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 Please note:

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What is a Web Log?

First Blogs…

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Expressions of the Internet culture

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Started in 1995

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Topic-driven (food, politics, news)

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Served as on-line diaries

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Combined text, images & links

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Hugely influential

Our Blogs run on Hosting Services

   BCB703 is hosted on http://www.blogger.com

Part of the Google Empire Can use Commmercial or Open Source Blog Software http://bcb703.blogspot.com

Why did Blogging take Off?

 Citizen Journalism  Political Blogs most influential  2 nd Gulf War  Democratising 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.”

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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  Access & dissemination of Science and Technology and to express your opinions  Ensure the liberating aspects of scientific endeavour are promoted

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% of your course

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 With nightmares and with dreams, Will no one lay the laurel wreath When silence drowns the screams.

{refrain} Between the iron gates of fate, The seeds of time were sown, And watered by the deeds of those Who know and who are known; Knowledge is a deadly friend if no one sets the rules.

The fate of all mankind I see Is in the hands of fools.

{refrain} Confusion will be my epitaph.

As I crawl a cracked and broken path If we make it we can all sit back and laugh.

But I fear tomorrow I'll be crying, Yes I fear tomorrow I'll be crying.”

( Fripp/McDonald/Lake/Giles/Sinfield)

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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

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

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

     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

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Blogging and Society

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

Can cause Employer-employee friction Some Institution’s do not allow employee’s permission to have their own Blogs e.g. CNN Bloggers often respect neither intellectual property nor mass media in presenting society with credible news

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The making of a Blog

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 Culture has created its own Blog jargon

                  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

Podcasting

     Podcasts can mean both content and delivery revolving around sound clips May offer direct download or streaming Typically include shows with new “episodes” regularly or sporadically delivered.

Podcast networks have been set up Geared to a listening rather than a reading audience

Next Chapter 1 Review of Human Evolution Chapter 2 History and Civilization Chapter 3 Philosophy of Science Chapter 4 Weblogs Chapter 5 Scientific Writing & CSE Style Chapter 6 Library Methods Chapter 7 Spreadsheets Chapter 8 Presentations (posters and talks) Chapter 9 Information Society

I hope that you found chapter 4 informative, and that you enjoy chapter 5.