"You link to yourself a lot, don’t you?"

Yes, yes I do.

The title of this post is from a comment on a post where I linked to other posts I’d written as a means to give history and support an argument.

I didn’t do it out of vanity or pride. I didn’t do it to increase hits on those articles. Even if all fifteen of you re-read those articles, there’d be no gain.

I did it because there was no reason to create a long, long post providing all the background for readers who weren’t aware of the landscape. Doing so creates an "I told you that story to tell you this one" scenario, and it loses the interest of readers.

When one achieves a body of work, there’s no logic in ignoring that history; why explain the same points over and over, when you can cite a reference instead?

  • The answer: self-reference.
  • The other (hidden, but should be recognized) answer: admit when you’re wrong.
  • The other other answer: don’t crow when you’re right .. just cite.

So, yes: I link to myself a lot. I really do.

About Michael Coates
I am a pragmatic evangelist. The products, services and solutions I write about fulfill real-world expectations and use cases. I stay up-to-date on real products I use and review, and share my thoughts here. I apply the same lens when designing an architecture, product or when writing papers. I am always looking for ways that technology can create or enhance a business opportunity .. not just technology for technology's sake. My CV says: Seasoned technology executive, leveraging years of experience with enterprise and integration architectural patterns, executed with healthy doses of business acumen and pragmatism. That's me. My web site says: Technology innovations provide a myriad of opportunities for businesses. That said, having the "latest and greatest" for its own sake isn't always a recipe for success. Business successes gained through exploiting innovation relies on analysis of how the new features will enhance your business followed by effective implementation. Goals vary far and wide: streamlining operations, improving customer experience, extending brand, and many more. In all cases, you must identify and collect the metrics you can apply to measure your success. Analysis must be holistic and balanced: business and operational needs must be considered when capitalizing on a new technology asset or opportunity.

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