Socrates the Blogger
I have just read a passage in "Things That Make Us Smart" that refers to Socrates and his hatred of writing things down. Socrates beleived that the way to teach something was to have a dialogue with that person, not to simply have them read something without opportunity to reflect and question. "Then anyone who leaves behind him a written manual, and likewise anyone who takes it over from him, on the supposition that such writing will provide somting reliable and permanent, must be exceedingly simple-minded; he must really be ignorant of Ammon's utterance, if he imagines that written words can do anything more than remind one who knows that which the writing is concerned with." Norman points out that book discussion groups serve as a counter-example to Socrates' point about books being a stagnat way of learning.
I can see parallels in technology available today (which, incidentally wasn't available even in 1993 when Norman was writing). A traditional website represents the form of learning that is experiential - the type that Socrates would have hated. Anyone can read the information available, but rarely is there any opportunity to reflect. Indeed, the vast amount of text available on the web probably encourage a user to continue to read more and more rather than relect. The only way for a user to interact with the author is to send an email and cross their fingers for a response.
On the other hand, Socrates would have absolutely loved blogging. Blogging is designed to be reflective. It is also a great medium for those who question what is written on the web, and leads directly to questioning of which Socrates would have approved. Commenting and discussing ideas are exactly the point of blogging - and are the modern-day equivalent to Socrates group of philosophers. Socrates never wrote a book, but I'm willing to bet that if he were alive today, he would be an avid blogger whose ideas would be refected upon by thousands more people than he ever could have met in person.