We are developing the social individualist meta-context for the future. From the very serious to the extremely frivolous... lets see what is on the mind of the Samizdata people.

Samizdata, derived from Samizdat /n. - a system of clandestine publication of banned literature in the USSR [Russ.,= self-publishing house]

Spambot

noun. A spambot is online code which automatically generates larg numbers of unwanted messages and directs them at members of the public. Within the context of blogging, it is code which enters unsolicited comment spam.

A spambot can enter dozens or even hundreds of unwanted spams in a matter of minutes into the comments of an unprotected blog

Turing test

technical A Turing Test is a test which determines if the party on the other end of a remote communication is a human or a computer program (also known as a ‘Captcha‘ (qv)).

This is germane to blogging because many comment sections on blogs use non-machine readable systems prevent spambots from entering comment spam.

Comment Spam

noun. ‘Spam’ is unsolicited online messages generally of a commercial nature, usually delivered as e-mail (i.e. virtual junk mail). Comment spam however is when someone posts off-topic commercial remarks with links in a blog’s comment section.

Some comment spam is overt but just as often it takes the form of innocuous remarks such as “I agree with your article!” or “Hey, great site!” in a blog’s comment section: the spammer’s ‘payload’ being in the personal details link, which takes you to a dubious (often pornographic) site. One reason comment spam is a major problem is that if readers visit the spammer’s link(s), their site often tries to install browser hijackers, tracking cookies or other adware/malware on the duped reader’s computer. Most comment spam is entered by spambots rather than actually people.

Increasingly blogs are using technical means such as Turing tests, pre-publish moderation or registration in order to prevent spambots from polluting their comments sections with Viagra ads, online pharmacy scams and links to Russian porn sites.

Wiki

noun. A type of collaborative on-line software that allows readers to add content on a subject, which can also be edited by others. For example: Wikipedia.

The major difference between a blog and a wiki is that a blog is more directly under the control of the owner(s) and the primary objective of a blog is for the owner(s) to express themselves to their target audience. A wiki on the other hand is about collaboration (in a general sense) rather than expressing views.

Wiki definition included as many people have asked us to describe the difference between a blog and a wiki.

Blog mute

noun. Someone who only occasionally blogs.

Event blog

noun. A blog set up for only a limited period to cover some event (for example the E3 Games Convention). Event blogs are often commercial in nature.

Vog

noun. Video Blog. A blog used to display various forms video images. Also: Vlog.

Pornblogs

noun. Pornographic blogs (obviously!)

Crisis Blog

noun. A company blog (or ‘Biz Blog’) set up to handle a public relations crisis for a company or institution. This can be either to handle internal communications or to allow a company to present its side of a story in a frank, credible and timely manner when a situation is developing rapidly.

Biz Blogs

noun. Business blogs. This can mean blogs writing about business issues or (increasingly) actually run and maintained by a business as part of its day to day operations.

Generally Biz Blogs are outward facing (i.e. written to communicate with customers or business peers) but the terms is occasionally used for internal company blogs used a knowledge management systems (see K-logs).

Mediasphere

noun. The conventional media collectively (as opposed to the blogosphere) . See Old Media.

Blog-site

1. noun. A blog (depreciated).

2. noun. A hybrid blog/website, featuring website features such as a conventional on-line company brochure (for example) but also incorporating a blog in a sidebar as a supporting feature on the same page.

(coined in this context (usage 2) by Adriana Cronin)