Static Websites and Free-for-Alls
Tune in to Blogs and Wikis
Many web sites have information created by one or more people and put on a static web page. The page you're looking at right now is an example of a static page. I can change the information, but you can't.
However, new web technologies have made it possible to easily create interactive pages. Interactive pages allow you to add or change content on a web page and see the changes instantly. Two popular types of interactive pages are blogs and wikis.
Blogs
Think of a blog, or a web log, as an online journal. You can set up your own blog in about three minutes with one of several blogging services. (Blogger and WordPress are two popular sites). Once your blog is set up all you do is log in and write what you have to say. When you finish, your "post" is loaded onto your blog site.
Many popular blogs are politically charged and read by millions of readers. Blogs have the power to initiate grassroots movements and change the direction of national policy. The vast majority of blogs are personal blogs where people write about anything and everything.
Wikis
A wiki can provide even more interactivity than a blog. Think of a wiki as an electronic bathroom wall, where you leave out marking pens for anyone to add what they want. Or you might prefer to think of a wiki as a great big whiteboard in a classroom. In either case, someone could come along and erase information, change information, or add information. Two popular resources for setting up your own wiki are WikiSpaces and PBWorks.