Sunday, October 28, 2007

Blogs Vs Newsgroups.

So I had this interesting exchange with one of my friends about blogging. I was saying how blogging was a new paradigm shift in how people express themselves. No more editorial control, you have a thought just go ahead and scribble it up for the entire world to see. I was sold on blogging being a phenomenon but found significant resistance from the other end, he is after all someone who is still not sold on the need for a cell phone. Then he threw in a surprise punch almost as an afterthought. He said blogging was pure hype and had existed with a different name "Newsgroups". I almost instantaneously dismissed it. Then he got me thinking and increasingly I felt he had a point, though I am not fully sold on it. I am still to do some deep thinking on this front. But for starters he and this other person seem to agree. If this were a tennis match my friend is up 15-0. But the game has just begun. To be continued..

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I agree very much that blogs are hyped up newsgroups.

The only difference IMHO is that it is easy enough for your and my grandmom to set one up and if lucky, even make a few dollars.

Silicon Valley Blogzine said...

I am not fully convinced though there are some very stark similarities. Here are some of the primary differences.

1. Newgroups are typically focussed on a topic, blogs can be topical or general stuff.
2. Newgroups provides the ability for everyone to post i.e. the thread is directed by the crowd, in blogs the blog owner solely dictates what get posted on it.
3. Needless to say your point about simplicity where anyone can have a blog is significant difference from the newgroup days.

So I feel there are some common threads but blogging in my opinion is different.