1. Is it a Blog?

This is my first Blog. A month or so ago I was invited to give a short "light" talk as an Introduction to Blogging at a Christmas Party. I have accepted the invitation. Although I know little about blogging, I thought that I might manage a short light talk. However in order to give a talk about Blogging, first of all I must go Blogging myself.

A Blog or Weblog is a diary on the web, often by a writer or journalist who cannot get their work published in any other way!! Usually there is provision for people to reply and make comments about what they have written.
A full definition of blog is given at the end of this post.

I will begin by telling you about one of my favourite computer gurus although she is only a sort of blogger. This is Judy Goodlet, a presenter with Radio Solent in Southampton.

Judy used to live in Emsworth and gave us an interesting talk some years ago. For more than five years now, Judy has written a a sort of blog called Judy's Tips. You can subscribe to her mailing list on this web page. You will then receive a factsheet every week or so from her, helping you to use your computer better.

Last week Judy wrote to say that she is organising an IT event in aid of the Radio Solent Daisy Appeal. I have now heard that Judy will be demystifying Digital Photography on Wednesday, 20th December at 2.30pm at the Sir James Matthews Building in Southampton - not far from Southampton Central Station and close to a very large Car Park!

If you cannot click on the Radio Solent web page link above, the URL is http://www.bbc.co.uk/southampton/features/bites/judy_tips.shtml

I hope that some people will read my blog if I include bits of information like this. I must try to make them look forward to seeing my next post.

My next post will include one of my favourite bloggers - Kate Mosse. Not the Kate Moss but Kate Mosse, the writer who grew up in Fishbourne. She is definitely a blogger. Sadly after five years Kate's blog has been take off the web this week.

Geoffrey Boys

Definition of a blog

Essentially, a weblog is a chronologically organized site with the latest entry appearing at the top of the page. It is updated by an individual (or a group of individuals) using these main items in each entry or post:

a) Main Body - where personal commentaries, ideas, and/or stories are typically written in the first person ('I').

b) Date/Time Stamp - to show the day and/or time the entry.

c) Title - to give a general idea or gist of what the entry is all about. However, this is not always used by all bloggers (people who keep blogs).

There are other items incorporated in various blogs depending on what each blogger may want in their own blogs.