Blogs and Wikis are a segment of new media and are norms in communication in today’s society. In today’s networked world, every thing is connected and people need information instantly. The ability to communicate on small and large levels rapidly and to form groups is important in today’s world. Blogs and Wikis are both quite similar but also offer some differences in the method of communication.
A blog is a website where individuals post opinions, information, or gossip and individuals comment on it.
Wiki’s are software applications that allow groups of users to create, edit and comment on online documents—so that each team member could contribute and access up-to-date information on the project.
Both blogs and WIKI’s are designed to motivate discussion and offer information. A critical factor in both is maintenance and keeping information up to date. Blogs do not stimulate collaboration, but they are similar to a community and do allow minimal communication between the blogger, and readers by allowing comments which freely express opinions whether they agree or not. Wikis are more of storage of information, whereas blogs are more for entertainment and receiving information passively. Blogs can offer anonymity, which can have negative effects on society as stated in “Stung by the Perfect Sting,” By Maureen Dowd, The NY Times, Aug 25, 2009;
the Internet’s “virtually unlimited, inexpensive and almost immediate means of communication” with the masses means “the dangers of its misuse cannot be ignored. The protection of the right to communicate anonymously must be balanced against the need to assure that those persons who choose to abuse the opportunities presented by this medium can be made to answer for such transgressions.”
Wikis are not anonymous because of its goal of cooperation and on information exchange toward one goal.
In “A Conversation with Jimmy Wales” by Gardiner Morse, Harvard Business Review, April 2008. Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales discusses the use of Wikis and making the most of company Wikis. There are several noted use of Wikis. They could be used for organizing staff events, or Departmental in lieu of an intranet. It could also be used for collaboration within families by organizing family history, or as a family scrapbook.
When thinking of whether you should start a blog or create a Wiki, you should determine your audience, your goals, your lever of collaboration and the amount of feedback you desire. Both require a time commitment and information searching.
FD
hrjunkieblog 