Transcript Slide 1

Web Logs
Richard Knight
“
Seems like if we
really want to save
America, we should
be home-sitting in
our underwear in
front of a computer
running a Web Log”
Available at http://planet.uwc.ac.za/nisl
BCB 703:
Scientific Methodology
What is a Web Log?
First Blogs…
Expressions of the Internet culture
 Started in 1995
 Topic-driven (food, politics, news)
 Served as on-line diaries
 Combined text, images
& links
 Hugely influential
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Blogs run on Hosting Services
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BCB703 is hosted on
http://www.blogger.com
Part of the Google
Empire
Can use Commmercial
or Open Source Blog
Software
Why did Blogging take Off?
Citizen Journalism
 Political Blogs most influential
 2nd Gulf War
 Democratising
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Rebecca Blood
“We are being pummeled by a deluge of data and unless we create time and
spaces in which to reflect, we will be left with only our reactions. I strongly
believe in the power of weblogs to transform both writers and readers from
"audience" to "public" and from "consumer" to "creator." Weblogs are no
panacea for the crippling effects of a media-saturated culture, but I believe
they are one antidote.”
Internet censorship
 Many Countries practices
Internet Censorship
 The most extreme would
be China – where even
our Weblog would not be
viewable!
Great Wall of China
Great Firewall of China
Weblog: An Enabling Technology
Produce socially aware and
sensitized researchers
 Accesses & dissemination of
Science and Technology and to
express your opinions
 Ensure the liberating aspects
of scientific endeavour are
promoted
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Why Keep a Weblog?
Document how society is performing
 Capture “Personal Experiences”
 Learn about some of your other interests
 Encourage expressive and
creative writing
 Establish a scientific
dialogue
 Counts 30%
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Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est.
‘Knowledge is Power’
Sir Francis Bacon
“The wall on which the prophets wrote
Is cracking at the seams.
Upon the instruments if death
The sunlight brightly gleams.
When every man is torn apart
The fate of all mankind I see
With nightmares and with dreams, Is in the hands of fools.
Will no one lay the laurel wreath
Confusion will be my epitaph.
As silence drowns the screams.
As I crawl a cracked and broken path
Between the iron gates of fate,
If we make it we can all sit back
The seeds of time were sown,
and laugh.
And watered by the deeds of those But I fear tomorrow I'll be crying,
Who know and who are known;
Yes I fear tomorrow I'll be crying.”
Knowledge is a deadly friend
When no one sets the rules.
(Fripp/McDonald/Lake/Giles/Sinfield)
Writing a blog is about learning!
In order to make your Weblog you will
need to…
find information
review
add value
express youself
post it
reply to comments
Science
is about…
identifying a problem, researching it (review and experimentation),
presenting it and defending it!
Before Blogging
Ham Radio
 Digital Community used email lists, bulletin
boards
 WebEx “Electronic Corkboard with
threaded discussions
 Personal web diaries started in 1995
 Webrings created an on-line community
dialogue
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Blogging Emerges
Weblog coined by Jorn Barger on 17
December 1997
 “Blog” coined by Peter Merholz~“We Blog”
 Xanga, launched in 1996, had only 100
diaries by 1997, and over 50 000 000 by
December 2005
 March 2003, the Oxford English Dictionary
included the terms weblog, weblogging
and weblogger.
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Blogging gains influence
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2001 - First American blogs: Andrew Sullivan's
AndrewSullivan.com, Taegan Goddard's Political
Wire and Jerome Armstrong's MyDD—all political!
John Guilfoil: suggested daily/multi-daily (shorter
news/views). Real-time web sites emerged.
Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott endorsement of
the racist Thurmond's presidential 1948 campaign
broke “views” came out on the Blogs before the
news stands. Since then Blogs have been breaking,
shaping, and spinning news
Second Iraq war witnessed the first “Blog Wars”
with a reported reality that contrasted with the
official news reports
The popularity of Blogs
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MP Tom Watson of the UK Labour Party, began
to “blog to bond” with constituents.
Blogs were among the driving forces behind the
"Rathergate" scandal
Bloggers became almost “celebrity” with
appearance on radio and television yet others
moved from old media to blogging e.g. Rebecca
MacKinnon, a former CNN new reporter
Blogs new source for the
December 2004 Tsunami
2005 amateur blogging
took off in a big way
Rebecca McKinnon
Impact of Blogging
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MP Tom Watson of the UK Labour Party, began
to “blog to bond” with constituents.
Blogs were among the driving forces behind the
"Rathergate" scandal
Bloggers became almost “celebrity” with
appearance on radio and television yet others
moved from old media to blogging e.g. Rebecca
MacKinnon, a former CNN new reporter
Blogs new source for the
December 2004 Tsunami
2005 amateur blogging
took off in a big way
Blogging and Society
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Support Open Source Movement
Social Impact and Free Speech are part of Blogging
society
More direct ability to participate in politics
Blogging may be a means of "getting around the
“filter” to push messages to the public
Blogs can be empowering to minority groups and
individuals to find expression
Blogging Issues
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Employer-empolyee friction
Institution’s do not allow employee’s permission to
have their own Blogs
Bloggers respect neither intellectual property nor the
role of the mass media in presenting society with
credible news
The making of a Blog
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Use of Service Providers Yahoo!
360º,Blogger.com, Iblo.com
Dedicated server-based systems
MovableType, WordPress
Mobile blogging for travelers
Some advanced users have developed
custom blogging systems from scratch
using server-side software
Advanced users have developed custom
blogging systems from scratch using
server-side software
Created its own Blog jargon
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Types of Blogs
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Online Diary the Personal Diary
Cultural music, sport, theatre, arts, pop culture
Topical niche e.g. Google Blog
Local local events
Business stock market, promotion, product support
Science rather few, mixed feelings
Moblog mobile blogging by email, mobile phone etc
Collaborative several contributors (team blog)
Eclectic specialized and unusual
Educational course delivery and participation
Directory updated links to topics of interest
Forum users to post and respond to articles
Spam high-pressure advertising (nuisance?)
Sketch for artist to share their work
Photoblog for photographers to share their work
Pollblog solicit public opinion
Political often association with wars
Mapblog linked to Web Map Services
Common Blogging terms