BLOGs, window on the world
by Gary Woods

Weblogs (Blogs) are becoming a popular way to communicate. They’re basically online journals in which people share their experiences and thoughts about a myriad of subjects.

There are essentially 3 types of BLOGS. The first is a kind of micro-journal. You can find out fascinating things about people like "June 3rd, I fed the cat." The second type is a notebook, which features essays and extended works. The third is a filter, which usually starts with some hyper-linked text to another page. The blog writer then comments on that linked information.

If you feel a need to have your voice spread all over the Internet it’s very easy and free to set one up. The simplest way is to sign up with a blogging service provider like http://www.blogger.com. All you do is create a user name and password. Then, enter a description of your blog, and select a visual theme. Finally choose a URL and start typing your first entry. If the banner ads on the free site bug you, for $35 per year you can be banner free.

The free version of Blogger is pretty limited, but there are other options. For example, http://www.livejournal.com lets readers post comments on your entries. Another site, http://www.zblogger.com has a huge assortment of templates and tools to change the look of your site.

The real challenge with Blogs is not starting them, but keeping them going. How long can you keep coming up with gems like "June 3rd, I fed the cat"? Check out my Blog at http://www.santabarbaraproperties.com/weblog/index.html

If you have any suggestions or questions for me please drop me a note at garyandlaury@santabarbaraproperties.com or see my column on the Internet at http://www.santabarbaraproperties.com or call me at (805) 729-0910