Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Apparently, I can cast myself as one of the ignorant who don`t know what content is. Rather than just content myself with such, hopefully the people who have definitions of content can relay them. I hope spinoff threads of locked threads are kosher. If not, my apologies. Anyway, I thought content was the stuff inside whatever medium you use to convey a message. If you use conversation to convey a message, content is what you`re saying. A conversation can be devoid of content. 

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Making limitless possibilities much more limited.

1. It is in real time: you can get the latest of anything.
2. It is interactive: unlike all the other media, you can talk or write back.
3. You can connect: for business or entertainment.

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Matt,

Wow... that`s a doozy.

In my opinion, "Content" is just stuff.  It doesn`t matter what the stuff is, it matters if the stuff is valuable to someone.  A book filled with blank pages could be worthless to a reader, but valuable to a writer.  So a lot depends upon perspective.

However, I agree that in most cases when we use "content" in the context of "content is king", yes meaningful content is assumed.  If it weren`t meaningful to anyone, say a blank website, it doesn`t matter how many blank pages of white pixels exist, no one will find value in it and therefore it will not be successful.

When used in terms of `internet` marketing, it is my belief that "content" refers to the meaningful stuff that an audience finds value in.  This equals traffic and eyeballs, thus fulfilling the objective of marketing.

Regards, Michael

LOL! People have meaningless and content-free exchanges of words all the time. For instance, you meet an associate in the corridors of work and say, "Hey...how ya doin`?" They say, "Doin` alright," and you go your separate ways. Neither set of sentences means anything.

Content is one of those odd words that seem to have two entirely different meanings, depending on context.

One is the state of being (adjective), where we`re satisfied. The other is the reference to the members of a set (noun) within another set, under the context of "to contain."

To muddy up the waters even further, a "contention" is part of an argument. :-D Nah, just kidding....that`s a form of the word "contend."

I love words. I got into philosophy because I also love meaning. Not everything has meaning, but it`s interesting to figure out what does or doesn`t. And semantics is the study of the meaning of words.

What bothers me is when we have two apparently different words spelled exactly the same. There oughta be a rule, and I tend to think there IS one that tells us 1 word, 1 meaning (different contexts).

So if that`s true, how does content mean both "contained" and "satisfied?" It`s basically something called The Law of Identity, which says that a thing is only that thing at any given time, and not two different things at the same time. A=A, in other words.

Then there`s jargon and colloquial usage of words. "Content" as we use it in Web development, emails, written documents and so forth, means "understandable information."

Machine content would be understandable to a machine. Other content would be understandable to human beans.

"I am content." Doesn`t that mean "My life now contains all that I need or want in order to satisfy my current desires?"

Couldn`t we say that content on a Web site is "all the information needed or desired in order to satisfy a visitor`s curiosity?"

Casi makes a great point, that there`s an entire distinction between "content" and the qualitative judgment of that content. Excellent point!

What if we were to say that content = information? That wouldn`t quite work because "the contents of my pocket" do contain information, but not necessarily.

The opposite of content is "void," or "vacuum," or "empty."

maybe the content of "how are you" is more non-verbal.  the tone of voice, facial expression, etc., can convey quite a bit of non-verbal information.

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James Lindon, Ph.D. Patent Attorney
Lindon & Lindon, LLC
Cleveland, Ohio
Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, Pharmacy Law, Litigation
[this is not legal advice - provided for discussion only]
Intellectual Property for the Individual and Small Business: Identify, Protect, Enforce, Defend.
"Fools rush in where angels fear to tread."
http://www.LindonLaw.com

I found this Craig quote in the prior content thread. It`s what spurred on my own post in said thread, a post unintended to cause controversy.The study of Kung Fu or Tai Chi will strengthen and energize you. We invite you to watch or attend a class in our Toronto Studio.
Kung Fu Toronto

Will you tell me what content is, when I reach black belt?

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Making limitless possibilities much more limited.

Maybe learning Kung Fu will make us more content with our lot in life?

grab this pebble from my hand, grass hopper.

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James Lindon, Ph.D. Patent Attorney
Lindon & Lindon, LLC
Cleveland, Ohio
Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, Pharmacy Law, Litigation
[this is not legal advice - provided for discussion only]
Intellectual Property for the Individual and Small Business: Identify, Protect, Enforce, Defend.
"Fools rush in where angels fear to tread."
http://www.LindonLaw.com