Is Blogging a Disease? 13/12/2004 Good to see that Mad has doubled the previous record for Blog Comments. It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy, especially as he's my son, designs the geeky stuff behind my blog and occasionally threatens to pull the plug when I get uppity.As you all know, I am a recent arrival in the world of blogs. This weekend, I have been roaming the blogosphere in my quest to define the term "blog". A decent definition still eludes me but there are a few things I've noticed already. Allow me to bore your good self with them.1. Blogging has been around for much longer than I had realized. I came across a couple where the bloggers had been hard at work for years. Interestingly, both appeared to have no comments. Now that is true dedication, to pour out your thoughts day after day without any feedback from fellow human beings. I don't think I could cope with that (thanks folks :)).2. The blogosphere divides into several categories. I have no doubt that there are more but here are those I've noticed so far -Designer Blogs - These I was introduced to first, thanks to my son, Mad, being one of them. They amount essentially to an ongoing conversation between those involved in a specialist field. I have seen a few blogs that deal with other rarified subjects and so I guess I should alter this category to be Specialist Blogs with subdivisions into each specialism. My suspicion is that, although the general category may be significant within the whole blogosphere, the various subdivisions would be quite small.Personal Diaries - Probably the most numerous of all blog types, these range from the literary and quite interesting to the incomprehensible. The vast majority exist without benefit of comments; just a few have sizeable readerships. Some include specialisms since they admit that their work is a valid component of their daily experience.Political Blogs - Really a specialism, they are so numerous as to deserve a category of their own. Many are very learned in their field (at least appear so to an apolitical animal like me) and, if you are into politics (American) you are spoiled for choice - there is something for everyone here. From my point of view, however, they merely get in the way, forcing me to wade through them in my search for understanding.Picture Blogs - The most irritating since they can take an age to load. In general they are uninteresting, consisting solely of personal photographs of the blogger and friends. It's like being forced to go through Auntie's vacation pics from 1957... Just the occasional one has photos that are worth looking at - have a look at Keith's photos of India in Mad's latest blog.Empty Blogs - Often containing nothing but question marks, these exist on Blogger as a necessary means to make a comment (how stupid is it that you have to get a blog on Blogger before you can post a comment on any of its blogs?). I have one in there somewhere...Corporate Blogs - Essentially advertising. One has to admire the foresight of those companies that have already noticed the potential for marketing within this fairly new field.Club Blogs - These are quite common and only avoid inclusion within the Specialist category because they often contain several interests and sub-categories.Literary Blogs - Hopefully a new invention. As far as I've gone, the only ones I know of are the ones within our own little sector of the blogosphere. I have come across writer's blogs but these contain personal news, not examples of work. This would make sense since we get no financial reward for putting our stuff out there for all and sundry to steal if they wish. Our motivation is a mystery to me.3. Blogging is a relatively new development on the internet and has still to settle down into any kind of maturity. At the moment, it seems that you can put just about anything up there and it will be classified as a blog. Personally, I dread the arrival of the voice blog...4. Most of the world is barely literate. This is especially noticeable amongst the young and this re-awakens my horror of the future that awaits us - a world of shrinking vocabulary, abbreviated text messages and all the decline in understanding that entails. Sometimes it's hard being a dinosaur.You can see how difficult it is to put a handle on all this confusion. Mad tells me that there is an on-going debate on the definition of the blog - I believe him. And I shall continue my adventure in this new world, forever trying to make sense of it all. Even dinosaurs struggle to avoid extinction, you know.As to why it should be necessary to define the term - oh, I don't know, perhaps I'm just trying to see where this is all going...
Clive
Mad All good stuff Dad. I have only one addendum the blogs full of question marks are most likely blogs in langauges you don't have installed, Cantonese etc. So why do we do this? I started because it was trendy and then quickly became bored. I continued because I hated the idea of causing link rot. Now I do it because it's become a community thing (and part of me is competetive)... Date Added: 13/12/2004
Gone Away Okay, so that sorts out your motives... ;) Date Added: 13/12/2004
Hannah Good points, all. However, in most cases, I can't bear to read the damn things-- particularly those of friends who can't communicate through the written (ok, typed) word. One can't very well say, "I love you lots, but you're an illiterate bumpkin" no matter how great the temptation. As for the specialty blogs, presumably those interested read them, but most likely no one else, unless one's friend has a son who.... oh, let's not go there :P Date Added: 13/12/2004
Gone Away Thank you Hannah, you write such good comments. And I love the suggestion of what to say to friends who are (let's be kind here) a little less literate than others... :D Date Added: 13/12/2004
Harry Chris, in his own *slog, recounts his persistence. Recall too, that he won over Isabel and Ferdinand. He went on next to establish new worlds and eradicate the simple Arawaks in the process. That in turn prevented Napoleon from winning Louisiana, which enables me to sit here and write English all day long, if I choose. He also gave us Barbeque and a nice holiday, so I’ll keep writing until this ship springs a leak, or the crew votes to mutiny. * Ship's log. Date Added: 13/12/2004
Gone Away The man's a genius. How the heck he wanders from blogging to Columbus I'll never know but he paints the picture without a brushstroke out of place. It's an honor to sail with you, Harry. Date Added: 13/12/2004
Ned I hate to have to tell you this, but they do have voice blogs. On AOL you can call your blog on the phone should you have sudden inspiration or even IM it in case you are far from your home PC. I agree with Hannah, that it is almost a burden to be honored with the URL to some blogs, and having no wish to make comment, I simply say, "Thank you for sharing that with me, I am honored". And the blogging community can be indebted to me for not having the urge to share with them, as I do not wish to place that burden of comment upon them. I am such a character that pouring into a blog my "thoughts day after day without any feedback from fellow human beings" is exactly what I wish. Everyone should also thank me for never having sung on the mic, or turned on my webcam, or forced yahoo photo album links on them. But heck, I got me like 6 readers now and can any of that be far behind? Please, someone, stop me now before it is too late! Date Added: 13/12/2004
Gone Away Best darn blog on the net and she won't share it... :| Date Added: 13/12/2004
Ned Flattery is always welcomed and completely discounted. Date Added: 13/12/2004
Way Don't she just knock yer blog in the dirt? And make ya happy as pie for doing so? Whatawoman! Say, how much of a discount does flattery rate nowadays? Date Added: 13/12/2004
Gone Away For once (just this once, mind you) I am speechless. Date Added: 13/12/2004
Ned Way, I can only say that I find myself unworthy to even comment on your blog. It simply stuns me into envy at the fertile ground of your imagination and your natural gift of expression. It totally blows me away. I think you do yourself a disservice by letting morons like us read it. You should probably should require potential readers pass a qualifying exam first. Date Added: 13/12/2004
Gone Away Oh great, a stray comment from Way's blog arrives on my doorstep. Should I pass it on to him or just or just cross out his name and write "Gone" there? Hehehe Date Added: 13/12/2004
Ned I told you, I am not worthy to comment on Way's blog. Yours, on the other hand... well... still you do a fair job of blogging, I mean don't despair or anything. Work at it, maybe someday you can be like Way :) Date Added: 13/12/2004
Gone Away Oh she's a hard taskmaster. LOL Date Added: 13/12/2004
josh So. Where's the power button on this thing? Date Added: 14/12/2004
Gone Away You're thinking of the GT model, Josh. This is just the bog standard version... Date Added: 14/12/2004
Harvey Young This is a great story and given that you wrote it two months ago, you were fairly forward in your thinking. I think you have clearly nailed down what is out there. And I think now I agree that you too are a bit weird about this whole thing. Date Added: 26/02/2005
Gone Away As we are both discovering I think, blogging is an evolving creature. It's recent impact upon the news has increased interest but mainly on the political side. But it does mean that more people are aware of it and that must mean that our own interests (literature) must increase in readership too. But being weird is all part of the deal... ;) Date Added: 26/02/2005
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