This week has reminded me of how many people still do not have even a general understanding of some of the technologies that I use daily (if not hourly).

And that’s not a bad thing.

I always have to remind myself that I too, at one point in my life, scoffed at technologies and their use.  I was ignorant, and to my shame, I was vocally against them.

At some points, vehemently.

But things are changing now and technologies that were at one point taken as “fads” are becoming “standards”.  But there are many still behind.

AND THAT’S OK!

So, for those that need it, here are a few definitions of what a “blog” is that may help you further your understanding and perhaps more importantly help you discuss and share it with others:

A blog is basically a type of website.

As such it is defined by the technical aspects and features around it, and not by the content published inside it.

The features that make blogs different from other websites are:

• content is published in a chronological fashion
• content is updated regularly
• readers have the possibility to leave comments
• other blog authors can interact via trackbacks and pingbacks
• content is syndicated via RSS feeds

Here are some other great quotes from some other “smarter” people:

‘A weblog is a hierarchy of text, images, media objects and data, arranged chronologically, that can be viewed in an HTML browser.’ Source

‘From “Web log.” A blog is basically a journal that is available on the web. The activity of updating a blog is “blogging” and someone who keeps a blog is a “blogger.”‘ Source

‘A weblog is kind of a continual tour, with a human guide who you get to know. There are many guides to choose from, each develops an audience, and there’s also comraderie and politics between the people who run weblogs, they point to each other, in all kinds of structures, graphs, loops, etc.’ Source

‘A blog is basically a journal that is available on the web. The activity of updating a blog is “blogging” and someone who keeps a blog is a “blogger.” Blogs are typically updated daily using software that allows people with little or no technical background to update and maintain the blog. Postings on a blog are almost always arranged in cronological order with the most recent additions featured most prominantly.’ Source

‘A blog is a website in which items are posted on a regular basis and displayed in reverse chronological order. The term blog is a shortened form of weblog or web log. Authoring a blog, maintaining a blog or adding an article to an existing blog is called “blogging”. Individual articles on a blog are called “blog posts,” “posts” or “entries”. A person who posts these entries is called a “blogger”. A blog comprises text, hypertext, images, and links (to other web pages and to video, audio and other files). Blogs use a conversational style of documentation. Often blogs focus on a particular “area of interest”, such as Washington, D.C.’s political goings-on. Some blogs discuss personal experiences.’ Source.

Want some more?  ProBlogger.net has some other great thoughts (and was where I pulled the quotes from above).

Would you add anything in addition for a “basic” understanding?