BLOGGING

WHAT ARE BLOGS AND BLOGGING?

A blog (also called a weblog or web log) is a website consisting of entries (also called posts) appearing in reverse chronological order with the most recent entry appearing first (similar in format to a daily journal). Blogs typically include features such as comments and links to increase user interactivity. Blogs are created using specific publishing software.

Blogs can be used for many subjects depending on the author and his purpose for starting the blog. Regardless of the subject however, to be true to the nature of a Blog, the entries should be chronological and event oriented. They should contain links to each original source of the information that is being summarized. Within these parameters, however, Blogs can deal with any type of subject and express any perspective.

Another feature of blogs is that majority are interactive, allowing visitors to leave comments and even message each other via GUI widgets on the blogs, and it is this interactivity that distinguishes them from other static websites. In that sense, blogging can be seen as a form of social networking. Indeed, bloggers do not only produce content to post on their blogs, but also build social relations with their readers and other bloggers. There are however, high-readership blogs also which do not allow comments, such as Daring Fireball.

Many blogs provide commentary on a particular subject whiles others function either as personal online diaries, or as online brand advertising of a particular individual or company. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages and other media related to its topic. The ability of readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important contribution to the popularity of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on art, photographs, videos, music and audio.

Micro blogging is another type of blogging, featuring very short posts. In education, blogs can be used as instructional resources. These blogs are referred to as edublogs.

The World Before Blogging:

There was a time when the Internet was just an informational tool. In the early life of the World Wide Web some 20 years ago, websites were simple and provided a one-sided conversation. As time went on, the Internet became more interactive with the introduction of transaction-based websites and online shopping, but the online world remained one-sided.

All of that changed with the evolution of Web 2.0 (the social web) wherein user-generated content became an integral part of the online world. Today, users expect websites to provide a two-way conversation and web logs (or blogs) were born.

The Birth of Blogs:

The earliest blogs started in the late 1990s as online diaries. Individuals posted information on a daily basis about their lives and opinions. The daily posts were listed in reverse date order, so readers viewed the most recent post first and scrolled through previous posts. The format provided an ongoing inner monologue from the writer.

As blogs evolved, interactive features were added to create a two-way conversation. Readers took advantage of features that allowed them to leave comments on blog posts or link to posts on other blogs and websites to further the dialogue.

Blogs Today:

As the Internet has become more social, blogs have gained in popularity. Today, there are over 100 million blogs with more entering the blogosphere every day. Blogs have become more than online diaries. In fact, blogging has become an important part of the online and offline worlds with popular bloggers impacting the worlds of politics, business and society with their words.

As at 16 February 2011, there were over 156 million public blogs in existence. By 13 October 2012, there were around 77 million Tumblr and 56.6 million WordPress blogs in existence worldwide. According to critics and other bloggers, Blogger is the most popular blogging service used today.

 The Future of Blogs:

It seems inevitable that blogging will become even more powerful in the future with more people and businesses recognizing the power of bloggers as online influencers. Anyone can start a blog thanks to the simple (and often free) tools readily available online. The question will likely become not, "Why should I start a blog?" but rather, "Why shouldn't I start a blog?"

 Blog Terminology:

Blog: An interactive website consisting of entries (also called posts) appearing in reverse chronological order with the most recent entry appearing first

Blogging: The act of writing a post for a blog

Blogger: A person who writes content for a blog

Blog Post: The content entries into the weblog

Blogosphere: The online community of blogs and bloggers