After much contemplation about the direction of my online presence, I’m excited to announce the launch of dipankar.name! This new site will serve as a dedicated space for my more personal and subjective content, separate from my main professional platform.
Why a Personal Blog in 2010?
In an era dominated by social networks—Twitter’s 140-character constraints, Facebook’s walled garden, and the ephemeral nature of status updates—launching a personal blog might seem quaint. But I believe there’s enduring value in owning your digital real estate.
The Problem with Platform Dependence
Social platforms are fantastic for reach and engagement, but they come with significant limitations:
1. You Don’t Own the Platform
- Algorithms decide who sees your content
- Terms of service can change overnight
- Platforms can shut down (remember Pownce, Friendfeed?)
- Your years of content could vanish
2. Format Constraints
- Twitter’s 140 characters force brevity over nuance
- Facebook prioritizes personal updates over deep thoughts
- Platform aesthetics limit creative expression
- You’re constrained by someone else’s vision
3. Algorithmic Curation
- Your followers might never see your posts
- Engagement metrics trump quality
- Chronological feeds are becoming a thing of the past
- You’re fighting for attention against billions of posts
The Case for Owning Your Domain
A personal blog on your own domain solves these problems:
Permanence: Content you write today will exist as long as you want it to. No algorithm decides its shelf life.
Control: You choose the design, the format, the technology stack, and the content strategy. Complete creative freedom.
Discoverability: Search engines index your content. Years-old posts continue attracting readers. Your best work compounds over time.
Professional Identity: dipankar.name is mine. It’s my portfolio, my thoughts, and my digital legacy.
What dipankar.name Will Be
As an open source hacker and indie entrepreneur, I’ve always valued the importance of having a distinct digital identity. This blog will be my canvas for sharing:
1. Personal Philosophies and Reflections
Beyond code and startups, I want to explore:
- The intersection of technology and society
- Lessons learned from failures (there have been many)
- Thoughts on sustainable entrepreneurship
- Reflections on the indie hacker lifestyle
2. Behind-the-Scenes Looks at My Work
Transparency is undervalued in tech. I want to share:
- Technical deep-dives into projects I’m building
- Honest retrospectives on what worked and what didn’t
- Architecture decisions and trade-offs
- Performance metrics and growth numbers
3. Observations on Emerging Tech Trends
The tech landscape evolves rapidly. I’ll explore:
- Technologies I’m experimenting with
- Patterns I notice across the industry
- Predictions about where things are headed
- Skeptical takes on overhyped trends
4. Experiences with New Hardware and Tools
I love tinkering. Expect posts about:
- Developer tools that improve my workflow
- Hardware experiments and gadget reviews
- Open source alternatives to proprietary software
- Productivity systems and methodologies
5. Thoughts on Collaboration and Community Building
Building Kwippy taught me the value of community. I’ll discuss:
- Open source contribution strategies
- Building and nurturing developer communities
- Remote collaboration best practices
- Finding and working with co-founders
The Philosophy Behind This Blog
Long-Form Over Sound Bites
Twitter is for quick thoughts. This blog is for developed ideas that deserve more than 140 characters. Some posts might be 500 words. Others might be 5,000. The format serves the content, not vice versa.
Quality Over Quantity
I’m not committing to daily posts or arbitrary publishing schedules. I’ll write when I have something meaningful to share. Better one great post per month than thirty mediocre ones.
Authenticity Over Polish
This isn’t a corporate blog with legal review and brand guidelines. It’s personal. Sometimes rough. Always honest. I’d rather be authentic than perfect.
Teaching Through Learning
The best way to learn is to teach. Writing forces clarity of thought. By sharing what I’m learning, I deepen my own understanding while hopefully helping others.
Why “dipankar.name”?
You might wonder why dipankar.name instead of something catchier or more branded.
Personal Identity: My name is my brand. I’m not trying to build a faceless company or hide behind a pseudonym.
Simplicity: No clever domain hacks or marketing speak. Just my name.
Longevity: Trends change. My name doesn’t. This domain will remain relevant regardless of what I’m working on.
Ownership: It’s uniquely mine. No one can dilute or co-opt my personal identity.
What This Blog Won’t Be
Let me set clear expectations:
Not a News Site: I won’t chase headlines or breaking stories. If you want tech news, visit TechCrunch.
Not a Tutorial Factory: While I’ll share technical knowledge, this isn’t a step-by-step tutorial mill. Check official documentation for that.
Not Always Polished: Expect rough drafts, evolving thoughts, and occasional rambles. This is a workshop, not a museum.
Not Monetized to Death: No aggressive ads, no sponsored posts masquerading as content, no email capture pop-ups every 10 seconds.
Technical Setup (For the Curious)
For fellow developers interested in the stack:
Blogging Platform: Currently exploring options between WordPress and static site generators Hosting: Simple shared hosting to start (premature optimization is wasteful) Domain: dipankar.name (obviously) Comments: Considering Disqus for community engagement Analytics: Minimal tracking, respecting reader privacy
I’ll likely migrate to a static site generator (Jekyll or similar) once I outgrow the current setup. For now, simplicity trumps sophistication.
The Separation Strategy
You might ask: “Why separate personal and professional content?”
Here’s my thinking:
Professional Content (likely desinerd.com or similar):
- Project announcements
- Technical documentation
- Business-focused content
- Client/investor-facing material
Personal Content (dipankar.name):
- Opinions and hot takes
- Experimental ideas
- Personal stories
- Unfiltered thoughts
This separation allows me to:
- Be more candid without professional consequences
- Keep business and personal boundaries clear
- Explore ideas without brand constraints
- Build both a professional reputation and personal voice
An Invitation to You
Whether you’re a fellow developer, an aspiring entrepreneur, or simply curious about the intersection of technology and life, I invite you to join this journey.
How to Follow Along
RSS Feed: Add my feed to your reader (yes, RSS still rocks) Email Updates: Subscribe for occasional digests (no spam, I promise) Social Media: I’ll share posts on Twitter, but the blog is the source of truth Direct Feedback: Comments are open; I read and respond to all of them
What I Need From You
Your Perspective: Challenge my assumptions in the comments Your Questions: Ask what you’re curious about; questions inspire posts Your Patience: First posts might be rough as I find my voice Your Honest Feedback: Tell me what’s valuable and what’s not
First Posts in the Pipeline
Here’s what’s coming soon:
- Kwippy Retrospective: Lessons from building and scaling an Indian social platform
- Django vs. Rails: A developer’s honest comparison based on production experience
- The Indie Hacker Mindset: Building profitable side projects alongside full-time work
- Open Source Contribution Guide: How to make your first meaningful PR
- Nginx Deep Dive: Web server optimization for high-traffic applications
A Commitment to You
I promise to:
✅ Write only about what I actually know or am genuinely learning ✅ Admit mistakes and update posts when I’m wrong ✅ Respond to comments and engage with the community ✅ Keep the blog ad-free or minimally monetized ✅ Own my content and maintain this digital space long-term
Closing Thoughts
Launching a personal blog in 2010 might not be revolutionary, but it’s authentic. In a world racing toward 140-character hot takes and algorithmic timelines, I’m betting on long-form thinking and owned content.
This is my digital home. A place for half-baked ideas and fully-formed essays. For technical deep-dives and philosophical musings. For celebrating successes and dissecting failures.
Most importantly, it’s a place for connection. I’m writing into the void hoping to find kindred spirits—developers who care about craft, entrepreneurs who value sustainability over hypergrowth, and thinkers who believe technology should serve humanity, not vice versa.
Let’s Build Something Together
I don’t know exactly where this blog will go. That’s part of the adventure. What I do know is that the best conversations happen when diverse perspectives collide.
So here’s my ask: Don’t just read passively. Engage.
- Challenge my assumptions
- Share your experiences
- Ask hard questions
- Offer alternative viewpoints
- Point out my blind spots
Together, we can create something more valuable than any single author could produce alone.
Welcome to dipankar.name. Let’s explore the exciting world of technology and entrepreneurship together.
What about you? Do you maintain a personal blog? Thinking about starting one? What’s holding you back or what’s working well for you? Share in the comments below.