Web Logs: A digital diary to share your personal thoughts
By Vishnu K. Mahmud
JAKARTA (JP): Sometime in the latter part of the 1990's, when the Internet hype was at its peak, everyone wanted to be online. Getting a homepage up was the chic thing to do as was getting an e-mail address.
Back in 1996, I joined the Information Superhighway by signing up for a GeoCities e-mail and homepage account. Now, 5 years later, I've changed virtual addresses 3 times, GeoCities became Yahoo! Geocities and my homepage has not been updated since May 11, 1997 (www.geocities.com/youppi.geo).
But as one fad goes, another one takes it's place. Enter Web Logs, an Internet based digital diary for the entire world to see. What makes this web application different to the personal homepages scattered all over the planet is that Web Logs (or "BLOGS" as they are popularly known) are updated more frequently (if not daily).
Philip Greenspun (http://philip.greenspun.com) in his book, Philip and Alex's Guide to Web Publishing, wrote about the many truths in life. By following a wide variety of views, people would be able to understand more about the world instead of reading it in a book that only promotes one "truth" or one angle to the story.
Web Logs allow its users to share with the world their views on events. So instead of reading in the newspaper how layoffs in the dot com industry are a bad thing, you can actually go to Evan Williams' website (the CEO of Blogger.com) at www.evhead.com, to see how difficult it was to start off a dot com company only to run out of money. The lives of real people that created and believed in the Blogger are not some statistics you can read and quickly dismiss.
Blogger.com is one of many online applications that make it easier to start and maintain a web log. It is actually a very simple process; update a web page regularly with brief comments and life opinions. The new entries are placed at the top of the page, with the older ones pushed down to the bottom. Diaryland.com and Pitas.com are other sites that provide free online services for web journals or diaries, all in the comfort of an Internet browser. Although Blogger.com is currently having some financial difficulties, it so far seems to be the most popular, shown by the loyalty of its users who send in donations to help maintain the servers.
Laura Ellen is one of those faithful Bloggers. Currently a student (with a possible focus in astrophysics), Laura tells me that writing is very important. She keeps both a web log and a private, pen-and-paper journal. Her web log (http://bluelikethat.com/radiance) is where she places ideas that she sees fit for mass consumption. Although it is probably mostly her friends that would read her writings, Laura feels that if complete strangers read her Blogs, it somehow legitimizes what she is saying. Her thoughts are written down and read, thus they are valid.
Alan AKA "Arcterex" originally started a web log to let his parents know when he was coming home for dinner! And although his web log (http://arcterex.net) is an ideal way for distant friends to keep in contact with him (and find out what he's up to!), Arcterex finds solace and calmness after ranting and raving about his day. He usually updates 3 to 4 times a week, much more if he is having a bad time.
My friend Julie Martin keeps a web journal on her own website (http://www.juliemartin.org). Having loved writing since she was young, her web log allows her to share her thoughts with others. How one day she stood outside amid the fallen leaves, enjoying an Indian summer in the midst of autumn, contemplating how peaceful life can be. On another day, she rants and raves about her hapless hockey team for which she had purchased partial season tickets.
One of my favorite web journals is that of George Takei (www.georgetakei.com). Better known as Star Trek's Captain Sulu, his monthly web columns introduces us to his life outside the bright lights of Hollywood. He writes about life as an ambassador for the Japanese American national museum, his love of architecture and theater, the numerous travels he partakes around the world and his mother's fight with Alzheimer's disease.
These online journals provide an interesting glimpse into other people's lives. And although this may seem rather voyeuristic, these blogs show the "other truth" about people and events that others may have never known.
By writing these thoughts down, the Bloggers begin to truly discover their interests. And as the writers begin to record more and more journal entries, they gain more confidence in their writing and in their point of view. Sharing these views is what made the Internet in the first place; a medium to quickly share and distribute information. By knowing that truth has many facets, we can perhaps avoid the narrow-mindedness and ignorance that plague our world today. (vmahmud@yahoo.com)