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2001-02
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2001-02
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2001-02
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2001-02
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2001-02
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Birth of the Blog
By Alice Lee Blog. Although not an actual word in Webster's dictionary, the term is becoming familiar to many Internet users. By simply pointing and clicking on a few buttons, anyone can create their own blogÑshort for "Web log"Ñfull of thoughts, ranting, or stories to share with the world. The content and purpose of blogs varyÑfrom links and opinions about other Web sites to news, journals, photos, poetry and advice columns. Freshman Stephanie Tseng said authoring blogs gives amateur writers a world-wide audience. "People feel that they have a voice by blogging and having other people read their thoughts," Tseng said. Some writers even choose to write about the creation of the blog itself. For instance, Columbus Academy senior Max Lewis posted this blog entry Aug. 13 at www.pinkyswear. blogspot.com: Im writing a blog! And I'm writing a blog in hopes that someone such as yourself just might read it! And judging from the looks of it ... you are! Ñ Which not only makes me a psychic, but a wonderfully talented and bright person as well. So we both win (granted I mentioned nothing of your end of the deal ... trust me. We both win). Blogging emerged around 1998, according to USA Today. While it is still a relatively new concept, companies such as Blogger and LiveJournal are giving Web users free tools to create their own blogs and are drawing hundreds of thousands of Internet users per month. Web companies offering free software and supporting host sites for posting blogs are popping up everywhere, helping bloggers share their thoughts. JournalCon, an annual convention of Web diarists, meets and discusses weblogs, according to the Washington Post. Sophomore Joyce Kim said she writes in her own blog daily. "Blogs are neat because your thoughts are now open for the world to see," Kim said. "It's cool to spread your ideas and just random things you need to say." |
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