Blogs and forums: more than another tool in the toolbox

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Blogs and forums more than another tool in the
toolbox

• Christian Battista, BSc. (Psyc).
• Site Admin, Food Safety Network Web Forums
• University of Guelph

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So you wanna be a blogger
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The term "weblog" was coined by Jorn Barger on 17
December 1997. The short form, "blog," was coined
by Peter Merholz. He broke the word weblog into
the phrase "we blog" in the sidebar of his weblog
in April or May of 1999. 1 "Blog" was accepted
as a noun (weblog shortened) and as a verb ("to
blog," meaning "to edit one's weblog or to post
to one's weblog").
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What is it?
A weblog (usually shortened to blog, but
occasionally spelled web log or weblog) is a
web-based publication consisting primarily of
periodic articles, most often in reverse
chronological order. Early weblogs were simply
manually updated components of common websites.
However, the evolution of tools to facilitate the
production and maintenance of web articles posted
in said chronological fashion made the publishing
process feasible to a much larger, less
technical, population. This resulted in the
distinct class of online publishing that produces
blogs we recognize today.
http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog
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The first broadly popular American blogs emerged
in 2001 Andrew Sullivan's AndrewSullivan.com,
Ron Gunzburger's Politics1.com, Taegan Goddard's
Political Wire and Jerome Armstrong's MyDDall
blogging primarily on politics.
Where did it come from?
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MIT is studying them.
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Nature is covering them.
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"The standard scientific paper is irreplaceable
as a fixed, archivable document that defines a
checkpoint in a body of work, but it's static,
it's very limited," says Paul Myers, a biologist
at the University of Minnesota, who blogs at
Pharyngula."Put a description of your paper on a
weblog, though, and something very different
happens," says Myers. "People who are very far
afield from your usual circle start thinking
about the subject. They bring up interesting
perspectives." By sharing ideas online, you get
feedback and new research ideas, he says.
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How do I get one?
No time? No money? No problem.
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How do I get one?
If you have a website, you can have a blog or
host a forum using open-source software like
phpBB. Host your own or use free blog hosting
services like Blogger or MySpace.
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Options for blogging
Easy - Get a free account from a service like
Blogger
A little harder - Host your own blog using free
software.
Hardest - Host your own forum (and deal with the
spam that ensues) using free software like phpBB.
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The forum option
dlindley Joined 16 Dec 2005 Posts 2 PostPosted
Dec 16, 2005 Post subject What might be more
helpful... ... than yet another tirade against
raw milk is a balanced discussion of why e. coli
was present in the milk in some of these cases.
And, perhaps, what these farmers could have,
should have done to prevent it, and still be able
to distribute their product. Clearly, raw milk
is not the only source of e. coli. Even this web
site cites many e. coli cases arising from food
processed by large producers in accordance with
the law. And, might I suggest, you spend some
time on a commercial dairy farm that supplies the
"healthy" milk you advocate. The couple of
commercial farms I've been at are so disgusting,
so dirty that I am happy to get back to my own
clean herd and unpasteurized milk.
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Youre never backed into a corner.
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Unlike a live or telephone conversation, you have
up to a day to respond.
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Use the e-Huddle
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Postings and responses are written and archived
for public viewing.
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If your database is well organized, users can
search through archived postings by topic or
keyword, or author.
SQL
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Sowho are my users?
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How will they find me?
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Why Blog? Revisited
From DenverGov.org
Thank you for taking advantage of this Denver
Online Service. By doing so, the cost of our
providing this service to you was significantly
reduced, compared to other traditional methods.
We are committed to reducing the costs of
delivering services and living within our means
as a city government, to help make Denver a
better place to live and work. Mayor John
Hickenlooper
http//198.202.202.66/eh/search.asp?modeget_insp
est_id9199dte3/20/2006
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Why Blog?
Cheaper than traditional forms of
communication. Reach out to anyone with an
internet connection. If you dont say it, someone
else will (or already is).
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Googles blog
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Why Blog?
One way of addressing sensitive issues.
Ex New regulations surrounding raw milk
production and sale.
Ex New regulations surrounding church suppers.
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What else does blogging offer?
When youre not writing your own, you can be
reading someone elses.
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Blogging is
Fast Cheap Easy Responsive
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Questions?And visit blog.foodsafetynetwork.ca
for tech support