Shai Coggins, GMail, and Blogging

 

Shai Coggins (cute picture!) has a blog about blogs at http://www.shaicoggins.com/.

Recently she offered invitations to GMail accounts to some of her readers. I think it's an interesting way for Google to spread these accounts. Originally, they invited certain users to try the service. Now they seem to be expanding the user community by letting their current users invite new users. I'd love to try it, so I wrote the following.

If you still have any GMail invitations I'd love to have one. This seems like an interesting way for Google to get new users--by allowing current users to invite new people.

I just recently started a blog. It seems like the blog phenomena is about to explode. Do you have any theories about why? Blogs themselves have been around for a long time. So have bulletin boards and forums. What is different about blogs now?

I guess that for one thing, RSS syndication makes it a lot more convenient to follow blogs without clogging up your email inbox. Blogs are now a separate information stream, which makes them a lot easier to follow. That also gives them a distinct identity, i.e., they are not just more email messages.

Another important thing about RSS blog feeds is that they don't get spammed! You get only the feeds to which you subscribe.

Blogs also differ from bulletin boards, forums, news groups, mailings lists, etc. in that they generally reflect a single voice. I think that makes a difference.

In any event, I am convinced they are about to explode. Currently, very few people in the general public--even those who are internet savvy--have heard of blogs. Within a year that will be completely different; almost everyone will know about blogging.

I am interested in any thoughts anyone has about why blogs have reached the tipping point now.