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It doesn't matter if you call it a blog, a weblog, or a personal
journal, the idea of blogging is becoming increasingly popular in
several online communities. It seems like a simple concept with
vocal grass-root advocates, and at its heart, thats exactly what it
is.
Quite simply, a blog is a chronological journal of events created by
a person. In many ways, it is an outgrowth of the concept of "personal
web pages" or "shared bookmarks" that were popular in the early days
of the web. Blogs have extended this concept in several
important ways:
- They are simple to create - there is no need to learn HTML.
- Authors frequently update their blog, usually daily or even
more often, and the entries are dated.
- Entries are typically small, usually no more than a paragraph
or two at a time.
- Most blogs are distributed by both web pages and through
online syndication methods such as
RSS.
While writing, most blog authors become a combination of reporter
and editor. Many blogs start as links to other blogs or articles,
with the author providing commentary about what they're linking to.
Over time, the author's personal experiences and observations tend
to come out as well, sometimes becoming the focus of the blog
itself. This combination encourages multiple authors to link to
each other, commenting and collaborating on each others work, and
can help create or maintain a virtual community of shared
interests.
There is no typical blogger. While most blogs were started by
technical people as a way to share their links and observations, it
no longer requires knowledge of web page design to create an
interesting blog - all it requires is interesting content.
Blogs can be found from people ranging from reporters and
established columnists to moms talking about their daily life and
observations about the world. Anyone who can write can blog.
People use blogs the same way they use email or IM: as a way to
communicate with others. Some examples:
- Families use blogs to keep up to date with each other.
- Companies use blogs as a way for employees on a
project to communicate and collaborate with each other and
provide historical context to their work.
- Authors are using blogs to attract an audience to their
writings and as a way to market their work.
Blogs have a wide variety of topics as well. While most are very
personal, where the author will talk about what is going on in their
life, most are also highly topical. It comes as no surprise to find
researchers talking about their research, providing links to public
information about what they do. Similarly, hobbyists will often
talk about their hobbies, serving as an editorial resource for
others interested in the topic.
If you're interested in learning more about blogging, or starting
one yourself, you may wish to investigate some of these tools:
If you're interested in using a blog as part of your business, OCI
can help. Let us know your
requirements, and we can help you find solutions.
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