Blogs vs. Wikis

What exactly are blogs and wikis, and how are they used? Blogs and Wikis are two software applications part of the Web 2.0 which are used for immersive collaboration and they both have some similarities and some differences. Blogs are can almost be considered as personal free walls waiting to be written on. The main purpose of a blog is for the blog user to write and write anything they desire. These blog posts could be private or public which means there could be many purposes of writing a post, whether it be releasing stress or sharing good news with the world. Blog posts are commonly used for sharing information with the outside world, that information could be as important as leading to a drug bust or it could entertainment such as celebrity news by Perez Hilton, who became famous because of his celebrity news. These posts are then saved in a reverse chronological order, the very first post being at the end and latest post being on top, that way the latest news is displayed. Here is a great video that clearly explains what blogs are for further explaination.
Even though wikis are also another web application, they are different from blogs. A wiki could be defined as a collaborative website that allows its users to create and edit any number of interlinked web pages via using a web browser. This means that information researched by users is all put together in one place and shared with other users, which means it becomes really easy for its users to research because not everyone has to do all the work and everyone can do some part and put it together. It is great for any purposes, from planing a picnic to laying out a business plan. Here is another video by the same user, this time further describing a wiki.
Now how exactly can u differ the blogs from wikis? Even though they are both organized, information sharing websites, they can not be categorized to be the same. In a blog a single user is only allowed to create and share any type of content and information, where on the other hand wikis are created by multiple users and the information that is put together could be edited by more than one person. Even though they have some differences they are both still part of Web 2.0, which means they are both share information with ease of access and in a very organized way. Wikis are organized through several interlinked webs, and the blogs are organized in a reverse chronological order. Blogs could site other blogs that are similar to that particular blog and cite where the blog being read got their information from and that could be used to collaborate more information. These two web applications very easy and quick for anyone to learn information in today's world, since these could be viewed anywhere such as smart phones. In conclusion both these applications are great for new media and are now a necessity in today's world for research with collaboration.

References:
Brooklyn Blog Helps Lead to Drug Raid By MICHAEL WILSON The New York Times June 26, 2008 available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/26/nyregion/26bayridge.html
Celebrity Blogs: The Impact of New Media by Melissa Gerry, published 3/31/2006. available from: http://www.associatedcontent.com/pop_print.shtml?content_type=article&content_type_id=26280
"How to Use Wikis for Business," by Ezra Goodnoe, Information Week, August 8, 2005, http://www.informationweek.com/news/management/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=167600331