Blogging – An Overview
A blog is a personal journal published on the World Wide Web
consisting of discrete entries ("posts") typically displayed in
reverse chronological order so the most recent post appears first. Blogs are
usually the work of a single individual, occasionally of a small group, and
often are themed on a single subject. Blog can also be used as a verb, meaning
to maintain or add content to a blog.
The emergence and growth of blogs in the late 1990s
coincided with the advent of web publishing tools that facilitated the posting
of content by non-technical users. Previously
knowledge of such technologies as HTML and FTP had been required to publish
content on the Web.
Although not a must, most good quality blogs 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.
Many blogs provide commentary on a particular subject;
others function as more personal online diaries; yet still others function more
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 part of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily
textual, although some focus on art (art blog), photographs (photo blog),
videos (video blogging or vlogging), music (MP3 blog), and audio (podcasting).
Micro blogging is another type of blogging, featuring very short posts.
As of 16 February 2011, there were over 156 million public
blogs in existence.
History
The term "weblog" was coined by Jorn Barger on
17 December 1997. The short form, "blog," was coined by Peter Merholz, who
jokingly broke the word weblog into the phrase we blog in
the sidebar of his blog Peterme.com in April or May 1999. Shortly
thereafter, Evan Williams at Pyra Labs used
"blog" as both a noun and verb ("to blog," meaning "to
edit one's weblog or to post to one's weblog") and devised the term
"blogger" in connection with Pyra Labs' Blogger product,
leading to the popularization of the terms.
Backgrounds
Before blogging became popular, digital communities took
many forms, including Usenet, commercial online services such as GEnie, BiX and
the early CompuServe, e-mail lists and Bulletin Board Systems (BBS). In the
1990s, Internet forum software, created running conversations with
"threads." Threads are topical connections between messages on a
virtual "corkboard."
The modern blog evolved from the online diary, where people
would keep a running account of their personal lives. Most such writers called
themselves diarists, journalists, or journalers. Justin Hall, who began
personal blogging in 1994 while a student at Swarthmore College, is generally
recognized as one of the earlier bloggers, as is Jerry Pournelle. Dave Winer's
Scripting News is also credited with being one of the older and longer running
weblogs.
Another early blog was Wearable
Wireless Webcam, an online shared diary of a person's personal life combining
text, video, and pictures transmitted live from a wearable computer and EyeTap
device to a web site in 1994. This practice of semi-automated blogging with
live video together with text was referred to as sousveillance, and such
journals were also used as evidence in legal matters.
Early blogs were simply manually updated components of
common Web sites. However, the evolution of tools to facilitate the production
and maintenance of Web articles posted in reverse chronological order made the
publishing process feasible to a much larger, less technical, population.
Ultimately, this resulted in the distinct class of online publishing that
produces blogs we recognize today. For instance, the use of some sort of
browser-based software is now a typical aspect of "blogging". Blogs
can be hosted by dedicated blog hosting services, or they can be run using blog
software, or on regular web hosting services.
Some early bloggers, such as The Misanthropic Bitch, who
began in 1997, actually referred to their online presence as a zine, before the
term blog entered common usage.
Types of Blogs
There are many different types of blogs, differing not only
in the type of content, but also in the way that content is delivered or written.
Personal blogs
The personal blog, an ongoing diary or commentary by an
individual, is the traditional, most common blog. Personal bloggers usually
take pride in their blog posts, even if their blog is never read. Blogs often
become more than a way to just communicate; they become a way to reflect on
life, or works of art. Blogging can have a sentimental quality. Few personal
blogs rise to fame and the mainstream but some personal blogs quickly garner an
extensive following. One type of personal blog, referred to as a micro blog, is
extremely detailed and seeks to capture a moment in time. Some sites, such as
Twitter, allow bloggers to share thoughts and feelings instantaneously with
friends and family, and are much faster than emailing or writing.
Corporate and
organizational blogs
A blog can be private, as in most cases, or it can be for
business purposes. Blogs used internally to enhance the communication and
culture in a corporation or externally for marketing, branding or public
relations purposes are called corporate blogs. Similar blogs for clubs and
societies are called club blogs, group blogs, or by similar names; typical use
is to inform members and other interested parties of club and member
activities.
By genre
Some blogs focus on a particular subject, such as political
blogs, health blogs, travel blogs (also known as travelogs), gardening blogs,
house blogs, fashion blogs, project blogs, education blogs, niche blogs,
classical music blogs, quizzing blogs and legal blogs (often referred to as a
blawgs) or dreamlogs. Two common types of genre blogs are art blogs and music
blogs. A blog featuring discussions especially about home and family is not
uncommonly called a mom blog and one made popular is by Erica Diamond who
created Womenonthefence.com which is syndicated to over two million readers
monthly. While not a legitimate type of blog, one used for the sole purpose of
spamming is known as a Splog.
By media type
A blog comprising videos is called a vlog, one comprising
links is called a linklog, a site containing a portfolio of sketches is called
a sketch blog or one comprising photos is called a photo blog. Blogs with
shorter posts and mixed media types are called tumblelogs. Blogs that are
written on typewriters and then scanned are called typecast or typecast blogs;
see typecasting (blogging).
A rare type of blog hosted on the Gopher Protocol is known
as a Phlog.
By device
Blogs can also be defined by which type of device is used to
compose it. A blog written by a mobile device like a mobile phone or PDA could
be called a moblog. One early blog was Wearable Wireless Webcam, an online
shared diary of a person's personal life combining text, video, and pictures
transmitted live from a wearable computer and EyeTap device to a web site. This
practice of semi-automated blogging with live video together with text was
referred to as sousveillance. Such journals have been used as evidence in legal
matters.
Reverse blog
A Reverse Blog is composed by its users rather than a single
blogger. This system has the characteristics of a blog, and the writing of
several authors. These can be written by several contributing authors on a
topic, or opened up for anyone to write. There is typically some limit to the
number of entries to keep it from operating like a Web Forum.
Consumer-generated advertising in blogs
Consumer-generated advertising is a relatively new and
controversial development and it has created a new model of marketing
communication from businesses to consumers. Among the various forms of
advertising on blog, the most controversial are the sponsored posts. These are blog entries or posts and may be in
the form of feedback, reviews, opinion, videos, etc. and usually contain a link
back to the desired site using a keyword/s.
Blogs have led to some disinter-mediation and a breakdown of
the traditional advertising model where companies can skip over the advertising
agencies (previously the only interface with the customer) and contact the
customers directly themselves. On the other hand, new companies specialized in
blog advertising have been established, to take advantage of this new
development as well.
However, there are many people who look negatively on this
new development. Some believe that any form of commercial activity on blogs
will destroy the blogosphere’s credibility.
Code of Conducts for Bloggers
The Blogger's Code of Conduct is a proposal by Tim O'Reilly
for bloggers to enforce civility on their blogs by being civil themselves and
moderating comments on their blog. The code was proposed due to threats made to
blogger Kathy Sierra. The idea of the code was first reported by BBC News, who
quoted O'Reilly saying, "I do think we need some code of conduct around
what is acceptable behavior, I would hope that it doesn't come through any kind
of regulation it would come through self-regulation."
O'Reilly and others came up with a list of seven proposed
ideas:
- Take responsibility not just for your own words, but for the comments you allow on your blog.
- Label your tolerance level for abusive comments.
- Consider eliminating anonymous comments.
- Ignore the trolls.
- Take the conversation offline, and talk directly, or find an intermediary who can do so.
- If you know someone who is behaving badly, tell them so.
- Don't say anything online that you wouldn't say in person.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
