“Blog” is internet shorthand for web log. Think of a web log as an online diary of sorts. Many people keep web logs, including myself. Typically they contain things like what you did this weekend, how various things in your life are going (ie, a job search, or life in a new city, or whatever), funny quotes from friends, quotes or links to articles of interest, and the occasional philosophical type post. So, basically, anything you’d write in a diary. They are generally open to the public to read, but most of the time the material on a blog is of interest only to the writer and his or her friends - so blogs also become a way for friends to keep up with what is happening in each other’s lives. Blogs also sometimes contain special stuff - for example, I post a “lifting journal” section for each day I lift - it helps me track my progress, and keeps me accountable because my buddies are tracking it as well.
Other uses of blogs include special interest stuff (“News blogs,” “Macintosh blogs”, whatever). Im guessing this is the sense in which T-Mag will use them.
Blogs are accessed like any other web page. Some people have their own web pages, others use a free service like livejournal (www.livejournal.com). I use livejournal myself, because it doesn’t have ads.
Blogs are quite different from chat rooms and forums. Forums are generally for open discussion, and chat rooms are for well, chat. While most blogs allow people to post comments to posts, only the writer of the blog can make actual “entries.” So the topic of discussion is limited generally to the writer’s entry. The writer of the blog runs the show, its HIS blog, the people commenting are just talking about what he brings up.
Yes, they can be bookmarked.
I’m not a mod, but I’d guess they will be used to post lifting news, gym stories, new workouts/exercises, and the like.
My blog is located at Jim's Ramblings — LiveJournal if you want to check it out and see what one typically looks like. Don’t laugh at the weights I’m using though, I know they suck, but I’m getting better all the time
The blogs will evolve as we go along. Lonnie’s will probably talk about recent studies while Tim might talk about developments at Biotest. My blog will probably be more conventional, but I’ll surely talk about a variety of things ranging from what kind of underwear I’m wearing to new science breakthroughs. Chris’ will probably be similar to mine.
Mufasa: Typically, you can post replys to a blog, but you can’t post new topics. The ability to post replys can of course be turned on or off, or be moderated.
One question, will the forums still be around too? Or do the blogs replace them?
