A blog (web log): 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 a 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 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 (photoblog), videos (video blogging or vlogging), music (MP3 blog), and audio (podcasting). Microblogging is another type of blogging, featuring very short posts.
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.
Types of blogs:
According to number of people involved in the blog:
An individual blog: one person who creates the blog.
A group blog: more than one person who create the 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.
According to the purpose:
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. One type of personal blog, referred to as a microblog, 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.
According to the topic of the blog:
Some blogs focus on a particular subject, such as political blogs, travel blogs (also known as travelogs), gardening blogs, house blogs, fashion blogs, project blogs, education blogs, classical music blogs, quizzing blogs and legal blogs.Two common types of genre blogs are art blogs and music blogs.
According to the 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 sketchblog or one comprising photos is called a photoblog. 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).
According to the 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.
Community and cataloging
The collective community of all blogs is known as the blogosphere.
Several blog search engines are used to search blog contents, such as Bloglines, BlogScope, and Technorati. Technorati, which is among the more popular blog search engines, provides current information on both popular searches and tags used to categorize blog postings. The research community is working on going beyond simple keyword search, by inventing new ways to navigate through huge amounts of information present in the blogosphere, as demonstrated by projects like BlogScope.
Blogging communities and directories:
Several online communities exist that connect people to blogs and bloggers to other bloggers, including BlogCatalog and MyBlogLog. Interest-specific blogging platforms are also available. For instance, Blogster has a sizable community of political bloggers among its members. Global Voices aggregates international bloggers, "with emphasis on voices that are not ordinarily heard in international mainstream media."
It is common for blogs to feature advertisements either to financially benefit the blogger or to promote the blogger's favorite causes. The popularity of blogs has also given rise to "fake blogs" in which a company will create a fictional blog as a marketing tool to promote a product.
Advantages:
- Blogs apply citizen journalism and participatory journalism.
- Blogs are considered for young people a good opportunity for work specifically with the lack of employment.
- Blogs are a good way to express feelings and emotions.
- They are a good way for people to show their talents.
- Political activists get benefits from blogs by criticizing the regimes and governments.
- Some can create blogs with hiding their identities to feel more free in writing and posting.
- There are many examples of bloggers who have published books based on their blogs, e.g., Salam Pax, Ellen Simonetti, Jessica Cutler, ScrappleFace. Blog-based books have been given the name blook. A prize for the best blog-based book was initiated in 2005,[42] the Lulu Blooker Prize.[43] However, success has been elusive offline, with many of these books not selling as well as their blogs. Only blogger Tucker Max made the New York Times Bestseller List.[44] The book based on Julie Powell's blog "The Julie/Julia Project" was made into the film Julie & Julia, apparently the first to do so. So, it is a ggod opportunity for new authors and writers who can't find publishing houses to publish their books.
- Blogs are for free so they are not expensive to use.
- Some bloggers can be famous if their blogs gained popularity between people.
- Blogs provide interactivity. So they bring very fast feedback from the audience.
- Sometimes, blogs are used as a source of information and data.
- Some blogs are a source of entertainment for people.
- Bloggers can gain money via their blogs.
- Blogs are used for educational purposes.
- Blogs are used in advertising and marketing.
- Some bloggers create their own television channels and radio stations through blogs by webcasting.
- Bloggers can choose the followers and audiences if they want.
- There are different gadgets available to be added on the blog.
- Bloggers can download more gadgets from other websites.
- Bloggers can choose the layout and design from different choices available in the website providing blogs services.
- it is possible to hide some posts from the public.
- It is possible to know how many people visited the blog or a particular post and from which country.
- Many websites are providing blog services.
- There are awards given for the best blogs and bloggers.
Disadvantages:
- Blogging can lead to defamation or liability.
- Blogs content is not 100percent credible.
- Several cases have been brought before the national courts against bloggers concerning issues of defamation or liability.
- Totalitarian and authoritarian regimes often seek to suppress blogs and/or to punish those who maintain them.
- There are not law to control or regulate the bloggers practices.
- Some bloggers negatively use the blogs and the freedom provided by the blogs.
- Anonymity of some bloggers is a problem because we do not know their identities, however, there are technological ways that can be used to track them.
- Bloggers can be brought to court because what they write.
- Not all the information and data available on blogs are true or real, so they can be used to spread rumors, gossips or lies.
- Pretending being other persons from what we really are.
- Writing personal information and posting private materials can lead to privacy invasion.
- It is hard to gain popularity among the audiences because of the huge amount of blogs found on the internet.
Behavior
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.[84] 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 behaviour, I would hope that it doesn't come through any kind of regulation it would come through self-regulation."[85]
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.
- 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.
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