posted on Thursday, July 05, 2007 5:08 PM by srs

Choosing a new blogging service

So, I've realized that I should maybe set up on a new blog site sooner rather than later, since I don't know if I'll always have access to this blog, and I might as well set up a new blog not connected to MIT.

So my question for you bloggers and blog-readers:  what service should I use?  I'm not looking to have to pay for posting; I just want a personal blog.

I've used livejournal in the past, but I feel like that's not very popular anymore, and there might be better sites out there.  I guess there's Blogger.com, which seems to be the same thing as blogspot.  And since I already have a gmail account, I'm already kind of signed up for a blog there?

It also looks like lots of people have advertisements on their sites.  I think I would prefer not to have them, though many people are making money by doing so...not sure how I feel about that.

Anyway, any input on a blogging site to use, please let me know!

Thanks!


[Edit:  I also came across WordPress.  Any input on that one?]

Comments

# re: Choosing a new blogging service

Sunday, July 08, 2007 5:25 PM by Matt
If you have very limited knowledge of running a website, I would choose blogger. Blogger is very simple to use and has many built in features.

However, if you want to be able to have more control over your blog and be able to customize it WordPress is the better choice.

If you set up a free blog on wordpress your customization options are limited. Many people buy hosting space and add the wordpress software to their host. Then you can blog and really customize the interface.

# re: Choosing a new blogging service

Thursday, July 12, 2007 4:01 PM by Alan
I was thinking of doing the same thing a while back and just came across VOX.com. I haven't tested it out myself yet so I'm not sure what kinda features it has or lacks. But from the samples, it seems like a better ver. of blogger.
Hope that helps.

# What should I name my new blog?

Thursday, July 19, 2007 7:52 PM by Stephanie's Blog
So, thanks to comments on a previous post, as well as a gchat conversation with MapGirl I'm getting closer...

# re: Choosing a new blogging service

Thursday, July 26, 2007 5:35 PM by Karl M
Why choose a service when you can host your own? Either with a hosting account with 1-click installs or downloading and configuring your own. It gives you much more control over services like Blogger.

# re: Choosing a new blogging service

Monday, July 30, 2007 4:05 PM by Stephanie
Karl,

Are you hinting that I should use the service you linked to?

I don't think I'll be making a business out of blogging, so it doesn't seem necessary to have so much control over my blog, as long as I can post and edit articles.

I discuss my thinking further at another post, http://blogs.mit.edu/CS/blogs/srs/archive/2007/07/19/65136.aspx

-Stephanie