Blogs and wikis share many similarities as well as differences. To understand the pros and cons of each, we need to describe the two forms of media first.
Blogs were created as a form of "personal" journalism. Instead of reading the daily paper, people could log online and gather information and news about virtually anything. The beauty of blogs is that absolutely anybody can start one. Many times, blogs broadcast valuable information, such as product reviews. For example, Wal-Mart employees used a blog to review electronics being sold at their store:
"This unusual new Web site, which was quietly created during the holiday shopping season, has become a forum for unvarnished rants about gadgets, raves about new video games and advice on selecting environmentally sustainable food." The rest of the article can be read here.
Blogs have the benefit of all0wing discussion. Readers can comment on a blog's posts and engage in open discussion. Blogs are an alternative to personal webpages in that they showcase one's passions, ideas, and opinions.
Wikis, on the other hand, are seen to be less personal. It is a collaborative form of media that can technically have an unlimited number of contributors. Whereas blogs have posts that are created one at a time, wikis can be worked on and updated in real time by any number of individuals. Wikis represents a decentralized grass roots approach. It is useful in businesses, where collaboration is paramount:
"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. Among 311 CIOs who participated in CIO's 2008 Consumer Technology survey in January, 30 percent said they provide wikis as corporate applications. Almost half of those who use wikis said they employ them primarily as a collaboration tool, with employee communication cited as the second most common reason for supporting wiki software." The rest of the article can be read here.
Both forms of media are rapidly growing in popularity. We are moving away from old media (newspapers, print) and moving towards a more integrated and up-to-the minute form of communication. What is evident is that we are moving towards collaboration and convergence. The collaborative nature of wikis and blogs are bringing us closer and allows us to work together to share information, create change, and reach goals.
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