Why John C. Dvorak should just quit and leave us all alone

[Raswan]

I'm all for generating pageviews and clicks in order to monetize my website in this dog-eat-dog intrawebnets world. But this guy, who most of you probably know, is just a complete waste of skin. His analyses are always either way off base or completely banal. He writes headlines for the clicks only. Much of the time his articles are poorly written.

Maybe he's got some good stuff somewhere else (like in 1992), but he may be the sole reason I stop frequenting pcmag's website in the near future, and no one over there seems to care that in the last year he hasn't produced a single scrap of decent journalism.

Maybe the thing that irks me most is his sense of complete entitlement. Every word drips with condescension. I get the sense he still gets jobs because of his undeserved celebrity from decades past, which I can't stand either.

For reference, here's a list of a few articles over the last few months. Took me literally 10 minutes to find, reread, and remember how completely worthless they were. Enjoy.

“Is Twitter Passé?”:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2407113,00.asp

“Microsoft Screws over Nokia”:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2406145,00.asp

“Nothing Can Be Fixed Anymore”:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2405770,00.asp

“The Worst Thing Ever: Retina Display”:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2405409,00.asp

“What We Can Learn From Facebook’s IPO”:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2404401,00.asp

“Google’s Project Glass is Really Really Great…For Porn”:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2402710,00.asp

Feel free to call me a whiny jagweed, but if this is the kind of quality we've come to accept from "leading" tech enthusiasts, the industry is in a sorry state indeed. In all fairness, you won't find this level of drivel at AT or at a place like Ars, so maybe I'm just expecting too much from pcmag?

 

[rayfieldclement]

I admit I did not read any of the columns that are recent I did see stuff in 80s PC Mag and possibly PC computing. I disagree with you

 

[techs]

I thought this was going to be about the keyboard.

 

[Raswan]

I thought this was going to be about the keyboard.

It would, in that case, have been about how awesome Dvorak is instead of how stupid Dvorak is.

 

[Greenman]

I had no idea he was still around.

 

[DaveSimmons]

> I get the sense he still gets jobs because of his undeserved celebrity from decades past, which I can't stand either.

You're apparently too young to remember when he earned his celebrity, and perhaps too lazy to look it up.

Back in the late '80s - early '90s his columns were worth reading. I haven't read a PC Mag in a decade so I can't comment on most of his work since then, but the Twitter column you linked to doesn't match your description of "worthless."

You're entitled to your opinion, but you've failed to convince me to share it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

 

[sandorski]

Haven't heard that name in over a decade.

 

[Perknose]

Before the net got big, John C. Dvorak in PC mag was as good as it got. I used to open the mag directly to his column, first thing. Haven't read anything from him in years and years, though, so he could just be mailing it in these days . . . but he truly used to be the man.

Remember the HUMONGOUS Computer Shopper with like 700 large format pages each month, just crammed to the gills with every vendor -- large and especially small -- every odd lot jobber in the known fucking universe?

Those were the days! I tell 'ya, we walked 10 miles through the snow to school each day, and it was uphill both ways!

 

[Raswan]

> I get the sense he still gets jobs because of his undeserved celebrity from decades past, which I can't stand either.

You're apparently too young to remember when he earned his celebrity, and perhaps too lazy to look it up.

Back in the late '80s - early '90s his columns were worth reading. I haven't read a PC Mag in a decade so I can't comment on most of his work since then, but the Twitter column you linked to doesn't match your description of "worthless."

You're entitled to your opinion, but you've failed to convince me to share it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

And you're apparently too senile to remember anything specific whatsoever to counter my argument that it was undeserved, or too lazy to look it up as well. You're entitled to your opinion, but you've failed to convince me you are anything but a boob. I award you no points, and gleefully inform you that God doesn't exist, but if it did your soul would be unworthy of salvation.

 

[Raswan]

After reading his Wikipedia page, I now know everything about Dvorak, and I stand my ground. Aside from asinine predictions about Apple (clearly he's trying to run with the same playbook as in 1989, which says something about him) and a hate for Apple which I truly share, what's he done? Written a bunch of books. Ok. So has Bill O'Reilly and what're his nuts, Glenn Beck. He created some awards named after himself. He's tried a bunch of tv shows that probably ran for 3 episodes. He's called a "media personality" which tells me he's the same thing as the Kardashians--a name used to pull in viewers.

 

[techs]

Remember the HUMONGOUS Computer Shopper with like 700 large format pages each month, just crammed to the gills with every vendor -- large and especially small -- every odd lot jobber in the known fucking universe?

Damn, Perk, you're taking me back. I used to leave the latest copy in the bathroom cause it took awhile to go thru it.

 

[CallMeJoe]

And you're apparently too senile to remember anything specific whatsoever to counter my argument that it was undeserved, or too lazy to look it up as well. You're entitled to your opinion, but you've failed to convince me you are anything but a boob. I award you no points, and gleefully inform you that God doesn't exist, but if it did your soul would be unworthy of salvation.

I am old enough to remember Mr. Dvorak's PC Magazine columns, and most definitely not yet senile. I second Perknose's comment that at his peak, John Dvorak's column was the compelling first read in the magazine. I also remember the decline in his writing through the '90's, so I am not surprised if his more recent compositions are sub par.

 

[CallMeJoe]

...Remember the HUMONGOUS Computer Shopper with like 700 large format pages each month, just crammed to the gills with every vendor -- large and especially small -- every odd lot jobber in the known fucking universe?

It was the size of a large city phone directory.
I particularly remember the full-page tightly spaced all-text ads...

 

[CallMeJoe]

After reading his Wikipedia page, I now know everything about Dvorak...

This statement alone tells me all I need know about the depths of your intellect.

 

[Raswan]

This statement alone tells me all I need know about the depths of your intellect.

And you're hand-picked Mencken quote, intended to serve as a substitute for having to say anything intelligent yourself to prove your erudite perspective (oh, and the fact that you didn't pick up on the obvious tongue-in-cheek comment I made about Wikipedia), tells me everything I need to know about yours.

Anyway, the original post was that he needs to leave now, not that he ever had anything useful to say at all (I think I said something about 1992?). So restrict anything useful you have to say for that, or go start a Dvorak fan site if you can't stand hearing anything bad about your idol.

 

[sandorski]

Before the net got big, John C. Dvorak in PC mag was as good as it got. I used to open the mag directly to his column, first thing. Haven't read anything from him in years and years, though, so he could just be mailing it in these days . . . but he truly used to be the man.

Remember the HUMONGOUS Computer Shopper with like 700 large format pages each month, just crammed to the gills with every vendor -- large and especially small -- every odd lot jobber in the known fucking universe?

Those were the days! I tell 'ya, we walked 10 miles through the snow to school each day, and it was uphill both ways!

The Computer Shopper was like having the PC parts segment of the Internet in print.

 

[CallMeJoe]

And you're hand-picked Mencken quote, intended to serve as a substitute for having to say anything intelligent yourself to prove your erudite perspective (oh, and the fact that you didn't pick up on the obvious tongue-in-cheek comment I made about Wikipedia), tells me everything I need to know about yours.

It's your.
Should I apologize for "hand-picking" a quote rather than posting random garbage or meaningless system specs? Some might think the Mencken quote has some relevancy in the era of the TEA Party.

Anyway, the original post was that he needs to leave now, not that he ever had anything useful to say at all (I think I said something about 1992?). So restrict anything useful you have to say for that, or go start a Dvorak fan site if you can't stand hearing anything bad about your idol.

Was it my comment about the obvious decline of his writing in the '90s that lead to your conviction that I must be such a Dvorak fan?

Remember, you're the one who called his early reputation undeserved. That's what led to my replies.

 

[Svnla]

It was the size of a large city phone directory.
I particularly remember the full-page tightly spaced all-text ads...

I used to buy the Annual Award issue every freaking year to read it and see what were new.

Remember these companies? CompuAdd, Gateway, Stacker, etc.?

John D. used to write for PcComputing and PCMag and I thought he was ok. Haven't read anything from him for a while, did not know he is still in the pc biz.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

This is news?

 

[JS80]

Wow pcmag still exists?

 

[DaveSimmons]

This is news?

It's speculated that Dvorak could be Romney's running mate, so the mudslinging is starting early. Raswan is clearly Team Portman.

Ron Portman: not just the Senator for Ohio, but also the only tech writer that you can trust.



(More seriously: no, this is a blog post that probably belongs in Off-Topic.)

 

[Double Trouble]

Dvorak rocked back in the day before the 'net became big. If you can remember a time when people hadn't even heard of this new fangled electronic mail thing, you remember the computer shopper (thanks for the flashback Perk!) that was seemingly 8000 pages worth of computer parts and systems for sale, and you remember Dvorak in pcmag and pccomputing.

I haven't read him in ages though... <shrug>

 

[Double Trouble]

Ron Portman: not just the Senator for Ohio, but also the only tech writer that you can trust.

You had me LOL with that one. I can just picture a flag waving slowly in the background over a field of corn/wheat.

 

[yllus]

Dvorak used to be incredibly connected and articulate back when the main medium for technology was in print. He's been washed up for more than a decade now, though. Out of deference for the good old days I just avoid reading anything he writes now.

 

[zsdersw]

I find something incredibly amusing about the title of the thread. "Leave us all alone"? Who's forcing you or anyone else to read.. much less take seriously.. anything he writes?