‘Blog’ is Internet lingo for a ‘Web log’. As the name suggests, it’s
for logging your activities on the Net, something like your personal
Web diary. To put it more elaborately, a blog is a Web-based publication consisting primarily of periodic articles (usually in reverse chronological order). Although most early Web logs were manually updated, tools to automate the maintenance of such sites made them accessible to a much larger population, and the use of somesort of browser-based software is now a typical aspect of‘blogging’.
for logging your activities on the Net, something like your personal
Web diary. To put it more elaborately, a blog is a Web-based publication consisting primarily of periodic articles (usually in reverse chronological order). Although most early Web logs were manually updated, tools to automate the maintenance of such sites made them accessible to a much larger population, and the use of somesort of browser-based software is now a typical aspect of‘blogging’.
Blogs cover a wide range of topics, from individual diaries to
political campaigns, media programs, and even audio updates like a
radio station. A blog may be authored by a single individual or by a
collaboration of a large community of writers.
political campaigns, media programs, and even audio updates like a
radio station. A blog may be authored by a single individual or by a
collaboration of a large community of writers.
Sites such as Gizmodo.com are essentially blogs. Many blogs
enable visitors to leave public comments, which can lead to a community of readers centred on the blog. Like any technological community, the bloggers’ community, too, has developed a language of
its own. The totality of Web logs or blog-related Web sites is often
called the blogosphere.
enable visitors to leave public comments, which can lead to a community of readers centred on the blog. Like any technological community, the bloggers’ community, too, has developed a language of
its own. The totality of Web logs or blog-related Web sites is often
called the blogosphere.
When a large amount of activity, information and opinion
erupts around a particular subject or controversy in the blogosphere,it is sometimes called a blogstorm or blog swarm. So who
were the precursors of these phenomena? Electronic communities
existed before internetworking. For example, the Associated
Press newswire was, in effect, similar to a large chat room where
there were ‘wire fights’ and electronic conversations.
erupts around a particular subject or controversy in the blogosphere,it is sometimes called a blogstorm or blog swarm. So who
were the precursors of these phenomena? Electronic communities
existed before internetworking. For example, the Associated
Press newswire was, in effect, similar to a large chat room where
there were ‘wire fights’ and electronic conversations.
Another pre-digital electronic community—amateur (or
‘ham’) radio—allowed individuals who set up their own broadcast
equipment to communicate with others directly. Ham radio
also had logs called ‘glogs’, which were personal diaries made
using wearable computers in the early 1980s.
‘ham’) radio—allowed individuals who set up their own broadcast
equipment to communicate with others directly. Ham radio
also had logs called ‘glogs’, which were personal diaries made
using wearable computers in the early 1980s.
Before blogging became popular, digital communities took
many forms, including Usenet, e-mail lists and bulletin boards. In
the 1990s, Internet forum software such as WebX created running
conversations with threads. Many of the terms from Web logging
were created in these earlier media. The term ‘Weblog’ was coined
by Jorn Barger in 1997. The shorter version, ‘blog’, was coined by
Peter Merholz. One of the most popular blogging tools, Blogger,
was developed at around this time by Pyra Labs. Google purchased
this sometime in 2003 and launched blogspot.com, one of the
world’s most extensively used blog sites.
many forms, including Usenet, e-mail lists and bulletin boards. In
the 1990s, Internet forum software such as WebX created running
conversations with threads. Many of the terms from Web logging
were created in these earlier media. The term ‘Weblog’ was coined
by Jorn Barger in 1997. The shorter version, ‘blog’, was coined by
Peter Merholz. One of the most popular blogging tools, Blogger,
was developed at around this time by Pyra Labs. Google purchased
this sometime in 2003 and launched blogspot.com, one of the
world’s most extensively used blog sites.
Blogging rose to major prominence during the aftermath of
the tsunami that struck South-east Asia in December 2004. A number
of relief operations were co-ordinated using blogs. This led to
blogs gaining prominent media status. The idea of distributed
journalism also caught on because of this.
the tsunami that struck South-east Asia in December 2004. A number
of relief operations were co-ordinated using blogs. This led to
blogs gaining prominent media status. The idea of distributed
journalism also caught on because of this.
Blogging today is something as common as using e-mail.
Moreover, a number of news sources are looking at tapping the ever-increasing number of journalists who use their blogs as
points for dispensing information.
Moreover, a number of news sources are looking at tapping the ever-increasing number of journalists who use their blogs as
points for dispensing information.