Blogs - what should I do?

McBainUK · 2007-10-18, 11:52 AM

I've been using KompoZer to create a website which is in a large part a blog. The "framework" I created currently runs to the end of this year and so I've decided to look around and see what's available. I can think of 3 ways to procceed:

* Carry on as I am with a domain name and KompoZer authored pages with FTP uploads. The problem with this is that I'm rather tied to editing the site on one machine, and at home which is not always convenient.

* Setup a wiki in blog-like form. This allows me to continue to use my domain name and have freedom with the layout and so on.

* Setup an account with one of the blog sites. My main worry with this is I assume they are all public. My messages/blog entries are really for family/friends so they are currently password protected, is this possible with any of the *free* blogging software/sites?

Any thoughts / suggestions?

groover km · 2007-10-18, 12:38 PM

for me, I have always used blogger - I have two blogs; one that is me ranting and raving that is read by no-one, and one that is general productivity tips that is read by even less...

(Maintaining these blogs make me less productive - go figure)

Anyway, with Blogger you can set up a private group by invite only, which sounds like what you are looking for:

http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?an...topic=8922

What I like about blogger:

It simplifies everything: I can post from email, I have a button on my firefox toolbar for 'blog this!' which allows me to immediately create a linked blog post to a page, and it easily integrates with picasa: So I upload photos from my camera into picasa, click post to blogger, and they are up for all to see: Whole process takes less than five minutes.
Plus I can download the whole lot and create a back up offline: My plan is to eventually download all my posts, publish them into a book with lulu.com, and then throw the book in my garage where no-one will read that either Smile

Downside is some people are a little cautious about google being so central to everything they do; me, I don't worry about it.

A lot of these features may be available with wordpress, etc., but I've never tried them so I don't know. Good luck!

McBainUK · 2007-10-18, 12:47 PM

Seems if I want it private I can't use my own domain. I've set one up and will have a play. Thanks for the info.

fender · 2007-10-18, 03:47 PM

I run a variety of services for a few websites I host.

Wordpress and Drupal are the most popular choices.

Do you have access to MySQL with your current host?

McBainUK · 2007-10-18, 07:07 PM

fender Wrote:Wordpress and Drupal are the most popular choices.
Do you have access to MySQL with your current host?

I looked at Wordpress but unfortunately I don't have MySQL access. Having a look at PMwiki at the moment and it looks quite promising.

whurlston · 2007-10-18, 07:26 PM

I can always set up a blog software on epgtools.com and make you the admin. You can have a page that has a 100% frame on your domain pointing to the blog so that your domain name always shows.

Or if you have access to the DNS records for your domain, there is another server that I can set a subdomain on for you.

McBainUK · 2007-10-19, 07:31 AM

Thanks for the kind offer whurlston but I have decided to go with pmwiki as I have some experience with it.

McBainUK · 2007-10-19, 02:52 PM

Does anyone know what this means regarding css and pmwiki?

Is it possible to have the default view hidden, with only the "On this page...(show)" visible?
I was able to have default as hidden by setting the CSS for the TOC div to "display:none", then making $ToggleText = array('hide','show');

http://www.pmwiki.org/wiki/Cookbook/PageTableOfContents

McBainUK · 2007-10-19, 03:26 PM

Or a forums that deals with pmwiki problems? I find the wiki 'comments' on the pmwiki site a poor method of support.

elite · 2007-10-19, 05:58 PM

I'd stick with my own domain and probably code the script myself (php/mysql is my thing...)

McBainUK Wrote:I looked at Wordpress but unfortunately I don't have MySQL access. Having a look at PMwiki at the moment and it looks quite promising.

I'd look at getting a host with php/mysql - you will have many more options... Are you currently hosting at home or with an ISP? - You tend to get some sort of database/scripting environment with most basic packages these days...

Before colocating my own dedicated servers I had excellent service/support from 34sp.com, you would probably get better prices from a US based host...

HTH