What Is Blogging?

— -- Blogs. For those uninitiated with the ways of the Web, the word may sound like the name of the latest sci-fi creature. And while blogs are hardly considered biological entities, they have come to monstrous life online.

Like most online creations, the exact definition of "blogs" is still very much in flux. At its very basic, blogs -- or "Web logs" -- are literally online diaries with articles, writings, photos, Web links or other entries made by the blogs' creators, or "bloggers."

The entries are typically listed in reverse chronological order where the most recent entry is on top and older "news" or musings can be found by scrolling down the Web page.

Most blogs allow readers to leave their own comments or links to topics and other Web sites relevant to the entry or the blog's topical focus. Typically, this interactive nature allows bloggers to refer to each other's blogs, creating so-called "blogospheres" -- groups of blogs centered around specific themes, topics or interests.

Like the World Wide Web, blog types can run the gamut in terms of topics and styles.

The simplest are the text-only blogs created by individual Web surfers to post their own eclectic and varied thoughts. But others -- such as political parties, religious and professional groups, businesses, and media organizations -- have caught the blogging craze, too. Most often, these blogs contain various forms of multimedia content (digital videos, photos, audio) and postings that rival those found in traditional print or broadcast outlets.

The rapid pace of technology is changing the nature of blogs, too.