I was asked the question, "How is a blog different from a discussion forum or message board?" My thoughts:

Very different — and I think it’s pretty plain to anyone who’s actually read both blogs and message boards. (This individual admitted to having never read a blog before.) Message boards (even if they are limited access or members-only) allow anyone to post a new thread or ask a question in a subject area. Other people can then add to the threads. A forum lacks an individual personality (though individual posters may become well-known in a board for their own personalities) and encourages specificity of topics (as opposed to conversation).

A blog takes on a specific personality over time — the personality of the author(s) (real or assumed). There’s more of a sense of a conversation (including the quirky subject changes and mind-leaps that take place in conversation), whether there are comments on or not. And yes, there’s more control in a blog than in a message forum — the blog author(s) steers the discussion by choosing his topics and writing his posts.

There’s a place for forums (though I’ve personally never cared for them and have so far opted not to make one available on our organization’s website). There’s a place for blogs. Two different animals.

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