What is a blog?
That’s the same question that spinning around in my head that I’m asked every week via conversation, blogwalking, emails and Instant Messaging chats with a many people to define: ‘what is a blog’. If you’re reading this post now, normally you may well be asking the same question. For some reason, there are a number of ways I could answer this question ranging from the broad to the highly technical. But in this post I’ll try to explain some of my point of view about what is a blog???
And before I define the ‘what is a blog’ question - here are some definitions from other people to get us started:
‘A frequent, chronological publication of personal thoughts and Web links.’
‘A weblog is a hierarchy of text, images, media objects and data, arranged chronologically, that can be viewed in an HTML browser.’
‘From “Web log.” A blog is basically a journal that is available on the web. The activity of updating a blog is “blogging” and someone who keeps a blog is a “blogger.”‘
‘A blog is basically a journal that is available on the web. The activity of updating a blog is “blogging” and someone who keeps a blog is a “blogger.” Blogs are typically updated daily using software that allows people with little or no technical background to update and maintain the blog. Postings on a blog are almost always arranged in cronological order with the most recent additions featured most prominantly.’
‘A weblog is kind of a continual tour, with a human guide who you get to know. There are many guides to choose from, each develops an audience, and there’s also comraderie and politics between the people who run weblogs, they point to each other, in all kinds of structures, graphs, loops, etc.’
‘A blog is a website in which items are posted on a regular basis and displayed in reverse chronological order. The term blog is a shortened form of weblog or web log. Authoring a blog, maintaining a blog or adding an article to an existing blog is called “blogging”. Individual articles on a blog are called “blog posts,” “posts” or “entries”. A person who posts these entries is called a “blogger”. A blog comprises text, hypertext, images, and links (to other web pages and to video, audio and other files). Blogs use a conversational style of documentation. Often blogs focus on a particular “area of interest”, such as Washington, D.C.’s political goings-on. Some blogs discuss personal experiences.’
Are you confused yet? Don’t be!!! - its really quite simple. To put it as simply as possible - a blog is a type of website that is usually arranged in chronological order from the most recent ‘post’ (or entry) at the top of the main page to the older entries towards the bottom.
Usually (but not always) blogs are written by one person and are updated pretty regularly. often (but not always) blogs are written on a particular topic - there are blogs on virtually any topic you can think of. From technology, to spirituality, to sport , to politics issue ,personal diaries to hobbies - blogging has as many applications and varieties as you can imagine. Whole blog communities have sprung up around some of these topics putting people into contact with each other in relationships where they can learn, share ideas, make friends with and even do business with people with similar interests from around the world.
Blogs usually have a few features that are useful to know about if you want to get the most out of them as a reader. Lets examine a couple briefly.
Comments - Not all blogs use comments - but most do. This blog is not a monologue but a conversation. You can give some feedback on almost everything I write simply by clicking the ‘comments’ link at the bottom of each one of my posts. This will take you to a little form where you leave your name, email and a link to your own blog if you have one as well as your feedback, comment, critique, question, etc.
Archives - You might look at the front page of a blog and think that there is not much to them. A few recent entries, some links to other sites and not much else. However its worth knowing that there is a lot more going on under the surface that might initially meet the eye.
A great way to learn about blogs is to read a few. Leave some comments, ask questions and bookmark your favourites. And this is what I’m doing now.. An even better way to learn about blogs is to start your own. Ok - you might be laughing at me now - you think you are not web savy enough to have your own site? You wouldn’t know where to start? You don’t know how?
Are you still confused? Would you like more information? Below are a few helpful articles on the topic - there are many more on the web - just do a search on your favourite search engine.
- WordPress: Introduction to Blogging
- Harvard Law has a helpful article titled What makes a Weblog a Weblog
- Rebecca Blood has written a helpful history of blogging for those who are interested in learning more about the -
blogging evolution over the past few years
- Trudy Schuett writes a good article title What is a blog and why do we need one?
So now you know WHAT a blog is – soo.. let’s learn how to start one, get use to it and earn some at the end ^_^.
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