Comparing Issues Forums

Issues Forums are like blogs in that:

• An individual, the forum manager, provides leadership.
• Technically speaking, an Issues Forum is a massive multi-editor blog.
• Like blogs, our Issues Forums have "web feeds".
• A good Issues Forum, like a good blog can play a strong political agenda-setting role in a community.
• You can share links and comment on content from across the web.
• People who are not register can choose to view it on the web.

Issues Forum are not like most blogs in that:

• Issues Forums are many-to-many. Blogs tend to be one to many. You really need a blog to have standing in the blogosphere. Issues Forums are more democratically equitable by design.
• Most people receive the e-mail version making an Issues Forum more broadcast like.
• Any registered participant may start a new topic or add a comment via e-mail or the web.
• All comments must be signed with a participants real name.
• Anyone can start a new topic of conversation.