] Sometimes the next big thing on the Net reshapes the
] online world (universal e-mail, a graphical browser for
] the Web); sometimes it evaporates upon contact with
] business reality (PointCast, anyone?). Wise companies
] explore new trends cautiously, and that seems to be
] what's happening with weblogs.
]
] Most of the companies I've observed using blogs are
] trying it on their customers before unleashing it
] internally on their staffs. The external need,
] apparently, is more pressing. Many businesses already
] have other systems in place for managing internal
] information, ranging from simple brown-bag lunches to
] overkill knowledge-management regimens. But companies are
] always looking for better ways to touch base with
] existing and potential customers, and there's no hotter
] way to communicate on the Net than via a weblog.