Blogs Vs. Wikis

So for this assignment we have been asked to do a comparison between blogs and wikis.

A blog is a website that is structured like a journal. It can be utilized by anyone be it an individual or company. A blog is kept in chronological order and is less formal than a website. It allows for people, or organizations, to post their view on topics, and it also allows followers or readers to interact within the blog itself and post comments about the blog posts themselves. Because of this feature blogs can be used effectively for collaborations. A group of people can work together on solving an issue, or problem by posting their views via comments on blog posts. It would be just as if everyone was sitting around a table voicing their opinions concerning certain topics. We can look at the example of a Brooklyn neighborhood in the article by Michael Wilson titled "Brooklyn Blog Helps Lead to Drug Raid". In this article, basically, neighbors would post comments on a blog called BayRidgeTalk.com. In their posts they would talk about suspicious drug deals and violence going on in their neighborhood. In the end their posts helped lead to a drug raid. It was a prime example of blogosphere collaboration.

A wiki is a website that emphasizes collaboration. It can be edited by anyone who has access to it. Anything can be put on a wiki and it can be edited at anytime. Information on a wiki is usually kept up to date, and is at most times reliable. A wiki emphasizes collaboration because of its structure. It provides a centralized platform for information to be shared and edited. Wikis are used widely in many manners that I did not think possible if I had not read up on them, but one use that I could not find was online homework submission and grading. I think that a teacher can utilize a wiki by having their students post their work, and from there they can grade the works on a wiki for everyone to see. Works graded using this wiki approach would be able to be seen by everyone, and allow them to see frequent mistakes that can be made while doing class work. Wikis can also be utilized for classes as well, creating interactive classrooms through wikis can be effective. A great article to read describing how to set up a wiki is titled "More on How to Build Your Own Wikipedia" by Margaret Locher. It gives you a step by step guide on building the almost perfect wiki page.

Although wikis and blogs may sound almost similar to you by reading the above information. They do have some dissimilarity's. A blog post is their for good. It can not be edited by anyone else aside from the original poster. A wiki however can be edited by anyone who has access to the page itself. A blog is a more opinion based source, while a wiki is usually factual based. A blog is only updated once the original poster creates a new post, while a wiki can be updated by anyone with access at anytime. Wikis are usually updated more frequently.

Be it a blog or wiki most company's and people look for a convergence of there informational resources. Having the power to have all the information that ones need in one centralized location not only increases efficiency but also can increase productivity in a business environment. A wiki or blog provide this platform for a semblance of convergence concerning information. Depending on the business, person, or situation both of these tools can be effectively utilized for swifter information sharing.

If you have any questions regarding this post, feel free to comment. So for now Blog to you later.