Blogging - like golf for tech people

One of my good friends and I were talking the other day about why blogs have become so popular, and I think I figured out how to articulate the way I see my blog.

Networking (the kind with people, not cables) is not easy for some tech people.  Given the choice between sitting behind a keyboard and going out and talking to people, most techies (especially developers) will choose the former.  This applies in varying degrees.  Some people are more social, some are less.  Our developers are actually a pretty chatty bunch, and we have a good time when we go out, but that's because we spend so much time together and we all know each other.  When it comes to networking, meeting new people, a lot of technical people have a hard time.  The most difficult part is establishing a context to start a conversation.

Blogging is good way to set up that first conversation.  Even if you're only posting about the music you like, or the movies you've seen lately, it gives someone some common ground to start from.  Social networking sites have become popular for exactly the same reason.  When I initially set up my Facebook page, it was mostly to keep in touch with people from school, but I've actually met quite a few new people there.  The ability to expand your network is actually much more powerful than the ability to keep in touch with those already in it.  This is especially true of the more business-oriented social networking sites like LinkedIn. 

I think it is really cool just how much user-created content is driving the web these days.  I'm probably a bit late getting on the bandwagon, but as a software developer, I think it is just incredible how a simple application like Flickr or Twitter can become a household name in just a few years based on a single idea.