Recently, I keep coming accross the word ‘blog.’ What does this mean?
Looking it up in the dictionary, I find that it comes from ‘web log’ but that doesn’t tell me what it actually is.
Its just some type of online diary. Its significance and/or entertainment value depends on who is writing it and what its about…
You may find this thread helpful:
What is a “political blogger”?
The word “weblog” was originally coined by Jorn Barger, referent to his esteemed protoblog, www.robotwisdom.com.
Jorn is well-respected by the Usenet James Joyce Obsessive Nerd Society, so it’s only fitting that he should have his own epoch-defining neologism.
Unfortunately, Jorn hasn’t updated his 'blog in ages. The good news (such as it is,) is that it’s “only” due to pressing financial concerns. His vanishing was sudden and unexplained (in meatspace as well as online) and he was actually feared dead for some time.
Jorn, you sometime-SDMB-lurker, we miss you! Shine on you crazy diamondskulled grandsun.
How does one get/start/post/file a blog? Where do they happen?
Blogger.com is a good place to start. You can get a free weblog there, as well as view the blogs of thousands (millions?) of others. Blogger just underwent a much-praised redesign and is supposed to be easier to use than ever. There are also a bunch of popular do-it-yourself packages, like Moveable Type, WordPress, and Blosxom.
Blogs have come a long way from a couple of years ago, when they were mostly popular with teenage girls, the equivalent of online diaries. Nowadays you can find blogs on every aspect of society, and they’re starting to become legitimate sources of news and discussion. The other cool thing is that a lot of bloggers know each other and communicate back and forth (by commenting on each others’ blogs and responding to each others’ posts and articles), forming a sort of social network called the Blogosphere. The blogging scene is going to be the next big thing on the Internet, and it’s well worth your time to check out.
There’s some neat ones out there on specific issues - I love Language Log and Language Hat because I’m a language geek, and Acts of Volition is fascinating and random. And there’s Gizmodo, for information about electronic gadgets.
They’re not all the story of some 15-year-old’s love life. A lot of them are great sources of information.