Everyone hates the blogosphere and loves peer review, right, but ...

In Open Data Genomics, paleoanthropologist John Hawks offers

I've often found that the best reviews of my work come from blogs and readers, not from peer review itself. With a project like this, the most critical readings will come from the most interested community, which may be a broader public than the scientific community.

Yes, that is precisely what the blogosphere has done. Traditional media told us what our betters thought was news. Which soon meant, if they didn’t think it was news, we shouldn’t. Now anyone can start reporting and commenting.

Suddenly, the news is not what it used to be. For one thing, it’s often real news.

With government plans to control the Internet, this interlude may soon end, so cherish and use it now, and fight for it.