Blogs

(a portmanteau of web log ) A website combining text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to the topic at hand Entries are written in chronological order and commonly displayed in reverse chronological order. Provides commentary or news on a particular subject [food, politics, local news, etc.] Some function as more personal online diaries "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog. What is a blog ?

(a portmanteau of web log )

A website combining text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to the topic at hand

Entries are written in chronological order and commonly displayed in reverse chronological order.

Provides commentary or news on a particular subject [food, politics, local news, etc.]

Some function as more personal online diaries

"Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

Modern blogging sites make publishing content on the web easy & free No longer do would-be bloggers need a great deal of tech savvy Process now on par with ordering from Amazon or sending an email Allows readers to comment Content is easily syndicated How is a blog different?

Modern blogging sites make publishing content on the web easy & free

No longer do would-be bloggers need a great deal of tech savvy

Process now on par with ordering from Amazon or sending an email

Allows readers to comment

Content is easily syndicated

Blogging has its roots in diaries and ‘zines. Also presaged by pre-www Usenet groups & BBS Early blogs were simply manually updated components of common websites Web-based tools were launched in 1998 & 1999 Google bought Blogger in 2003 When did blogs begin?

Blogging has its roots in diaries and ‘zines.

Also presaged by pre-www Usenet groups & BBS

Early blogs were simply manually updated components of common websites

Web-based tools were launched in 1998 & 1999

Google bought Blogger in 2003

How many blogs ?

Amateurs [like you or me] Pros Political pundits Consultants Companies Toyota Sony Media outlets NY Times BBC Who is blogging ?

Amateurs [like you or me]

Pros

Political pundits

Consultants

Companies

Toyota

Sony

Media outlets

NY Times

BBC

Who is blogging ?

How often do they blog ?

Some look plain. How do blogs look?

Some look plain.

How do blogs look? Others are “pimped out.”

Others are “pimped out.”

How do blogs look? Plain.

Plain.

How do blogs look? Pimped.

Pimped.

How do blogs look? Plain.

Plain.

How do blogs look? Pimped.

Pimped.

Google now returns blogs in regular searches www.technorati.com “ Blog Roll” sections of blogs How do I find a blog ?

Google now returns blogs in regular searches

www.technorati.com

“ Blog Roll” sections of blogs

Bookmark and visit daily Sign up for email updates Utilize the syndication features Functions within Firefox and Internet Explorer MyYahoo, iGoogle Aggregators like NewsGator or Bloglines How do I monitor blogs ?

Bookmark and visit daily

Sign up for email updates

Utilize the syndication features

Functions within Firefox and Internet Explorer

MyYahoo, iGoogle

Aggregators like NewsGator or Bloglines

Politics Blogs can cover politics in ways that traditional media is not able to Niche approach and chronological construction facilitate it Breaking news Blogs have broken stories ahead of traditional media First-person accounts Making news Dan Rather investigation via blogs, and his departure How are blogs relevant?

Politics

Blogs can cover politics in ways that traditional media is not able to

Niche approach and chronological construction facilitate it

Breaking news

Blogs have broken stories ahead of traditional media

First-person accounts

Making news

Dan Rather investigation via blogs, and his departure

Narrowcasting & Niche Esoteric topics & interests granted an equal play Traditional media cannot grant this level of coverage Benefit for expression of the blogger Enrichment of the consumer How are blogs relevant?

Narrowcasting & Niche

Esoteric topics & interests granted an equal play

Traditional media cannot grant this level of coverage

Benefit for expression of the blogger

Enrichment of the consumer

Integrity Some still have doubts about accuracy No formal code of conduct Trolls & spam Internet is full of troublemakers; some of them blog, the rest comment on other blogs Spam blogs, “splogs” created for usual spam topics: [vi@gra, mortages, stock picks, etc.] Astroturfing formal campaigns in politics and advertising that seek to create the impression of being grassroots behavior Any blog downsides?

Integrity

Some still have doubts about accuracy

No formal code of conduct

Trolls & spam

Internet is full of troublemakers; some of them blog, the rest comment on other blogs

Spam blogs, “splogs” created for usual spam topics: [vi@gra, mortages, stock picks, etc.]

Astroturfing

formal campaigns in politics and advertising that seek to create the impression of being grassroots behavior

Requires moderate to advanced web literacy to fully take advantage of blog content Learning curve with terms & technology Without being involved from the start, getting involved takes time 35W bridge collapse incident example Issue of the “Walled Garden” Any blog downsides?

Requires moderate to advanced web literacy to fully take advantage of blog content

Learning curve with terms & technology

Without being involved from the start, getting involved takes time

35W bridge collapse incident example

Issue of the “Walled Garden”

Gartner release report yesterday Blogosphere growth is cooling Now doubling every 7 ½ months, rather than every 6 Estimates indicate 200 million ex-bloggers Who knows what else lies ahead? The future of blogs ?

Gartner release report yesterday

Blogosphere growth is cooling

Now doubling every 7 ½ months, rather than every 6

Estimates indicate 200 million ex-bloggers

Who knows what else lies ahead?