Things I’d like to see more of:
- Stronger summaries at the beginning of articles will help readers understand WHAT the featured company/product/event/etc is and WHY it matters.
- More quotes and interviews will strengthen the articles by providing a greater range of facts/opinions.
- Fewer total stories, but a few longer articles each month for special occasions that have more depth, photos and such. These may also provide you with an opportunity to collaborate with other local writers, photographers, etc.

Thanks for the good work, support and publicity that you’ve provided our community.

So, the only thing I can really think of to suggest springs from your recent piece on companies you didn’t know were here. ( http://siliconflorist.com/2009/06/30/oregon-portland-17-projects-silicon-forest-cred-deserve/ ): more coverage and/or reporting on “medium-sized” companies like Ensequence, Tripwire, Rentrak, etc. They’ve moved past the “OMG we actually shipped!” phase, but they’re still pretty much Portland companies, and employ decent numbers of people. What are they up to? Where are they heading? Who are the people behind them? That kind of thing.

Regardless of whose suggestions you act on, you’re doing great work, and you’re one of the first names on my list when I want to tell people how to follow the Portland tech scene.

You could even crowdsource 12 themes to cover each month for the next year.

PS I love SF – can always count on quality and timeliness.

Keep it coming!

I agree with Jake: show us some opinion about whether or not this matters, is hopeful, etc. Just to make it a bit more sexy and encourage some backtalk… Not overboard, though, because you’re not a psychic or magician (are you?). Just a little more salt on the heartiness.

Also, as an entrepreneur, I’m really interested in interviews with other entrepreneurs… What was it like starting up? When did it tip? What’s one of the top 5 lessons you learned in this venture… Their experience is really valuable to me and other people with hopes to start things up…

cheers.

And so is the site. If you really want more work, I’d echo Ethan’s call to get personal. I know that’s the idea of Portland On Fire, but I’d say actively seek out and write up every side project in Portland. Even if they aren’t viable startups (or even intend to make money), giving them a voice is totally within the spirit of this site.

I’m reminded of an anecdote in Made to Stick about a successful local newspaperman. His three rules were “names, names, names.” Let’s raise Portland up, one developer/designer/product manager name at a time.