What is the purpose of a Blog?

[stephen thomas]

I've been reading site FAQ's and other info sporadically since signing in a week or so ago.
These may be naive questions, but no intention whatsoever to troll - it's about understanding the culture.

So, say the subject was a project.
When would it be optimal for a person to put it on a forum, vs a Blog, vs an article?
If it is a past completed project, does that change the location preference?

What does it mean to see the note at the bottom of posts saying "Blog This" (!!!?) (Sucka?)
No, seriously, what does it invite?

Thanks in advance,
smt

[Jim Koepke]

Hi Stephen and welcome to the Creek.

Some of my projects have been documented during the process of building them and then posted in which ever section seems appropriate.

My projects being mostly done with hand tools are posted in the Neanderthal Haven conference.

If you are a power tool kind of person there is a different conference for that.

There is also a conference for people who do their wood working on a lathe.

There are some conferences that may seem to overlap. Don't worry if you post in the wrong conference, a moderator can move it and they won't toss sawdust your way.

jtk

[Jim Becker]

Stephen, the primary avenue for sharing here at SMC is in the appropriate forum discussion area. Your example relative to projects would be to document finished projects and builds in a thread for each project in the Woodworking Projects avenue with the exceptions of pure or nearly pure hand tool projects in Neanderthal and purely turning projects in the Turning area. Questions about "how to do something" or something tool related (except lathes and dust collection) would be in General Woodworking. (DC is in Workshops and lathes are in Turning) Etc.

The "blog" feature here at SMC is an artifact of the forum software and is rarely used for anything. Same for Articles. Stick to the appropriate forum discussion areas and be sure to read the TOS in your copious free time.

[Jim Koepke]

The "blog" feature here at SMC is an artifact of the forum software and is rarely used for anything.

My guess is others like my self have blog posts by accidentally hitting the blog button.

jtk

[stephen thomas]

Thank you!
I think i got it.

The blog feature seemed like a neat option - say a person wanted to pontificate long term on a subject from various angles - it would keep all that subject in one easy-to-find compendium. As well, it would be clear that it was only one person's opinion/experience. But it does not have much traffic, and that did not seem to be how it was used; so glad i asked.

smt

[Jim Becker]

Thank you!
I think i got it.

The blog feature seemed like a neat option - say a person wanted to pontificate long term on a subject from various angles - it would keep all that subject in one easy-to-find compendium. As well, it would be clear that it was only one person's opinion/experience. But it does not have much traffic, and that did not seem to be how it was used; so glad i asked.

smt

Most folks who want to "blog" will do so with their own dedicated web site where their thoughts are the focus. In an online community like this, the sharing is more generally focused as "conversations" in the various subject matter discussion areas.

[Peter Mich]

Stephen,

Thanks for asking the question. I, too, wondered what purpose the ‘blog’ feature served, and now, as they say, I know the rest of the story.

Peter

[Tom M King]

Don't feel bad. I never even noticed that section and never even knew what a blog is. Still don't, and don't really care.

[Ole Anderson]

I saw the blog as the place to fully document a build, step by step. Something you don't tend to see in the discussion group.

[Jim Becker]

I saw the blog as the place to fully document a build, step by step. Something you don't tend to see in the discussion group.

We encourage full build threads in Woodworking Projects and there are a great many there. It's rare for anyone to even visit the blog areas.