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Here is our Guide to Blogs

A blog (or ‘weblog’, to give it its full name) is a space on the internet which can be updated as and when the user(s) wants, and which archives and displays entries in reverse chronological order. Blogs can function as an online diary, information source, or simply a collation of different links to other websites with a common theme.

Subjects covered by blogs are numerous and varied, with many blogs simply functioning as ‘day to day’ self-reportage, and others providing more detailed information and/or related links on topics as diverse as medical research, enthusiasts and cooking or in our case dog welfare.

Blogging has grown rapidly in recent years and is now seen as a vital part of the new, more interactive ‘Web 2.0’, as bloggers and readers of the blog can interact, discuss and argue over the subject and issues raised within the blog.

Accordingly, you can comment on specific blog entries made by The Editor by clicking the ‘Comments’ tab at the bottom of the entry, although for data collection purposes you are required to input your email address when leaving your comment.

Blog entries can also be posted to social networking/syndication sites such as: del.icio.us, Digg, Newsvine, NowPublic and Reddit. These sites collate online articles such as news stories, features and blog entries, and make them searchable by subject or chronological order. They fulfil a vital function as they bring some form of sense and order to the ever-changing space that is the internet, and are a great help to internet users who are looking for information on a specific subject. Because blogs are updated frequently it can be difficult to stay up-to-date. Most blogs, this one included, offer feeds which sends each new post to you as it is published. All you need to get started is a feed reader.

Hopefully that should answer any questions you may have, so read, interact, link and above all enjoy…