The Changing Definition of Blogging

Like so many other applications on the Internet, blogging is one of those things that seems to be very much in flux. New technologies appear regularly that redefine what a blog is and what a blog should do. For a number of years, blogs were defined as text-based websites that were made up of posts which were ordered in reverse chronological order. Bloggers used the platform to keep a record of thoughts and events, similar to a captain's log on a ship. However, as Internet bloggers as a group became more diverse, this started to change. Soon bloggers began to push the limits of the platform and the technology underneath that made it all possible, and the possibilities of what could be called a "blog" began to expand.

If you take a look around, you will now find more and more photo blogs, and there are even some video blogs as well. Mobile blogging devices are positioned to change the definition of blogging once again by making it possible for bloggers to create new posts from anywhere. Another element of the blogosphere that may also redefine blogging is the corporate blog. More companies are hiring writers to keep blogs updated with the primary purpose of creating a positive buzz about their brands and products. Bloggers around the world are debating about whether these "manufactured" sites are actually worthy of the name. With all of these various forces that are continually reshaping and expanding the blogosphere, it's hard to imagine that the definition of what is and is not a blog will ever stay the same for long.