Monday, June 20, 2016

BLOG: Blog v Wiki

Blogs and wikis are becoming increasingly popular throughout the years there are major increase of users on the internet. Users are searching for information more than ever as internet became an everyday tool people use to conduct work. Both blogs and wikis exists on the internet, both are very similar to each other, and it’s a way for internet users to gain information they search for, however they both have their very own distinct differences. Some of the differences between the two is that wiki information can be directed towards a more general an unbiased way as many users accumulate facts and real information to create a one-stream of information relating that the topic of interest. Whereas blogs tends to be more of an opinion sided story where the author can set the direction of the information in ways that they proposed. Ultimately we can look at wiki as being a collaborative piece of work from users all over the internet and blog as being a one person or a team of writers creating articles of their choice to voice their opinions.

The sense of convergence is very important in today’s networked world. With the vase information across the internet platform, research applications, blogs, wikis and social media from all over the world, it allows people to come together and contribute on a single topic that sparks their interest. According to Kathy E. Gill’s “How can we measure the influence of blogosphere?” on blogging as journalism; “Participatory journalism is a concept that embraces an expanded two-way communication between established media and readers, allowing readers to interact with journalists and news organizations. Today’s practice of blogging embodies these concepts of journalism. Not only does it provide many viewpoints on shared experiences, but it often also serves as a collective databank used to jog the faulty memories of those who write or report for major media”. Blogs and wikis allows for collaboration of information, as multiple users can voice their opinions or inputs on information which allows other users to receive a more vivid picture of the information they are searching for.


One of my hobbies is going out on a boat or onshore at various areas of Long Island to go fishing, and blog has definitely help in a way for fishermen to provide daily fishing reports. With the help of fishermen around the island, it allows other viewers to see rather or not fish are migrating to an area or if the day’s catch are good. Similar to fishing, according the Michael Wilson’s article “Brooklyn Blog Helps Lead to Drug Raid”, a community was united by a blog to help fight criminals and illegal activities in their neighborhood, all of the information which later alerted and used by the police which led to a drug-raid.


Looking at wiki and blog at the same time, one of the functions I personally think wiki should add is a comment function. This allows those who do not wish to alter the information that is on the page to voice their opinion or concerns. Another way for wiki is to add the approval or disapprove function, I believe this provides a better way for people searching for information to look for more validated information as other’s approves the writing that’s written on the wiki page.

Kathy E. Gill “How Can We Measure the Influence of the Blogosphere?” May 2004. Workshop on the Weblogging Ecosystem. June 20, 2016.

Michael Wilson “Brooklyn Blog Helps Lead to Drug Raid” June 26, 2008. The New York Times. Web. June 20, 2016.

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