This morning I wrote that Danny Sullivan To Leave Search Engine Watch :: Search Industry Shocked (someone dug the story), I promised to let the search community digest this information and then summarizing that buzz. Below you will find a collection of blog, news and forum links to all the coverage I found on Danny's news. I have pulled select quotes and summarized the rest.
Danny, the Grandfather of Search Industry, will undoubtly remain a huge part of our every day lives. I, as does the whole community, wish Danny all the best and look forward to the future of our industry with Danny being a huge part of that. It was and remains to be an honor to have worked with Danny on a daily basis. I have learned an incredible amount both on search, diplomacy, and friendship.
Honestly, I think Rand puts it well, the way he described it.
My primary fear is a selfish one - that the industry will turn corporate, faceless and cold without Danny keeping us firmly on track. In his position as head of SEW & SES, he was our leader not only in name, but in direction - operating the largest sources of information dissemination available to folks seeking to learn about search. My brief experience with other industries and the stories I've heard from those who've been to SES or involved in the search space is that our industry is one of the most friendly, unassuming, cordial and welcoming in the professional world. Without Danny, I fear for the survival of our culture.
I think a lot of people are afraid that this will be the future of the industry. I fear it as well. Here is a roundup of blogs I found on this topic (in no specific order & I will keep trying to find more for the next day or so and update this post), I am sure I a missing many (help from techmeme):
First, Daggle.com, Danny's personal blog, Leaving Search Engine Watch;
After ten years, I'm leaving Search Engine Watch and almost certainly leaving the Search Engine Strategies conference series as well. My contracts with their owners Incisive Media are expiring, and we've not been able to agree on new ones.
Danny just added a thank you to the public with some more detail;
If my departure was only about making more money, staying with Incisive would have been the more "sure thing" move. Goodness knows they've got no end to conferences they want to do, and I could have been involved in many more than I do already. But if I'm going to do something, I'm going to put my all into it, my entire being and soul.
Wow, you got that. But, let me pick through the forum buzz and see what people are saying. At the end of this, Ill provide links to all the search forum threads I have found on Danny's big news.
In short, everyone has only positives things to say to Danny. Everyone seems to be in shock and awe by the news. But people are down right supportive of Danny and his reasoning. Everyone was simply so accustomed to Danny always being there, always being with SEW, the baby he built up. Most are wishing Danny luck. Many are uncertain what the future brings to the search conference life. People are both excited for Danny but sad that SEW won't continue it's legacy. Some are just angry and mad that this can happen. Danny notes that he can potentially start a new site, since he doesn't have a non-compete. Due to that, some people feel that Incisive is in for a major shakeup, that no one can pick up where Danny left. That Danny can start a new site and new conference and that new site and conference will grow by instantly. Some feel that SEW Forums will slowly die if the volunteer moderators jump ship with Danny, which they may. Some feel that SEW will just hiccup and nothing much will change. Some are joking around and trying to guess what Danny's next move will be.
- Danny's Yahoo! Group
- Search Engine Watch Forums
- WebmasterWorld (subscription required)
- Cre8asite Forums
- High Rankings Forums
- Web Work Shop Forums
- WebProWorld Forums
- Google Blogoscoped Forums
- IHelpYou Forums
- Search Engine Guide Forums
- Jim World
- DigitalPoint Forums
- SEO Chat Forums
- A Best Web Forums
Mike from WebProWorld claims that he asked Incisive's CEO, Tim Weller, a year ago or so ago, "about keeping Danny around he described it as a 'top priority' but indicated at the time that they were still working on that contract." Interesting, for sure.
You can also hear Danny's Daily Search Cast where Danny talked about his depature from SEW at WebmasterRadio.FM (link to MP3 file).
Danny, the Grandfather of Search Industry, will undoubtly remain a huge part of our every day lives. I, as does the whole community, wish Danny all the best and look forward to the future of our industry with Danny being a huge part of that. It was and remains to be an honor to have worked with Danny on a daily basis. I have learned an incredible amount both on search, diplomacy, and friendship.
Thank you Danny.
