Beginning Blogger Terminology
Listed below are terms that are common in the worlds of blogging, podcasting, and now, blogcasting.
Blog or Weblog
Blog is a condensed form of Web log. A blog is a series of entries formatted in a single column of text in reverse chronological order (i.e. most recent content at the top) where readers can link to individual articles. Most blogs contain a sidebar that contains links to entries or other blogs, and the content is frequently updated.
Blogger
A person who owns or writes for a Weblog.
Commentator
A person who leaves remarks or a comment regarding an entry in a blog.
Permalink
A link to a specific article in the archives of a blog, which will remain valid after the article is no longer listed on the blog's front page. Or, a link in a blogroll.
Ping
A small automated packet of data that is sent to another site to actuate some expected function, such as a Trackback. PING is an acronym for Packet INternet Grouper.
RSS
RSS is a Web content syndication format. RSS is an acronym for RDF Site Summary or Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary. You can subscribe to Web sites using RSS, such as news sites and blogs, and add the subscription to your blog. Content, or posts, from the Web site you subscribe to display on your Web site. Subscription content is updated in real-time, that is, when the author submits an updated post, your Web page reflects the update.
Sidebar
One or more columns along one or both sides of a blogs main page, usually used for links, contact information etc.
Spam
Spam is unsolicited online messages generally commercial in nature. Spam is usually delivered as email however, spam may also occur in the comments on a blog. Comment spam is when someone posts off-topic commercial remarks with links in a blog's comment section.
Trackback
A trackback sends a ping to another trackback-aware Web site (usually another blog) to notify that site that a link to has been created, usually within an entry being posted. The trackback ping notifies the subject of an entry that they are mentioned in another blog.