What is a blog and how do you do one

[woozer]

I suspect I am a bit behind the times - I keep seeing and hearing about these blog things but what,where,why how etc etc

[Ethel]

A blog is a web log - a journal that the general public, or a private one, can read.

So, a diary on a computer. If you think the world and his wife needs to know what you had for breakfast, who said what and the other minutiae of your daily life, a blog is for you.

This is as good a place as any:
http://www.livejournal.com/

[jno]

I don't think they really have to be 'diaries' in that sense any more, though they're usually topical. They may simply be comments on the day's news - those on newspaper websites are. Also, they are often open for public comment. I'm not sure whether, if you add a comment to one, you become a blogger yourself or simply a poster.

[littleoldme]

Blogs tend to come in two varieties - those that are simply online diaries and those which are based on a certain topic...and no, you don't have to be a computer nerd or lack a social life to have one.

The 'diary' type is usually the work of an individual and doesn't pretend to be anything other than an informal journal of events in someone's life. Those who complain that these blogs are of no interest to most people are missing the point - they're not meant to be! They are primarily aimed at friends and family of the blogger to keep up with their news. You can normally restrict who views such a blog to those you invite, but many people don't bother to do this.

The other, less well known type is usually (but not always) more formal and structured and may be the work of an individual or a team representing some company or focus group. These may be on politics, sport, travel, or any particular topic you fancy. They are normally aimed at a larger audience, so their reputation depends on a fairly professional approach and regular updates.

There are many sites that can help you build a blog easily and for free. For example:

blog.com

blogger.com

myblogsite.com

[woozer]

Aaah - now I think I might, perhaps, nearly, get it - thanks guys - I still dont really understand why - but I am going to follow some of the links you have suggested and then -- perhaps the pub :-)