Blogging for Webmasters

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Blogging for Webmasters

• 2005 AALL Annual Meeting
• Steven C. Perkins, J.D., M.L.L.
• Coordinator of Reference Services
• University of Houston Libraries

2
What is a Blog?

• A Blog is a Web Log, an interactive web page that
  allows readers to post comments on the items
  posted to the blog.
• See, http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog for a
  detailed explanation.
• Blogs can be used with RSS feeds to keep your
  readers notified of important information.
• Many organizations use blogs to ensure that
  everyone receives information in a timely manner.

3
The Evolution of Web Pages

• Before there was a World Wide Web there was Dr
  Ted Nelson and XANADU, http//xanadu.com/
• The first browser, WorldWideWeb, created editable
  web pages, http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WorldWideW
  eb
• Later web browsers did not allow you to
  interactively edit the web pages on the server.
• Static web pages ruled the WWW until . . .

4
The Introduction of the Wiki

• In 1995, Ward Cunningham established the first
  Wiki, at the Portland Pattern Repository, and
  interactive web page editing was back in the WWW,
  http//c2.com/cgi/wiki?WikiHistory
• 29 Dec 1997 saw the first use of WebLog on the
  RobotWisdom website, http//www.robotwisdom.com/lo
  g1997m12.html
• Originally hand-coded, blogs were quickly
  automated, and are now mostly maintained through
  a browser-based application

5
Blog Software

• Three of the main software tools used for
  blogging are Blogger, TypePad, and Movable Type
• Blogger is owned by Google, http//www.blogger.c
  om/
• Six Apart, owns TypePad, MovableType, and
  LiveJournal, http//www.sixapart.com/
• Radio UserLand is another widely used blogging
  tool, http//radio.userland.com/

6
Types of Blogs

• Audio blogs, includes PodCasting,
  http//www.Audioblog.com/,
• http//www.Podshow.com/
• Videoblogs, http//www.videoblog.com/
• Moblogs for mobile phones, http//go.blogger.com/m
  obile-start.g
• PhotoBlogs like Flickr, http//www.flickr.com/
• Klogs, Dashlogs, and Linklogs can be used to
  point users to information sources

7
Blog Directories

• Bloglines is a blog aggregator where you can
  search for blogs on the subject of your choice,
  http//www.bloglines.com/
• Law Professor Blogs links to legal blogs,
  blawgs by law professors, http//www.lawprofesso
  rblogs.com/
• Library weblogs can be found at
  http//www.libdex.com/weblogs.html

8
Questions to ask before starting a Blog

• What are you using it for?
• Alerts
• Updates
• Discussion
• Who will manage
• How many editors
• Public or Private

9
Problems with Blogs

• Most blogs are abandoned after being started.
  LiveJournal has nearly 8 million blogs but only 3
  million are actively maintained.
• Open blogs can be subjected to comment spam.
• Hosting a blog on your own server may be very
  troublesome.
• Using an off-site host can also cause problems.
• You could get sued. See, the EFF Legal Guide
  for Bloggers, http//www.eff.org/bloggers/lg/

10
Problems (cont.)

• Legal problems include Intellectual Property,
  Defamation, Privacy, Employment,
  http//www.eff.org/bloggers/lg/
• Legal protection is Section 230 of the
  Communications Decency Act of 1996,
  http//www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode47/u
  sc_sec_47_00000230----000-.html
• Bloggers reporting the news and those reporting
  on public records have some protections beyond
  Sec. 230, http//www.eff.org/bloggers/lg/

11
Some Law Blogs

• LLRX, http//www.llrx.com/
• Legal Periodicals from WL, http//bloggery.wlu.ed
  u/lawrevs/
• Law Library Technology, http//www.lawlibtech.com/
  
• BeSpacific, http//www.bespacific.com/
• Lawrence Lessig, http//www.lessig.org/blog/

12
Who is Using Blogs in AALL?

• The AALL Annual Meeting, http//weblog.law.ttu.edu
  /aallamo/
• The CS-SIS, http//cssisblawgs.blogspot.com/
• Law Libraries, http//cssisblawgs.bloki.com/index.
  jsp?nameblogsfolderId93662

13
BLOG Resources

• Blogging and RSSing the Librarian
  Wayhttp//www.sla.org/Presentations/05Toronto/DITB
  loggingRSSingtheLibrarianWayTrends.ppt
• All About Blawgs, by Robert Ambrogi,
  http//www.abll.org/pdf/ambrogi.ppt
• Blog Software Breakdown, http//www.asymptomatic.n
  et/blogbreakdown.htm
• Blogger Tour, http//www.blogger.com/tour_start.g
• Blogging Reading and Creating Blogs,
  http//www.law.emory.edu/cms/site/uploads/media/bl
  ogging_notes.pdf

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RSS the Blog helper

• RSS has several meanings
• There are different versions of RSS
• Most Blogs have the capability of automatically
  generating RSS feeds
• Some web browsers can read RSS feeds FireFox
• Many people use separate rss readers to manage
  their RSS feeds FeedReader, and BlogLines
  http//www.feedreader.com/ http//www.bloglines.co
  m/

15
Who is Using RSS for Law?

• http//www.aallnet.org/sis/tssis/index.htm

• GPOhttp//www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fdlp/index.h
  tml
• Washington Lee Law Journals Feeds for tocs
  http//law.wlu.edu/library/feeds/
• AALL TS-SIS, http//www.aallnet.org/sis/tssis/inde
  x.htm
• Utah State Courts, Appellatte Court Opinions,
  http//www.utcourts.gov/
• Louisiana Supreme Court Opinions,
  http//www.lasc.org/

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RSS Resources

• RSS for Content Publishers and Webmasters,
  http//www.mnot.net/rss/tutorial/
• RSS Resources from MALL, http//www.aallnet.org/ch
  apter/mall/inet_rss.htm
• Blogging and RSSing the Librarian
  Wayhttp//www.sla.org/Presentations/05Toronto/DITB
  loggingRSSingtheLibrarianWayTrends.ppt

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