week 2- readings

Rebecca Blood's articles on the history of blogging were very thought provoking though they presented somewhat of an idealistic idea of communication and self realization through blog. Being a part-time student allows me to appreciate University education for something that can get lost when working and living a busy life - forced reflection and critical thinking on topics that ordinarily you wouldn't make time to think about. Rebecca Blood's picture of blogging includes the ability to maintain academic exchanges with people who are interested in a topic. In that sense blogging provides a forum which is similar to a Univerity grad club. Blood goes on to observe that there is now such an abundance of blogs that no one can find a blog on a particular topic and provide the interactive postings which made blogs such a great means of debate and exchange of ideas. I think that's a shame. At the same time, the internet used to be used primarily by higher educated white men and if the cost of greater access comes at the expense of quality blog exchanges then I'm prepared to accept that. Based on the history of blogging outlined n Blood's articles, blogging seems to evolve as does the use of the internet as more and more people gain access and less techncal skills are required. Perhaps the purpose of blogs will change now that there are so many of them.

The readings which explained blogging jargon and tools were informative. I'm a big fan of the user-friendy-templated blogger.com. It makes sense for someone like me who just wants to enter the content and doesn't want to "personalize" the "face."