BLOG: Blog v Wiki

            Blogs and Wikis are often confused, however, there are differences between the two. Blogs lean more toward online journals where people write and post regularly. Blogs are not usually edited, but new posts are added instead and often include their opinions on certain topics. Wikis, on the other hand, are usually online articles that are continually edited and updated by multiple people to collaboratively create something. Blogs also usually get commented on, while Wikis do not. These two are similar in that they both allow people to communicate and work collaboratively, even though this collaboration is done in different ways.

            Today, social networking has become such a huge part of our society. It has allowed us to connect the world and communicate with people we would never have the opportunity to share knowledge with otherwise. Wikis play a huge part in this connection with people from around the world. They allow people to, “share information and collaborate on online projects” as mentioned in an article that discusses the uproar over Wikipedia’s decision to add a layer of editors to the entries (Sutter p. 1). This decision caused so much debate because people felt that Wikipedia was going against its core values.  Blogs and Wikis need to converge because in situations like this, bloggers are more likely to spread this news and their opinions where people could all comment on the posts and make people aware of what is going on.

            We see multiple scenarios where blogs are used for collaboration.  In an article from The New York Times, bloggers in a neighborhood in Brooklyn worked together and were finally able to bust the drug dealers and crack house in their neighborhood. This was a huge accomplishment because they were all scared to come forward alone due to the fear of the people that lived in those houses. However, because of their blogs that each shared different pieces of important information, these bloggers were able to put it all together and bring the case to the attention of authorities and the community and finally do something about what was going on. As stated in the article, “Mr. Miller, the pet shop owner, said a core group of seven people who met through the blog brought the case to the attention of the community board and met with the authorities. ‘A group of people who did not know each other came together and traded information,’ he said” (Wilson p. 4).

            Blogs are also seen being used for collaboration on Wal-Mart’s unfiltered blog that encourages people to contribute and speak truthfully about products sold in their store. As stated in Barbaro’s article, “Wal-Mart says the Web site helps buyers solicit quick feedback from consumers on the merchandise — and shows a softer side of the giant company, which has 5,000 stores, 1.2 million workers and annual sales of nearly $400 billion” (Barbaro p. 2).  Although there are disadvantages to blogs such as this one, it gives both customers and buyers real feedback that they can trust and know is not being filtered by the company.

            Wikis are currently used in all different industries and revolutionized the way things are done.  As a major in the business field, I see how Wikis are used in the business world for things such as marketing, allowing teams to work together and collaborate on a project, allow them to communicate, and also just to inform people about products, companies and news.  I feel that at this point, Wikis have been used for almost anything that you could think of, however, people will continue to find new uses for them.

Citations:

1. Barbaro, Michael. Wal-Mart Tastemakers Write a Blunt and Unfiltered Blog, NY Times, March 3, 2008.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/03/business/03walmart.html

2. Sutter, John D. Wikipedia: No longer the Wild West? CNN.com/technology, August 26, 2009.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/08/26/wikipedia.editors/index.html

3. Wilson, Michael. Brooklyn Blog Helps Lead to Drug Raid, The New York Times, June 26, 2008.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/26/nyregion/26bayridge.html