All social interactions are governed by rules of behavior. Sometimes those rules are clearly stated, and sometimes they're not, but everyone understands them anyway. One knows that it is not acceptable to chat with your friend in church during the sermon. We know that it's impolite to interrupt someone who is speaking to you, and that it is kind to smile and shake hands when greeting someone. Personal letters have a code of proper etiquette as well. Since this is our first experience with blogging, (mine too) I thought it might be helpful to write a little bit about the proper etiquette for blogging. This is part of a larger issue of etiquette when working with others in a computer environment, and it includes blogging, participating in a wiki with others, and e-mail correspondence.
Most of the rules of etiquette are designed to ensure that the participants aren't made to feel uncomfortable. The rules of interaction in the computer world are very similar. In general, you should try to be sure not to write anything that might hurt or offend anyone else who might have access to the blog, wiki or e-mail. These media also provide a written record of your words that lasts forever. The careless things we say to one another can be easily forgotten, but it's hard to forget an unkind thing that gets preserved on the computer!
The only other tricky thing about writing on a blog, wiki or e-mail is the issue of tone. When you speak face to face with a person, it is possible to communicate things with your eyes, expression or body language in addition to what you actually say. You could tell your friend that his shirt looks terrible, but laugh or smile when you say it, so that your friend knows that you are only kidding and that you actually think his shirt is quite handsome. You can't do that in written correspondence like e-mail, or on a blog. You have to be very careful to say what you mean in a written environment, as it is very hard to express tone in this format.
It's really not complicated to use proper "netiquette" if you just remember that the words you're writing are being published - and that many eyes will see it. Just follow the golden rule about treating others the way you wish to be treated, and you won't have any problems!
Monday, April 16, 2007
Friday, April 13, 2007
Welcome!
What's a "weblog"?
A "weblog" or "blog" is a specific type of website where entries are made journal-style, and presented in reverse chronological order. In other words, it's a journal kept on the Internet or Web. The power of the Internet makes it much more than a journal, however.
Many people keep journals. Journaling is a tradition that is many hundreds of years old. People write in journals as a way to chronicle the things that happen to them in their lives, to preserve their stories, and to leave a legacy for future generations. Writers keep journals to practice the craft of writing and to house ideas for stories. I keep a journal so that I can remember the things I want to remember, so that I can practice writing, and sometimes because it is easier to think on paper. Writing my ideas down helps me to know what I know. Traditionally, journals are a private affair. For the most part, the words written in a journal are seen only by the writer of the journal, unless the writer chooses to share.
Posting an entry on a weblog is different from keeping a journal because it's public. Any member of the blogging community can access, read, and then comment on any entry posted there. As members of the CRC Virtual Classblog community, any of you can read this entry and comment on it, or you can post an entry of your own that I or others may comment on.
This weblog is here for two reasons: (1) It's fun. Writing and commenting on weblogs is just fun - it's a fun way to share your ideas with others and to find out what others think about things, and (2) it's great practice for writing. Just as you get better at football or soccer the more you play it, your writing will improve the more you practice it.
I'll post ideas for writing here, and I'll write on some myself....I encourage you to write about the things you care about here, and comment on pieces that are posted here. Think of it as a form of pen pal letters -0ver the computer!
A "weblog" or "blog" is a specific type of website where entries are made journal-style, and presented in reverse chronological order. In other words, it's a journal kept on the Internet or Web. The power of the Internet makes it much more than a journal, however.
Many people keep journals. Journaling is a tradition that is many hundreds of years old. People write in journals as a way to chronicle the things that happen to them in their lives, to preserve their stories, and to leave a legacy for future generations. Writers keep journals to practice the craft of writing and to house ideas for stories. I keep a journal so that I can remember the things I want to remember, so that I can practice writing, and sometimes because it is easier to think on paper. Writing my ideas down helps me to know what I know. Traditionally, journals are a private affair. For the most part, the words written in a journal are seen only by the writer of the journal, unless the writer chooses to share.
Posting an entry on a weblog is different from keeping a journal because it's public. Any member of the blogging community can access, read, and then comment on any entry posted there. As members of the CRC Virtual Classblog community, any of you can read this entry and comment on it, or you can post an entry of your own that I or others may comment on.
This weblog is here for two reasons: (1) It's fun. Writing and commenting on weblogs is just fun - it's a fun way to share your ideas with others and to find out what others think about things, and (2) it's great practice for writing. Just as you get better at football or soccer the more you play it, your writing will improve the more you practice it.
I'll post ideas for writing here, and I'll write on some myself....I encourage you to write about the things you care about here, and comment on pieces that are posted here. Think of it as a form of pen pal letters -0ver the computer!
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