Another voice in the choir

The science blogosphere has been afire the last day, all about an article analysing - of all things - science blogs. Most of the big names have waded in, and not being one to miss out on something popular (I jest) I thought I'd chime in...

Long article made short, this particular "study" criticised bloggers for:
1) Allowing too many comments,
2) Not keeping comments on track,
3) Occasionally being technical
4) Calling people names, and
5) Talking about more than one area of science - or even talking about stuff other than science

For example:

Science bloggers need to become more aware of their audience, welcome non-scientists, and focus on explanatory, interpretative, and critical modes of communication rather than on reporting and opinionating.

Basically, we're being criticised for not writing on-line textbooks and actually pretending that we're people instead of automatons. The blogs I linked to above take this paper to task; my view on it is much simpler.

Blogs are a means of personal communication - granted our audience is seldom known to use personally - but by-and-large blogs are vehicles for people to share their thoughts and opinions. The only thing that separates science blogs from other blogs is the fact that the authors of the science blogs talk, on occasion, about science. And, lie most people out there, we have interests that extend beyond our work. In many cases any education we pass onto our readers is a secondary consideration after our desire to simply share our thoughts.

If all I (or any of the more famous science bloggers out there) were after was to educate people, there are far better venues we could use. Blogs serve as a chance to share our opinions, and to discuss our ideas with others. Complaining our blogs aren't internet textbooks misses the whole point of blogging in the first place.