Blogs in general are typically more personal and opinion-based - many use blogs to relay their thoughts and feelings, as well as topics of particular interest to them. Some use it to showcase their stories, art, and there are specialized "blogs" that exist as well (foodies, games, etc). After a blog post, on the bottom are usually comment spaces for readers to comment on the blog, give feedback, offer advice etc. For example, the opinionated nature of such blogs were shown when an anonymous blogger blasted a model and gave her the "Skankiest in NYC" award, along with a host of derogatory comments. The model filed a defamation suit and won it, gaining access to the email and name of the anonymous blogger. (Dowd, 2009) However, that is not to say that bloggers can't be informational as well. There are many blogs that serve to inform, rather than offer opinions, and there are opportunities for collaboration as well. Some blogs are managed by multiple people and each can write and post blogs of their own.
Whereas a wiki is generally more of an factual information platform, and aren't based on blog posts but rather pages that are uniquely named. Wikis in general are more collaborative, in that more than one user can enter and edit the information found on the site. This is different from blogging (which is more personal) in that more than one person can collaborate on a page. Furthermore, there isn't a comment option on the page itself, and while it is possible to start a discussion it is more so like a forum than a blog comment. For example, there are many uses for wikis in business, schools, and an assortment of other subjects. For businesses, it can some times be a great idea to enter information and knowledge into a wiki as a collective pool of company practices etc, which may prove to be a great help for any employee. According to an article by CIO, the author states "By making it easier to gather and share information as well as record discussions about a subject, wikis (familiar as the software behind online encyclopedia Wikipedia) can help people improve their processes and get projects done faster." (Locher, 2008)
The convergence of media communication technologies have really ushered in a new era of connectivity and communication. Blogs hold immense influence on its readers, especially for topics such as shopping and technology. For example, readers now have a chance to research and find information for themselves when deciding on a purchase or investment, which was not so common before the "convergence". Furthermore, wikis hold so much valuable information that is easily dispensable to any with an internet connection, and this knowledge can easily be found to any curious internet users.
As for new uses for wikis, there is one in particular that I think would be useful - an archive of videos and other media (and I don't necessarily mean every video ever on YouTube etc, but more so videos of historical or other kind of importance. It is important to preserve such information)
Dowd, Maureen. "Stung by the Perfect Sting." The New York Times. 25th August 2009. Web. Accessed 2nd March 2015. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/26/opinion/26dowd.html?_r=0
Locher, Margaret. "More on How to Build Your Own Wikipedia" CIO. 17th April 2008. Web. Accessed 2nd March 2015.
http://www.cio.com/article/2436789/time-management-productivity/more-on-how-to-build-your-own-wikipedia.html
I agree that blogging is extremely opinion based and it is a great place to express your rants and thoughts. As a Tumblr blogger there has been various times where I would rant about my day when things go wrong. It is also a bit of a stress reliever. However, it is sad that there are also people that would aim to put others down through blogging. Cyber bullies are always the most toxic people of the internet.
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