Blog VS Forum

How is a blog different than a forum?

[freshfish]

Hello,
Havent posted here in a while and I am getting back into webmastering after a looong hietus (thinking of starting a blog to ease myself back in).

QUESTION 1
Isn't a blog with a comments feature much like a forum (ie post = responses)? I know a blog is more of a publication and content is usually controlled by the blog owner.

QUESTION 2:
But if you are starting a community site...which would you prefer? A blog with comments (with articles by members) or an open forum?

Thanks

[netchicken1]

If you are serious about income,then I wouldn't go for a blog, or a forum, I would use vanilla html pags.

Better indexing,
easier navigation
Old content is more visible
Easier SEO

The fundamental failing of blogs, as I see it, is that old content is lost, despite having a hyperlink on the main page.

Also good comments are lost in the mess of posts.

Also you have duplicate content issues.

However I think a heavily SEO'ed forum would be the best system for growing a community, as each post would have equal weighting, and equal indexing.

[phranque]

a blog is more like a magazine and a forum is more like a public bulletin board.
which one to use depends on if you are interested in centrally generated vs community-generated content.

[freshfish]

interesting point regarding the vanilla html pages...but if I want user generated content as well, I figured one of the two (blog or forum) would give me that...

I just wonder if a blog is easier for noobs to get hooked on...I found that in the niche I'm targeting many people couldnt fathom the idea of a forum. Give them some content and then allow them to post (w admin review of course)

I guess forums require a critical mass that maybe a blog can acquire...give them content and they will come and then give them a forum to respond?