BLOGS vs. WIKIS reading

http://llt.msu.edu/vol7num2/emerging/default.html

BLOGS vs. WIKIS

Similarities-

Both are used to spread information about various topics

Both are important tools to communicate

Both of these tools help build a stronger community

Differences-

BLOGS

1. Usually written by a single author
2. Knowledge is limited to one person
3. Edited and administered by one person
4. Usually represents single person's views
5. Structure differs

WIKIS

1. Written by multiples authors
2. Relies on collaborative knowledge and effort
3. It can be edited and administered by different authors
4. Usually tends to be objective
5. The structure is determined by content

How can blogs be used for collaboration?

Although most blogs are created and managed by individuals, there are also possibilities of group blogs out there. Blogs are easily linked and cross-linked and they help create a larger online communities. Though, the knowledge,

and content t posted on blogs tends to be personal but it gives other reader the power to comments, therefore collaboration of bloggers would result in improve interaction and enhance the informations and views.

Can you think of a new use for a wiki that has not been done yet?

I think Wikis should be used in big companies as an instructional manual and guidebook. It will make it easier for the employees and the managers to get their tasks done right and if they come up with a problem they can easily look for the solution in company's Wiki.

NEW MEDIA vs OLD MEDIA

There's a wide range of technologies which are part of new media. New media has revolutionized every aspect of today's world, it has changed the various platforms such as the Internet, entertainment, news, advertising industries and the communication technology. New media is much more faster and easily accessible compared to the old media. New Media is convenient and cheap and has given the power to an ordinary person to get his/her stuff done in a much faster and efficient way.

Old Media/ New Media

1. Newspapers/ Blogs
2. Books/ E books
3. Photography/ Flickr
4. TV/ Streaming Full Episodes
5. Radio / Podcasting
6. Magazines / E zines
7. Telephone/Yahoo Voice, MSN

Looking at the list we can easily compare and feel that the New Media has made our lives much easier than before. With the emergence of Blogs, any ordinary person can go online and present his/her views which would have been impossible to do with the newspapers. Flickr has made the life of the photos longer and easy to store. Now days people can chat or talk through different messengers which has revolutionized communication and has brought everyone much closer.

New media and access for the disabled - boon or bust?

New media is bringing a change in the world by speeding the change in the technology and by increasing speed of communication. It is making everything easily accessible to everyone without discriminating. If you have a computer you are able to use all the resources available out there. But have we ever thought about the disabled? For example people that are blind or have low visions need access to online websites.. how will they be able to move along with rest of the world and take advantage of the new advances in technology out there? Launched at a Headquarters press conference, there was the first-ever global web accessibility survey, according to which 97 of the world’s leading 100 websites failed to meet the minimum accessibility level for people who are blind, have low-vision disabilities, or cannot use a computer mouse.

There are millions of people out there that are denied access to the web because of their disability. Today there is a demand for the New Media to bring a change for the disabled but feels like the change is coming in very slow. For the disable New Media is a just a bust since they cant use and take advantage of whats out there.

New Media undoubtedly composes of 5 C's: Collaboration, Community, Creativity, Convergence and communication technologies which began in the later part of the 20th century. Few great examples of new media are Blogs, Wikis, online social networking, virtual worlds, social media forms. To me all the new media has once common feature, it is easily accessible, price convenient. Any one can use wikis, blogs or social networking sites from anywhere without any issues if they have the access to the computer. New media has made great contribution, it has help spread information fast and easy. It has helped boom the world of business and helped spread the radical ideas as well. New media was probably made with the idea to maximize profits for the business. Along with that goal, it also completed the tasks of making the internet efficient and easy for the consumers and also brought the world much closer.