P2P

Blog Vs. Wiki

Blogs and Wiki’s are great ways to gain information on the Internet. Wiki’s allow users to collaborate, edit, and share information without having a specific leader. According to Wikipedia on Wiki, it says “A wiki engine is a type of content management system, but it differs from most other such systems, including blog software, in that the content is created without any defined owner or leader, and wikis have little implicit structure, allowing structure to emerge according to the needs of the users”. A wiki allows the users to create their own structure. You are able to add information if it is missing or change it if it is incorrect which allows for it to be a collaborative learning environment. However, this also allows for people to enter false information, and therefore wiki changed their methods they told users to add citations so there information is accurate. According to the New York Times article “ Wikipedia to Limit Changes to Articles on People” says,  “the change is part of a growing realization on the part of Wikipedia’s leaders that as the site grows more influential, they must transform its embrace-the-chaos culture into something more mature and dependable.”(Cohen). Wiki is becoming a more common form for people to get information, and therefore they cannot allow for false information or wiki will not be trusted as a reliable source.

In contrast, blogs have a definitive author and the author is the one providing information. Blogs don’t allow other users to share their own information or edit, however they do allow for users to comment their thoughts without adding to the blog. Blogs allow more freedom than wiki since the content is not be checked or flagged for citations. It is the author’s thoughts that are being shown. In addition, blogs don’t verify their information, or say it is a credible. It’s a way to state your own thoughts and opinions without having to be proven by facts. There is more flexibility with blogs than wiki. The convergence in today’s world allows for users to get their information in seconds, and that is important in a fast paced world where things are always happening. Sharing information is today’s networked world.

One suggestion for a new use for wiki is to add a comment section. The comment section can also provide for a way to put your own thoughts that don’t have to be verified.

Citations : 

“Wiki.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Sept. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki.

Cohen, Noam. “Wikipedia to Limit Changes to Articles on People.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 24 Aug. 2009, www.nytimes.com/2009/08/25/technology/internet/25wikipedia.html?_r=1.