Comments on: Blog lingo: a brief lesson

By: Doug Bratland

Doug Bratland — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 15:36:58 +0000

This topic serves as a handy way to point out the main distinction between this site and Northfield.org (another thing about which it seems many people are confused).

Griff noted that “there are only three bloggers” on LG. In contrast, on N.org we have hundreds of what he and Nick might refer to as “bloggers,” (though we prefer to use the term “authors”).

In 2007, 146 different people wrote stories for our community blog, on which everyone is welcome to write a story or start a discussion about whatever community topic most concerns or interests them.

By: John George

John George — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 04:13:48 +0000

Hopefully, we all don’t get “blogged down” in terminology. I suppose that could be “terminal” for some.

By: Holly Cairns

Holly Cairns — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 17:54:23 +0000

Hey, I have a blog called Prickly Burr. I killed the old Prickly Burr and started a new one. Oh, the freedom of it.

I never boast to my kids since they take me down, every time.

You’re Curt’s son, I take it. It’s nice that you communicate with your family on http://www.locallygrownnorthfield.org Hmm, that reminds me– sometimes my kids don’t even know what I am doing, and they don’t know what a blog is, probably. Not that they care, and seldom do they have time to read locallygrownnorthfield.org Maybe when they get to college.

By: Nick Benson

Nick Benson — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 17:33:05 +0000

Griff’s not trying to rain on anyone’s parade, he’s just making sure that after leaving a comment you don’t proudly boast to the kids “I was blogging on Locally Grown today,” only to have them do some followup research and make a fool of you at the dinner table, which is what would happen at my house.

A blogger is the person who posts a story.

A blogger is not the person who leaves a comment.

If you want to be a blogger, start a blog.

By: Holly Cairns

Holly Cairns — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 03:15:57 +0000

Hmm, dammit Griff, can’t we just have fun. And can you start a discussion about Al Franken and his behavior at Carleton. I’d like more discussion on that… but not in a Dahle post.

I remember watching N.org go from discussion/ blog to newspaper/ magazine. Are you sure bloggers and newspaper folks are all that similar? I don’t know, Marcea. Seems like anyone can apply to be a reporter. Maybe it is verification and standards that make the two different.

By: Griff Wigley

Griff Wigley — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 03:09:53 +0000

Sorry, Marcea, I should have been clearer about my analogy. I only meant to compare the structure of the two media, ie, a blog has a relatively small number of authors in the same way that a newspaper has a relatively small number of reporters/columnists; likewise, there can be many commenters on a blog in the same way that a paper can carry many letters to the editor.

I posted this because I’ve increasingly been hearing/seeing people refer to those who attach comments here as ‘bloggers’.

Does that help?

By: Marcea Frazier

Marcea Frazier — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 02:26:30 +0000

Don’t reporters go to college and get a degree in Journalism or something like that to be a reporter?

I don’t think a blogger should be compared to a reporter. Anybody can be a blogger but you can only be a reporter with the proper degree.