Blogs v. Wiki


Blogs & Wikis:
Blogs and wikis are online mediums known to maintain an ongoing chronicle of information. The biggest difference between the two is essentially the number of contributors for each platform; blogs are typically managed by one individual, whereas a wiki could be developed my multiple authors.

Importance of Convergence & Blog Collaboration:
As a society which seeks to be in the loop with important news, we continue to utilize these platforms to feel connected to information that may not necessarily be accessible through word-of-mouth. The truth of this statement can be seen in Michael Wilson’s “Brooklyn Blog Helps Lead to Drug Raid.” As stated in the article, a blog called “Bay Ridge Talk,” which previously only mentioned information regarding apartment sales and plumbing tips, had begun to attract local authorities’ attention when individuals began to comment about possible “crack houses” on one particular post. Through their unintentional collaboration, authorities were able to formulate a raid scheme to bring down the suspicious locations. Had it not been for the bloggers' extensive "collaboration," the “crack houses” mentioned in the article could have potentially had a longer stay.

New Use for a Wiki:
After reading Lisa Haney’s “What Motivates Wikipedians?” I’ve come to realize that one new way we could use wikis is by incorporating a wiki platform in our workplace. This platform could essentially be used as a way for senior members in a firm to share their own knowledge and experiences on a specific subject to current, and incoming, junior talent. As reported in Haney’s article, wiki contributions did not only help a few volunteers enhance their own knowledge of a subject, but also helped expose them to new perspectives around the world. I believe that junior and senior members in a firm could also receive a similar type of experience from building a wiki together at work.

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