Blogs are public diaries or journals in reverse chronological order. Reverse chronological order refers to the most current event first followed by older events. Entries are date-stamped and entries are also archived meaning that older content remains accessible. Blogs also contain “blogrolling” or links to related blogs. Blogs have a syndication feature known as RSS or XML feed. RSS in essence is a subscription model that comes to you when a blog is updated (either through email or through the browser). Blogs tend to have a single author and the content can only be generated by the author. The readers cannot edit the content the blogger has posted but can comment on the blog creating a semi two way road of communication.
Wiki is a software application that allows us to communicate and share information within a community. The best known example of a Wiki is Wikipedia. In a wiki, content can be overwritten by anyone. Hence, a wiki has multiple authors. Wikis tend to not have any particular order or structure. Wikis are more flexible in terms of collaboration than a blog. For example, Locher states that a wiki allows a group of users to “create, edit and comment on online documents – so that each member could contribute and access up-to-date information on the project.” In essence, a wiki is a project management tool that can make it easier to share information and complete projects more quickly without going through a slow process like email.
Convergence is the coming together of two technologies. The importance of convergence in today’s networked world allows us to work more efficiently without wasting time to use another application or piece of hardware. For example, convergence allows us to work simultaneously with one application rather than use a whole bunch of applications to do the same amount of work. One example could be a smart phone. A smartphone consists of a gps, email, browser, maps, video on demand, etc. (all in one device). Convergence in a sense makes our lives easier without doing more work than necessary.
Blogs are somewhat limited in the aspect of collaboration. Most blogs allow comments from readers. As a result, the readers that posted their comments may also post their opinion in their own blog to get readers to come to his/her blog. In addition, blogs also have blogrolls which bloggers can link to other related blogs.
I cannot really think of a new use for a wiki that has not been done yet since wikis are usually use for project management and sharing of information and also the rare and unusual idea of applying the wiki to do a blog’s job. (The idea seems farfetched but interesting – “How to Use Wikis for Business”)
Sources:
Brooklyn Blog Helps Lead to Drug Raid By MICHAEL WILSON The New York Times June 26, 2008 available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/26/nyregion/26bayridge.html
How Can We Measure the Influence of the Blogosphere? by Kathy E. Gill. Workshop on the Weblogging Ecosystem, May 2004. available from: http://faculty.washington.edu/kegill/pub/www2004_blogosphere_gill.pdf
Wiki While You Work; The technology popularized by Wikipedia can help companies gather and manage their own collective knowledge. Here's how to get started by Margaret Locher. CIO, May 1, 2008. Vol. 21, Iss. 14. Available at: http://www.cio.com/article/336818/More_on_How_to_Build_Your_Own_Wikipedia
"How to Use Wikis for Business," by Ezra Goodnoe, Information Week, August 8, 2005, http://www.informationweek.com/news/management/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=167600331
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