Blogs vs. Wikis

When my parents had an assignment in school they went to the library,
looked up a topic in a card catalog, and pulled books that were
updated a year ago, at best, to begin their research. In fact, their
entire class probably referenced more or less the same sources.
Interestingly enough, all their assignments turned out different.
Every student had their own perspective, analyzed information in a
different way, and generated conclusions that were based on a mix of
their own experiences, morals and beliefs. In class, the professor may
bring up a discussion in which the students shared their perspectives
and a lively debate would ensue.

Well today, a lively debate can be silent; it is conducted all through
hyperlinks, comments, re-tweets and re-posts and measured through page
views (http://faculty.washington.edu/kegill/pub/www2004_blogosphere_gill.pdf)
. It often doesn’t have a moderator, as it’s been said that “the
Internet is like closing time at a blue-collar bar in Boston.
Everyone’s drunk and ugly and they’re going to pass out in a few
minutes.” (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/26/opinion/26dowd.html) It
has allowed anyone to be an author, and like a good grade the readers
are earned. It is the human need to debate, share ideas, contemplate
and create that has carved a new category of media– the user generated
content: best known as the blog; and just like the user that generates
the content, it is the readers who determine, by their following, if
the content is good enough to become a real source.
(http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/26280/celebrity_blogs_the_impact_of_new_media_pg5.html?cat=49)

But there is also user generated content that’s simply an aggregator
facts. It is not heated and there are no “flame wars”
(http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/04/business/media/04link.html?_r=1).
It’s just like the card catalog that my parents used for their school
assignments, but updated – in real time, and even has the modern day
librarian, or editor
(http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/25/technology/internet/25wikipedia.html?_r=1)

Although both Blogs and wikis comprise new media, they have many
differences and similarities. Both offer people the opportunity to
express themselves, and become authors or contributors to the greater
community. They both rely on organic growth of readership, versus
support of mass distribution like newspapers and magazines. On the
other hand, blogs are a more of an op-ed piece or commentary, where is
a wiki parallels a traditional reference source. Wikis are based on
facts that can be supported through traditional sources, where as
blogs can be a bit more liberal when it comes to journalistic
integrity. One other differentiator is that blogs are very saturated
across the online medium, where as wikis are used more sporadically.
When in fact, there are many more uses for a wiki. For example, a
wiki would be great to use to profile various medical doctors, making
it easier for patients to find a specialist. Or having a wiki for
classes offered in a school instead of using a traditional catalog.

Despite the differences, the convergence of the two forums is
important in today’s world – it unites people from different parts of
the world, different cultures, ages and races, who may have other wise
never benefited from one other’s input. They both have become part of
today’s language – in pop culture, news, and opinion.