Short post by Craig Burton on History of Microsoft blogging ends with this description: “…blogging isn’t just extracurricular but fundamental.”
I think any and all ways of communicating better — with your colleagues and your customers — are fundamental. Blogging is one very effective method for ’scaling’ the conversation beyond the physical reach of one person. Blogging isn’t the answer… but nothing is, and it’s always worth trying to communicate more. Every time I share something only in an email that is really meant for more than, say, three people, I feel like I would be better off blogging it or adding it to a Wiki. That attitude is ahead of the reality, since those with whom I share information don’t necessarily mimic my own consumption habits… so I send a fair bit of email. E-mail just feels so ephemeral, even though I understand one lesson of the Microsoft trials: nothing in digital form is truly ‘forgotten.’