think Cellartracker just needs a "private notes" feature. Professional as people pointed out on Catavino are people who get paid to do what they do. We are professional by this definition, though we still give away our notes. If anything my large cache of notes help to draw attention to what we are doing and therefore qualify as advertising of a sort. As to cellartracker, it is such a great database and crappy website. There is so much they could offer to make this site more dynamic and better organized. Jill, you can build an RSS feed from a users notes, but it is not easy. It on the other hand would be an easy thing for Eric to implement. Infact the one thing I want most on CT is a profile page, where I can really take ownership of what I put there. Currently though it's just a ugly database, that works better than any other wine tasting note site. I think Cellartracker just needs a “private notes” feature. Professional as people pointed out on Catavino are people who get paid to do what they do. We are professional by this definition, though we still give away our notes. If anything my large cache of notes help to draw attention to what we are doing and therefore qualify as advertising of a sort.

As to cellartracker, it is such a great database and crappy website. There is so much they could offer to make this site more dynamic and better organized. Jill, you can build an RSS feed from a users notes, but it is not easy. It on the other hand would be an easy thing for Eric to implement. Infact the one thing I want most on CT is a profile page, where I can really take ownership of what I put there.

Currently though it’s just a ugly database, that works better than any other wine tasting note site.

]]> By: Susan http://wine-scamp.com/2008/02/12/am-i-professional-enough-for-cellartracker/comment-page-1/#comment-1035 Susan Wed, 13 Feb 2008 02:44:52 +0000 http://wine-scamp.com/2008/02/12/am-i-professional-enough-for-cellartracker/#comment-1035 It's pretty simple..."professional" means that you write about or review wine for a living full-time. Only you know if that describes you or not!!! It’s pretty simple…”professional” means that you write about or review wine for a living full-time. Only you know if that describes you or not!!!

]]> By: Jill http://wine-scamp.com/2008/02/12/am-i-professional-enough-for-cellartracker/comment-page-1/#comment-1032 Jill Tue, 12 Feb 2008 22:16:01 +0000 http://wine-scamp.com/2008/02/12/am-i-professional-enough-for-cellartracker/#comment-1032 Personally, I think you're professional enough. The one thing I find a little curious about Cellartracker (which I've always loved, btw, and think is the best tool out there for databasing personal wine collections) is their new "Professional Reviews" that automatically pop up whenever you search for a wine that sources they've selected happen to have reviewed. These "Professional reviews" are from bloggers/vloggers, and I think it's great that bloggers are getting their due. However, how they select which bloggers to deem "professional" (only a few) and which to exclude (99.9% of the rest of the wine blogosphere) is mysterious. Personally, I would prefer to be able to input the usernames of Cellartracker-ers whose reviews I always want to see, sort of an RSS feed of sorts, so that I can check out the Scamp's, Dr. Debs', Jeff Lefevere's opinion when I'm looking into a particular wine, without having to input the usernames and handles to see if they happen to have tried the wine in question. Do you know if something like this is possible? I haven't been able to figure it out if so, but I'm a technological dummy so that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I guess all of this is to say that I like the democratic aspects of Cellartracker, and there's something a little strange about designating from the top down who is a professional and who isn't (short of Parker, Spectator, Allen Meadows). Personally, I think you’re professional enough. The one thing I find a little curious about Cellartracker (which I’ve always loved, btw, and think is the best tool out there for databasing personal wine collections) is their new “Professional Reviews” that automatically pop up whenever you search for a wine that sources they’ve selected happen to have reviewed. These “Professional reviews” are from bloggers/vloggers, and I think it’s great that bloggers are getting their due.

However, how they select which bloggers to deem “professional” (only a few) and which to exclude (99.9% of the rest of the wine blogosphere) is mysterious. Personally, I would prefer to be able to input the usernames of Cellartracker-ers whose reviews I always want to see, sort of an RSS feed of sorts, so that I can check out the Scamp’s, Dr. Debs’, Jeff Lefevere’s opinion when I’m looking into a particular wine, without having to input the usernames and handles to see if they happen to have tried the wine in question.

Do you know if something like this is possible? I haven’t been able to figure it out if so, but I’m a technological dummy so that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.

I guess all of this is to say that I like the democratic aspects of Cellartracker, and there’s something a little strange about designating from the top down who is a professional and who isn’t (short of Parker, Spectator, Allen Meadows).

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