TechWag

Image via CrunchBase, source unknownThe nerd fight is well underway between Techcrunch and Le Web generating controversy and its own share of commentary on the social networks (Twitter and Friend Feed) today. The long story short is that Techcrunch did something that Loc Le Meur did not like, and the nerd spat went on from there. Now you have “censorship” being called, and this and that, it is a nerd fight, do not expect it to make any sense, it is all about posturing.

Posturing in this case isn’t bad, because it is causing controversy, which as Robert Scoble points out happens a lot to help gain traction for even more people showing up to Le Web next year. More people will go because they will be hoping to see a nerd fight, no this is not about shiny new technology, and this is all about watching two egos strut around each other and hoping for some mayhem. Much like watching NASCAR or Football, you are in it to watch someone get hurt, not because it is a great way of spending the afternoon. Bowling, fishing, and tennis remains unexplained as a sport, Soccer though, it is all about mayhem not watching folks run up and down a field going after a rolling ball.

Much like watching Soccer Hooligans, the whole “should I invite Michael Arrington to the next Le Web” eh, is this really, what we want to see from leaders in the community. Will this make me want to go to Le Web? (Well outside of my passion for mayhem) no not really, but there are a few points here being made that are worth noting.

American coverage of European startups does stink, we are not there, and Europe has still to work out a blogging model that will work for them and their markets. Every attempt to come up with a Gawker like blog network has so far failed badly in Europe. The two start-ups that Loic points out (a dating site and a shopping site) are not going to get American audiences fired up. Frankly, who cares about another shopping venue or a dating site? No we write about and want to talk about people who are cutting the razors edge on this one, frankly if there is a European CUIL, Web Notes, or Iphone App out there, let me know I speak French and Spanish, I will translate. Seesmic rocks, where are the equivalents, point them out and they get instant coverage (depending on my time to write, I have a hard dead line with my day job).

Spats aside, if anyone wants coverage, we need to know about them, and they had better be better than a dating site and a shopping site, those are Web 1.0 ideas. Where are the European equivalents of Seesmic?

Tags: Europe, spat, Techcrunch, loic le meur, nerd fight, sad