This document outlines the different types of weblogs, their
potential for Senior Corps projects, and some commonly used weblog
packages.
Uses
Web logs (also known as blogs), have rapidly become a very
popular and inexpensive method of distributing information on the Web.
Though often used as vehicles for personal expression, weblogs are also
used by businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies
for a wide variety of purposes. Here are some examples of how weblogs
could be put to use by Senior Corps projects:
- Coordination - Plan fundraisers, training sessions,
service events, and management activities in a password-protected
online community just for your project.
- Publishing- Use weblog software as the basis for
your website, and you can easily add news and personal notes without
knowing more than very basic HTML.
- Outreach - Many weblog packages include powerful
tools that allow for linked content, so you can publish to and from the
websites of affiliated organizations in your community.
- Community - Because they allow for comments and
feedback, weblogs give volunteers the power to help each other answer
questions and become more effective.
Hosted Weblogs
Hosted weblogs are designed to be easy to use. They reside on a
server at the host company, so you don't have to bother with
configuration and setup issues. If you are content with a fairly
generic-looking weblog, you may want to investigate this approach.
Two of the most popular hosted weblogs, Live Journal and Xanga.com allow you to create your own weblog rather quickly. They differ in some respects, but the basic concept is the same.
Hosted weblogs generally focus on creating a larger community of
bloggers (people who create weblogs), rather than on enabling smaller
communities built around individual weblogs, which means it won't be
tailored to your purpose as well as a system built for you.
DIY Weblogs
Do It Yourself (DIY) weblogs require a bit of technical skill to
implement, but if you've ever set up a website at your local hosting
company, you can probably set up a weblog using one of these packages.
If you have very specific ideas about how you want your weblog to look
and function, this may be the route for you.
If you're don't want to set up the weblog yourself, many "Web geeks"
enjoy helping with these sorts of things. Most DIY weblog packages take
an hour or two for a computer whiz to set up, and most packages have
extensive online communities for tech support. Once the package is
installed, you can adjust the appearance of the weblog without having
to re-install the software.
Most DIY weblog packages are very flexible, offering a variety of
options, so you can offer more or fewer community options, based on
your project's needs. Blogger, Blosxom, MovableType, and pMachine are all worth investigating.
Getting Started
Blogging is as much a social phenomenon as it is a technology
advance. The best way to understand weblogs is to investigate a few.
All of the sites listed above have links to weblogs created by other
users. Keep in mind that everyone's idea of what constitutes "good
blogging" is different.
Just as with planning your website,
think about what you want your weblog to do for your program before you
setup a blog. Do you want the weblog to be a one-way conduit of
information, or do you want to encourage discussion? Are some topics
going to be emphasized over others? Will you have multiple users, or
just one?
You may consider creating a personal weblog first, to get your feet
wet. Once you're comfortable with blogging, you can then create a
weblog for your project. |
