Blog vs Wiki

In recent years, blogs and use of Wiki has become quite popular among the users of Internet. Both of them have also added a new flavor and variety in media. At same, they are considered a major component of ‘new media’.

In simple word, a blog is an informational site published on Internet. Individuals write blogs to express their opinions regarding anything, varying from current affairs to product views to discussion regarding block party. The person who writes a blog is sole owner of his or her page and only has the access to edit or delete the content. However, the blog can be read and viewed by other people. In additions to this, the readers can also post comments and views regarding the topic.  Few examples of popular websites for blogging are www.blogger.com and www.worldpress.com. Presently, there are millions of websites available for blogging. Michael Wilson, in his article ‘Brooklyn Blog Helps Lead to Drug Raid’ writes, “Most neighborhoods in Brooklyn have at least one blog — and in some places, there seems to be one in every house, every bedroom.” Blog serves as a new source of information and more importantly, from ones personal experience; whereas in newspapers, not every topic is covered and most of the news are being reported by a reporter, who is a third person

On the other side, Wiki is quite similar to blog in many ways. Margaret Locher in his article More on How to build Your Own Wikipedia defines Wiki as “a software application that allows groups of users to create, edit and comment on online documents.” The feature of editing the content by multiple users differentiates Wiki from blog. In present business and technology driven world, different individual can share information and communicate with each other on same topic on same platform at same time via Wiki. It helps to minimize the communication channel and barriers as multiple admin of a particular Wiki page can share or edit information with each other directly. In connection to this, Wiki can be very helpful in group projects. All group members can see the performance of individual team mates along with overall group performance at same time. They can add ideas and correct the mistakes of their teams mates without even asking them. Among hundreds of Wiki websites, ‘Wikipedia’ is the most famous and commonly known.

With the introduction of these two cost-effective and user-friendly mediums in media, the flow of communication and information between individuals is getting faster and effective with the passage of time.