Blogging

So Blogging is an electronic diary - public on the world wide web.

It allows people to publish, not just their thoughts, but to write an electronic newspaper or even a book.  But the real benefit has to come from the comments that are added to the blog. 

Sharing thoughts and building on arguments allows genuine discussion between knowledgeable people.  Then again it allows random rambling and discussion between strangers who will never met...so it does have its ups and downs.