Come On… Let’s Blog!

Come On…Come On…Let’s Blog!Let’s Blog!

Lloyd BorrettLloyd Borrettwww.borrett.id.auwww.borrett.id.au

Wednesday, 6th October 2004Wednesday, 6th October 2004

AgendaAgenda

What’s a blog?What’s a blog? Why blog?Why blog? Building your blogBuilding your blog Melb PC member blogsMelb PC member blogs What is RSS?What is RSS? What are news aggregators?What are news aggregators? SummarySummary Questions and answersQuestions and answers

What’s a blog?What’s a blog?

Lloyd BorrettLloyd Borrettwww.borrett.id.auwww.borrett.id.au

What’s a blog?What’s a blog?

This is not a blog!This is not a blog!

What’s a blog?What’s a blog?

This is also not a blog!This is also not a blog!

DefinitionsDefinitions weblogweblog

weblogs are frequently updated web pages weblogs are frequently updated web pages structured chronologically — newest items structured chronologically — newest items usually listed first — often contain links to other usually listed first — often contain links to other web sites along with personal commentaryweb sites along with personal commentary

blogblog short form of weblog — sometimes used to short form of weblog — sometimes used to

distinguish between the definition of a weblog as distinguish between the definition of a weblog as a list of links and more personal blogsa list of links and more personal blogs

blogblog, , bloggingblogging v.v. to create, write, or publish a weblog or blog to create, write, or publish a weblog or blog

bloggerblogger person who blogs, a weblog editorperson who blogs, a weblog editor

http://www.lazygnome.net/http://www.lazygnome.net/

http://www.cookingforengineers.com/http://www.cookingforengineers.com/

http://www.powazek.com/justathought/http://www.powazek.com/justathought/

http://j-walkblog.com/blog/indexhttp://j-walkblog.com/blog/index

http://pbase.com/jwalkhttp://pbase.com/jwalk

http://slashdot.org/http://slashdot.org/

http://www.microsoft-watch.com/http://www.microsoft-watch.com/

Anatomy of a blogAnatomy of a blogThe BannerThe Banner

Blog Entry / PostBlog Entry / Post

SidebarSidebar

Anatomy of a blog — 2Anatomy of a blog — 2

SearchSearch

BlogBlogArchivesArchives

Anatomy of a blog — 3Anatomy of a blog — 3

CalendarCalendarViewView

RSSRSSSyndicationSyndication

Types of blogsTypes of blogs

Online journalOnline journalNews blogNews blog

MediaMedia

My passions/interests blogMy passions/interests blogMy musing and ideas blogMy musing and ideas blog

ConsumerConsumerConsumerConsumer

Expert knowledge (k-blog)Expert knowledge (k-blog)Project managementProject management

Customer communication Customer communication Competitive intelligenceCompetitive intelligence

BusinessBusiness

http://www.google.com/googleblog/http://www.google.com/googleblog/

www.markcarey.com/googleguy-says/www.markcarey.com/googleguy-says/

http://www.markme.com/cantrel/http://www.markme.com/cantrel/

http://blogs.msdn.com/bloggers.aspxhttp://blogs.msdn.com/bloggers.aspx

http://msdn.microsoft.com/blogs/ericr/http://msdn.microsoft.com/blogs/ericr/

Why blog?Why blog?

Lloyd BorrettLloyd Borrettwww.borrett.id.auwww.borrett.id.au

Popular view of blogsPopular view of blogs

Radically Radically coolcool Unique to the WebUnique to the Web Democratising/socially Democratising/socially transformativetransformative InterlinkedInterlinked

— a blog is part of the “— a blog is part of the “BlogosphereBlogosphere”” Knowledge creatingKnowledge creating A spreading A spreading influentialinfluential “movement” “movement”

with an illustrious futurewith an illustrious future

Blogs vs. e-mailBlogs vs. e-mail

A mailing-list is also a great A mailing-list is also a great place for community place for community discussion, but flames and discussion, but flames and noise can be a problemnoise can be a problem

Spam is making e-mailSpam is making e-mailless and less valuableless and less valuable

E-mail can complement blogsE-mail can complement blogs Blogging via e-mailBlogging via e-mail Mailing-list to weblog gatewaysMailing-list to weblog gateways Comment notification via e-mailComment notification via e-mail

“E-mail publishes to a select group, the content is free-form, haphazard, and unrestricted. The problem is that e-mail has little ‘memory’ (you cant refer to a previous e-mail) and no permanence (an e-mail doesn't park itself on your intranet, to be seen, shared, repurposed, etc.. for later use).”

- Jordan Frank,Traction Software

Blogs vs. newsgroupsBlogs vs. newsgroups

Threaded newsgroups and web forums are a Threaded newsgroups and web forums are a great place for community discussions, but great place for community discussions, but flames and noise can drive people awayflames and noise can drive people away

Blogs provide an opt-in model — you only Blogs provide an opt-in model — you only read, subscribe and link to blogs you likeread, subscribe and link to blogs you like

Forums can complement blogs — a threaded Forums can complement blogs — a threaded forum could be used for blog commentsforum could be used for blog comments

Blogs vs. web pagesBlogs vs. web pages

Project and group web pages Project and group web pages always seem to grow stalealways seem to grow stale

Generally speaking, web pages Generally speaking, web pages are static and difficult to updateare static and difficult to update

This is true even in a web savvy This is true even in a web savvy group with great web group with great web design/editing toolsdesign/editing tools

Blogs are easy to keep up to Blogs are easy to keep up to date and require no special date and require no special publishing toolspublishing tools

Blogs replace “home pages”Blogs replace “home pages”

“The vanity page is dead; long live the Blog. The vanity web page has lost momentum. People who posted one have already done so, and the growth has slowed. Most are uninteresting and uninspired. Cat pictures dominate too many of them.”

– John Dvorak

Blogs vs. WikisBlogs vs. Wikis

Wikis provide:Wikis provide: A collaborative space for a communityA collaborative space for a community

Anybody can edit or add any page Anybody can edit or add any page via web interfacevia web interface

Super simple syntax means Super simple syntax means no need for knowledge of HTMLno need for knowledge of HTML

Wikis can function as blogs Wikis can function as blogs and can produce RSS feedsand can produce RSS feeds

Wikis and blogs are easily integratedWikis and blogs are easily integrated

Blog G

Blog F

Blog E

Aggregator

Blog A

Blog D

Blog C

Blog B

Easy Community Publishing

Primary community

Secondary community

Blogging is coolBlogging is cool Easy publishingEasy publishing Community formationCommunity formation AggregationAggregation

Blog as communityBlog as community

““It’s this multitude [of separate sites] that It’s this multitude [of separate sites] that gives the weblog community model it’s gives the weblog community model it’s strength. Because a person has control over strength. Because a person has control over his own piece of community landscape, he his own piece of community landscape, he feels a powerful ownership of his space feels a powerful ownership of his space that’s lacking in traditional community sites.” that’s lacking in traditional community sites.”

Design For CommunityDesign For Community, Derek Powazek, Derek Powazekhttp://www.powazek.com/http://www.powazek.com/

Blogging is easyBlogging is easy

Building a blog is as easy asBuilding a blog is as easy assurfing the websurfing the web

You don’t have to learn HTMLYou don’t have to learn HTML An e-mail can become a web pageAn e-mail can become a web page

And… it is And… it is FREE!FREE!

So… setup a blog as aSo… setup a blog as apersonal or business web sitepersonal or business web site

Requirements to blogRequirements to blog

Access to the InternetAccess to the Internet Time to writeTime to write Something to say?Something to say?

Building your blogBuilding your blog

Lloyd BorrettLloyd Borrettwww.borrett.id.auwww.borrett.id.au

What you need to blog?What you need to blog?

HostedHosted Blogger / BlogspotBlogger / Blogspot — www.blogger.com — www.blogger.com Typepad — www.typepad.comTypepad — www.typepad.com

DesktopDesktop Radio UserLand — radio.userland.comRadio UserLand — radio.userland.com

ServerServer Moveable Type — www.movabletype.orgMoveable Type — www.movabletype.org PHP Nuke — phpnuke.orgPHP Nuke — phpnuke.org WordPress — wordpress.orgWordPress — wordpress.org

Hosted blog — basicHosted blog — basic

browserbrowseror e-mailor e-mail

Your Blog

Setup your blog / web siteSetup your blog / web sitein 5 minutes using Bloggerin 5 minutes using Blogger

www.blogger.comwww.blogger.com

http://www.blogger.com/starthttp://www.blogger.com/start

Create a Blogger accountCreate a Blogger account

Name your blogName your blog

Choose a templateChoose a template

Creating your blogCreating your blog

Your blog created!Your blog created!

Create a blog postCreate a blog post

Basic blog exampleBasic blog example

http://www.lisa-aus.blogspot.comhttp://www.lisa-aus.blogspot.com

http://ash-nallawalla.blogspot.com/http://ash-nallawalla.blogspot.com/

Hosted blog — advancedHosted blog — advanced

browserbrowseror e-mailor e-mail AdvancedAdvanced

BlogBlogSetupSetup

Web site — index.htmlWeb site — index.htmlBlog — blog.htmlBlog — blog.html

Your Blog

FTPFTP

Advanced blog setupAdvanced blog setup

““Set up your own blog Set up your own blog using Blogger”using Blogger”by Lloyd Borrettby Lloyd Borrett

Print:Print:PC Update, August 2004PC Update, August 2004

Online:Online:PC Update web sitePC Update web site

Download:Download:1.2 Mb Adobe PDF file1.2 Mb Adobe PDF fileat at www.borrett.id.auwww.borrett.id.au

Melb PC member’s Melb PC member’s Blogger based Blogger based advanced blogsadvanced blogs

Lloyd BorrettLloyd Borrettwww.borrett.id.auwww.borrett.id.au

http://member.melbpc.org.au/~digimage/blog.htmlhttp://member.melbpc.org.au/~digimage/blog.html

http://member.melbpc.org.au/~jnoonan/index.htmlhttp://member.melbpc.org.au/~jnoonan/index.html

http://member.melbpc.org.au/~sapsford/blog.htmlhttp://member.melbpc.org.au/~sapsford/blog.html

http://member.melbpc.org.au/~ssbag/index.htmlhttp://member.melbpc.org.au/~ssbag/index.html

http://blog.worsleypress.com/http://blog.worsleypress.com/

http://www.borrett.id.au/insight/lrb-blog.htmhttp://www.borrett.id.au/insight/lrb-blog.htm

What is RSS?What is RSS?

Lloyd BorrettLloyd Borrettwww.borrett.id.auwww.borrett.id.au

RSS feedsRSS feeds

RRich ich SSite ite SSummary orummary orRReally eally SSimple imple SSyndicationyndication

Form of XMLForm of XML(e(eXXtensible tensible MMarkup arkup LLanguage)anguage)

Looks like HTMLLooks like HTML

Most blogs produce RSS feedsMost blogs produce RSS feeds

Other web sites can produce RSS alsoOther web sites can produce RSS also

RSS as a communication toolRSS as a communication tool

A user that can read RSS-distributed A user that can read RSS-distributed content can use the content on a content can use the content on a different sitedifferent site

Syndicated content includes such Syndicated content includes such data as:data as: news feeds, events listings, news news feeds, events listings, news

stories, headlines, project updates, stories, headlines, project updates, excerpts from discussion forums or even excerpts from discussion forums or even corporate informationcorporate information

AtomAtom feeds are a feeds are anewer version of newer version of RSSRSS

What to look for…What to look for…

Syndicate this Site

What areWhat arenews aggregators?news aggregators?

Lloyd BorrettLloyd Borrettwww.borrett.id.auwww.borrett.id.au

What are news aggregators?What are news aggregators?

News aggregators News aggregators read RSS site feedsread RSS site feeds Software Software

Web based — e.g. BloglinesWeb based — e.g. Bloglines Client based — e.g. Client based — e.g. AwasuAwasu, NewsGator, NewsGator

Subscribe to sites by adding feedsSubscribe to sites by adding feeds Saves timeSaves time Content is syndicated into one placeContent is syndicated into one place

http://www.bloglines.com/myblogshttp://www.bloglines.com/myblogs

NewsGatorNewsGator Runs in Microsoft OutlookRuns in Microsoft Outlook

AwasuAwasu

AwasuAwasu

FREE FREE US$25US$25

www.awasu.comwww.awasu.com

SummarySummary

Private / public / photo blogs,Private / public / photo blogs,community / knowledge / work blogscommunity / knowledge / work blogs

FlexibleFlexible

Blogging is easyBlogging is easyEveryone can be a bloggerEveryone can be a blogger

EasyEasyEasyEasy

Communicate with family, friends, Communicate with family, friends, colleagues and/or the worldcolleagues and/or the world

EffectiveEffective

Everyone is a potential RSS subscriberEveryone is a potential RSS subscriberLearn to use a news aggregator soonLearn to use a news aggregator soon

For For EveryoneEveryone

Consider becoming a blog publisher — Do become a blog readerConsider becoming a blog publisher — Do become a blog reader

BlogAddictionUp 376%BABA

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SE

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RECOVERYRECOVERY

Atlanta, Georgia – The Center for Disease Control reports a sharp rise in the number of reported blog addicts in 2004.“Symptoms include absenteeism, compulsive posting, and a sense that life events are not real unless blogged. In addition to new clinical treatments you can consult your local Bloggers Anonymous.”

BloggerDivorceRates Higher

First we had blog marriages.

Now the waveof divorce.

Time spent online taken away from marital relationships.

Less sex.

Less conversation.

Less intimacy.

Less romance.

Wife Wins Joint Weblog In Divorce Court

Husband gets kids

QuestionsQuestionsandandAnswersAnswers

Lloyd BorrettLloyd Borrettwww.borrett.id.auwww.borrett.id.au

Recommended ResourcesRecommended Resources

www.blogger.comwww.blogger.com

PC Update “How To” ArticlePC Update “How To” Article August 2004 editionAugust 2004 edition www.borrett.id.auwww.borrett.id.au

www.awasu.comwww.awasu.com

Thank YouThank You

Lloyd BorrettLloyd Borrettwww.borrett.id.auwww.borrett.id.au