Blogging

[jabber]

For those of you who keep a blog, do you use free software and host on your own site (possibly acquired through godaddy.com using the TRS promo code, saving 10% ) or do you pay to be hosted on a site like typepad or squarespace?

I used to write a lot and would like to get the juices flowing again. I think keeping a blog could be a good way to keep my mind limber. I have no idea where to start though. Does anyone have an opinion they'd like to share?

[doowttam]

I use tumblr.com. Its free and easy to hook up to a domain of your choice. I'm not sure if its really what you're looking for though, as its set up more as a short form blogging service. You can post long text, just like you can anywhere else. But in general tumblr's audience is people who want to throw up a quick link, image, or musing.

[sugarsickness]

I have a wordpress one (One at wordpress.com which has multiple users and one hosted on my own server). I really like it, though the wordpress.com hosted ones are sort of limited.

[siraim]

I went the route of paying for a hosting service... but that was mandated by my need for multiple domains with email service and shell access. As far as blogging software is concerned, I started using Serendipity a while back and love it. Easy to configure, easy to extend and pretty stable.

[darksydeavenger]

I have my own hosting and use wordpress. Makes it feel more like mine and less like I signed up for a site, which is what I was going for.

[nextgenxbox]

I pay for hosting with Dreamhost and I love them. Been with them for years. And I use Wordpress, which they have as one of their free software installs. A couple clicks and Wordpress is installed on your Dreamhost in case you don't know how to manually install it.

[mikepetrucci]

I was a longtime (and sort of still am) a Blogger person. Well, the very first platform I used was Xanga. Then I started Blogger shortly after that. And have stuck with it because it was free and it was all I really needed.

But, with the Diggnation/Squarespace contest I found out I actually really like Squarespace! I'm still a little weird about paying to blog but that is only because I don't feel like I have any real writing abilities. But I think I'll stick with SS even after the contest ends.

Oh, sign up here: http://www.squarespace.com/[referral link removed]

And check out my site here: http://mikepetrucci.squarespace.com/

[spades]

I use Tumblr and love it, though I don't use it so much for blogging as a replacement for delicious. I think you'll be happy with blogger.

[ariastar]

For blogging, I just use LiveJournal, though will end up leaving that soon. Their lack of willingness to enforce their own TOS is bull shit. People have been harassing me horribly there and posting my personal contact information, encouraging others to harass me, yet LJ's abuse team sees nothing wrong with it. I will leave LJ when I can figure out what other service I want to use.

[andrewacomb]

I tried Blogger and didn't like the limitations on customization. I used Typepad for awhile but quickly out grew that. Again customization was an issue. I then moved to Wordpress. I was using their hosting services, but again just like some of the others, they limit how much you can do when it comes to customization. They don't allow scripting in the widgets for the sidebars. This for me is a huge limitation. I can understand why for security reasons, but a lot of the widgets nowadays use Java at a minimum. I myself like using PHP for the widgets I make.

i ended up with using Wordpress on a self hosted account. I think hosting your own site is the only way to go. Plus there are so many resources out there to help you get started and maintain your site. There are also some great Wordpress podcasts to help keep you up to date with the newest plugins, versions, and security issues.

I also have a Tumblr site. I use it for uploading photos from my iPhone via email. The way Tumblr is set up makes it so easy to configure and customize. Most of the "themes" I've seen I didn't care for. I took a Wordpress theme and converted it over to work with Tumblr. Here's my blog post about it:
Tumblr Theme Notepad Chaos Blog Post

Since Tumblr doesn't have a comment system, I installed Disqus. This commenting system was extremely easy to install. They walk you right through it. They have tutorials on how to set it up with other blogging systems like Wordpress. I've tried the other comment systems like Intense Debate, but I really liked how Disqus does things. Just like most others, you can use Disqus with multiple blogs and sites and have all the comments you make and anyone else makes on your sites in one place. Here's my profile so you can see how the comments i make are stored:
Andrew's Disqus Profile

Most of the bloggers I've met on the internets have been more than helpful when I have questions about anything related to Wordpress or blogging in general. I'm always willing to help too. Just send me an email: andrewacomb[at]gmail.com