Guestbook

A guestbook, in the context of an Internet website, is a type of logging system that allows visitors to that website to indicate that they have visited, and possibly express their thoughts about the site or its subject. It does not require creation of a user account, as it is an informal method of dropping off a quick note.

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The purpose of a website guestbook is to display the kind of visitors the site gets, including the part of the world they reside in, presented as a linear list of messages. This allows the webmaster to assess or demonstrate who is visiting. Often, e-mail addresses or IP addresses are compiled. The simplified format of a guestbook is not intended for purposes of carrying on discussions.

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A guestbook is, therefore, different from a chat room (which is more or less realtime communication), or an internet forum (which is sectioned out in subject threads), or a blog (which is intended for regular updates and more involved exchanges).

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Internet: This article is about the Internet, the extensive, worldwide computer network available to the public. An internet is a more general term informally used to describe any set of interconnected computer networks that are connected by internetworking....

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