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TechnographOther campuses: Blogging trend brings diaries, news to masses
By Iowa State Daily (Iowa State University)
Posted: 2/28/05 Section: News
(U-WIRE) AMES, Iowa - It's one of those ubiquitous four-letter buzz words thrown around these days, though it is generally safe for mass audiences.
"What the hell is a blog?" said Colin Houseal, junior in mechanical engineering at Iowa State University.
A blog, short for Web log, is similar to an online diary that allows for feedback from its readers.
Academic Information Technologies officials said they believe feedback is necessary for something to be considered a blog. Others, however, think it is any type of chronological text on the Web that is updated regularly.
"In my terms, it's essentially an online diary with a place for people to leave comments," said Frank Poduska, manager of the Solution Center at AIT. Mark Klein, senior in computer engineering, runs Crazylife.org, a blog-hosting Web site. He said a lot of people use blogs to keep their friends updated on what is going on in their lives.
Although the most popular use of blogs seems to be for personal use in keeping diaries or journals, blogs are being used in other ways as well.
Klein said he sees a lot of technical and political blogs, particularly during election time.
"I think that's really where a lot of this stuff is heading," he said.
Professors are also using blogs to increase communication in classes.
"I've seen some instructors keep information about their class in a blog, allowing their class to make comments and ask questions there," said Cory Arrants, system support specialist at AIT.
The popularity of blogs can be credited to numerous factors, like a chance to be heard, Arrants said. Blogs give them that freedom, he said.
The fact that anyone can be a broadcaster is appealing to many people, and blogs can update faster than most news sources, Klein said.
Joe Gandelman, a former journalist with the Christian Science Monitor who runs the blog "The Moderate Voice," said he sees the increase in blog use as a positive thing.
"What the hell is a blog?" said Colin Houseal, junior in mechanical engineering at Iowa State University.
A blog, short for Web log, is similar to an online diary that allows for feedback from its readers.
Academic Information Technologies officials said they believe feedback is necessary for something to be considered a blog. Others, however, think it is any type of chronological text on the Web that is updated regularly.
"In my terms, it's essentially an online diary with a place for people to leave comments," said Frank Poduska, manager of the Solution Center at AIT. Mark Klein, senior in computer engineering, runs Crazylife.org, a blog-hosting Web site. He said a lot of people use blogs to keep their friends updated on what is going on in their lives.
Although the most popular use of blogs seems to be for personal use in keeping diaries or journals, blogs are being used in other ways as well.
Klein said he sees a lot of technical and political blogs, particularly during election time.
"I think that's really where a lot of this stuff is heading," he said.
Professors are also using blogs to increase communication in classes.
"I've seen some instructors keep information about their class in a blog, allowing their class to make comments and ask questions there," said Cory Arrants, system support specialist at AIT.
The popularity of blogs can be credited to numerous factors, like a chance to be heard, Arrants said. Blogs give them that freedom, he said.
The fact that anyone can be a broadcaster is appealing to many people, and blogs can update faster than most news sources, Klein said.
Joe Gandelman, a former journalist with the Christian Science Monitor who runs the blog "The Moderate Voice," said he sees the increase in blog use as a positive thing.
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