When did it all begin?

This time I am not actually talking about Genesis. I am thinking about my blog and I am doing that because I am getting ready for SBL where I will be on two panels discussing biblioblogging and the question of “ePublish or Perish.” Jim Davila will be sharing an excellent history-to-date of biblioblogging and has made a draft available to other members of the panel. He began Paleojudaica way back in 2003. So when did Targuman start? 1Not the name, that was created for my eworld account back in 1995-6 and credit for the suggested name goes to Gary Rendsburg. I was going to use “OTMan” and he suggested, given my area of research, “Targuman” and its play on Meturgeman.

The archives on this site and its predecessor blogspot.com would place it in December 2005, but that archive is incomplete. To be honest, I am not entirely sure when it began. I know I had the Targuman blog and a blog for the Tulane Honors Program up and running before Katrina and it had been going long enough that when I did not post after the storm several people commented and asked after our safety. I am going to guess that early 2005 and perhaps even late 2004 as the start date. Odd that even the founder and author should not be able to remember this clearly. (Yet another warning about how reliable historical witnesses can be!)

How long have you been blogging? Or if not an author, how long have you been reading blogs? As I prepare for the presentation, let me ask you, what value do youfind in blogs and how do you see them developing?

UPDATE: My brother at http://theprofessornotes.com/ points out that he points to my blog as early as August 9, 2004. So that makes Targuman over 6 years old! (Or at least Targuman’s predecessor “The Professor Brother” since SPB had “The Professor’s Notes.”)

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    Not the name, that was created for my eworld account back in 1995-6 and credit for the suggested name goes to Gary Rendsburg. I was going to use “OTMan” and he suggested, given my area of research, “Targuman” and its play on Meturgeman.

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