Calling something one thing when it is specifically NOT that thing.
For example - PODCAST. This is actually very clearly defined. A podcast is published through RSS feeds which direct the listener to a downloadable audio file which can then, and this is the really key part, be sync'd to their portable media player, generally an ipod, but others work.
What this means is - If the audio file you are offering is not available with an RSS feed, requires you to play it on the webpage through a javascript/flash player, or is delivered through email notifications, forum posts, or any other means, then it is NOT A PODCAST.
I'm seeing more and more sites with something that is supposed to be a PODCAST that are not actually, in fact, podcasts. Why is this annoying as shit? Well, the whole point of podcasts was so you could take the stuff with you to listen to while you were in your car, jogging, whatever the fracl you want to do, as well as making it simple to get the audiofiles onto your portable player.
When a site requires you to visit the site for updates (no RSS), or worse, requires you to play it on-site in a media player, they simply are missing out on exactly why people listen to podcasts. Streaming radio and audio has been available since the 90s. It isn't, however, all that convenient for things that are published serially rather than "broadcast" on a regular basis, since you aren't going to want to stream the same hour long show for 1 week to 3 months between episodes. You want to listen to OTHER things, and you don't want to have to check back every few days for a new episode - so you forget about it. PODCASTING provides a very convenient method of subscription. Why in the hell these idiots are calling their junk PODCASTS when, in fact, they are NOT podcasts, I'm not quite sure.
I've run across quite a few examples. Podiobooks.com is a huge offender. The site uses "podcast" all over the place, yet while some of the audiobooks there are available as podcasts, others are NOT. There's a "podcast" for a Rome: Total War community that I was wanting to listen to. The first three episodes were actually published properly, and even show up in iTunes (not technically a requirement, but nice). However, after the 3rd episode they decided it was simply inconvenient or something to have any sort of RSS feed for the show. They said something about iTunes hosting... except you don't have to use iTunes to be a podcast, all you need is a place to host the mp3s (they have that) and an RSS feed (which at one episode a month, would be easily done even by hand). That's ALL YOU NEED. Yet they basically decided everyone should just check the forums for new episodes. And oddly enough, they don't get many listeners.
Which brings me to why I hate all this fakery. I spent the time today to try to find an audiobook to listen to on a long drive. Since I'm not warezing, I visited Podiobooks.com, which I've heard mentioned often on proper podcasts. I picked out a couple of books I was interested in, and it was only when I was prepared to download them that I realized... YOU CANNOT DOWNLOAD THEM! You either listen in-browser, or have them emailed one ... episode... at... a ... time... 'on a schedule'... Friggin useless!!! I can't take my computer with me in my car on a long trip!!! Defeats the whole purpose of podcasts.
