Weblogs vs. Facebook, Etc.

Been having on again off again coversations about social networking sites (not sticking for me yet) and I inevitably bring up blogging, which I practice.

http://www.tcsdaily.com/article.aspx?id=010803B

Here is an old Glenn Reynolds article on how blogging gets around a serious cyberspace question - the tragedy of the commons. A lot of email listservs die because they waste receipients time, and I imagine facebook and other social networking sites might be prone to a similar fate. Article is worth reading for more details.

On the other hand, blogs are completely voluntary. You can go and visit and spend as much or as little time as you want.