Raining Cats and Blogs...Blog Week
Posted on Saturday, January 2, 2010
Filed under
Blogs,
Internet
It donned on me that every time I get on the internet, I spend countless hours looking for the latest and greatest technology on the market, be it phones, cameras, or anything electronic. In the course of my journeys, I thought, "Hey, I actually like to share this stuff with people I talk to...so why not actually make use of technology and share it on a larger level?"
Bottom line...I created a blog. Yes I know there are millions of blogs already focused on technology, but I hope you'll find this offers a fresh perspective to every kind of person, whether you are a tech guru or a tech moron - You are at least on the internet...so that's gotta count for something right!?
So I thought for my first post...I would blog about...ta da da da da da
Bottom line...I created a blog. Yes I know there are millions of blogs already focused on technology, but I hope you'll find this offers a fresh perspective to every kind of person, whether you are a tech guru or a tech moron - You are at least on the internet...so that's gotta count for something right!?
So I thought for my first post...I would blog about...ta da da da da da (drum roll)...
BLOGS!
In my tortuous journey to start this tech blog, I ran into all sorts of pitfalls, detours, and crushed hopes. Which one is the best for you? Which one can help you get your ideas out into the internet?
Pros - Reliable servers and management means that you do not have the hassle of hosting, security or other issues that may come from other blogs. It is appealing to the first-time blogger, as well as the advanced blogger, because it is possible to customize relatively as much or little as you want. Sign up is easy - just use your Google account, which means that on-blog advertising is also easy through Adsense and Amazon Associates. WYSIWYG editor is easy to use, and can post video, pics, and the like. Can add widgets, including 3rd party HTML, which gives a large amount of freedom for customization.
Cons - Templates included with blogger are not exactly pretty to look at, and if you do desire to customize the layout of your blog (ie change dimensions, columns, etc..) it is not necessarily for the beginner blogger. Within the editor, it can become difficult when placing images or videos due to alignment issues. May be too simple for some pro-bloggers (i.e. change CSS).
Bottom Line - Especially great for the virgin blogger because it only takes two seconds to get started. Also, if you do desire more customization, it is possible to a degree, but for more technical customization, it may be best to choose another site. Definitely reliable and secure and good at filtering out spam. It is a pretty safe blogging choice for any person.
About - Started in 2003. Reported in wikipedia as "being used by 202 million websites worldwide," it has a hefty following that would swear by its customization, plugins, and structure. Since it is open-source, there is a great degree of fliexibility for you to download it and install it on your own server.
Pros - Definitely a simple-to-use interface, essentially point,click and type. People say it is as easy as email to use. For programmers, there is A LOT of customization possible, you just have to know how to use it. Great customer support in the form of forums. Can install on a local server. Plus there is a great deal of widgets that you can use to enhance your blog. IPhone app support also makes it portable.
Cons - The #1 proven downfall of Wordpress is SECURITY. In the years 2007 and 2008 especially, hackers targeted Wordpress with limited security threats. Hence, in comparison with Google, there is less security. You will also have to provide your own hosting if you wish to earn money from your blog, so the cost is slightly more than the free Google (which can earn money as a free blog).
About - Started sometime near 2004, in truth there is not much difference from Wordpress, which means they must have used the same open-source software.
Pros - Including the pros listed for Wordpress, blog.com has a cleaner interface, and offers a variety of nice-looking templates.
About - Launched 2003, now an internationally-used blog site. Used by many prestigous companies, including ABC, NBC, and BBC. Utilizes the platform known as Movable Type, which is a different concept from what is used in Blogger and Wordpress.
Pros - Simple to set up and use. A lot of very well designed templates (over 100) make it easy to find your look. One of the strongest and most praised points of Typepad is the utilization of third-party widgets and tools. This includes Feedburner and AddThis, which are indeed important if you are going to have a decent blog. They also take care of hosting and I have heard rumors that their customer support is wonderful - they even have a Twitter account to help customers.
Cons - In one word: COST - this one is going to cost you. IF you have the money, go for it, but there is a reason why the big dogs come here. Plans listed on the Typepad website include Plus, Unlimited, and Business Class which cost $8.95, $14.95, and $89.95 a month! There are no free blogs available, but there is a free trial for 14 days.
Bottom Line - Great aesthetics, and very customizable blogs make this a powerful tool for any blogger, beginner or advanced. Combine that with integration with blog tools and you have a nearly unstoppable platform. That is until cost comes into play...
5 | LiveJournal
About - Launched 1999, LiveJournal (LJ) includes the options of blog, diary or journal. Originally started by Brad Fitzpatrick as a means of keeping in touch with friends, it has since grown immensely to include over 5 million members, especially among teenagers.
Rating: (Out of 5)
Pros - Social networking plays an important role in this platform, which is the appeal for adolescent-aged kids. "Friends List" enables simple networking with others. Simple, and easy-to-use as well as free - get started and within seconds you are blogging. Security features are also a "must" for this type of environment, and LJ does a pretty good job at providing it.
Rating: (out of 5)
Pros - Easy to use, Visually clean, and includes the ability to upload sufficiently-large amounts of media. Also, the user has the ability to control individual posts and if they are displayed to the public. In terms of customization, the headers of each blog can be customized to a significant extent (color, images, etc..)
There is no hard-set quick answer, but using the mechanical toaster rating system, I hope to point you to the right direction - so with no further delay, let's get to the TOASTING!
The following is a list of all the major blog creation sites: (in no particular order)- Blogger
- Wordpress
- Blog.com
- Typepad
- LiveJournal
- Vox
- Tumblr
Now let's break it down to the nitty gritty...
.......................................................................................................................
About - Adopted offspring of Google, bought by Google in 2003, Blogger probably ranks at the top for most used blog publishing site. Used for personal, business, and all types of interests, it appeals to a broad variety of bloggers.
Rating: (out of 5)
Rating: (out of 5)
Pros - Reliable servers and management means that you do not have the hassle of hosting, security or other issues that may come from other blogs. It is appealing to the first-time blogger, as well as the advanced blogger, because it is possible to customize relatively as much or little as you want. Sign up is easy - just use your Google account, which means that on-blog advertising is also easy through Adsense and Amazon Associates. WYSIWYG editor is easy to use, and can post video, pics, and the like. Can add widgets, including 3rd party HTML, which gives a large amount of freedom for customization.Cons - Templates included with blogger are not exactly pretty to look at, and if you do desire to customize the layout of your blog (ie change dimensions, columns, etc..) it is not necessarily for the beginner blogger. Within the editor, it can become difficult when placing images or videos due to alignment issues. May be too simple for some pro-bloggers (i.e. change CSS).
Bottom Line - Especially great for the virgin blogger because it only takes two seconds to get started. Also, if you do desire more customization, it is possible to a degree, but for more technical customization, it may be best to choose another site. Definitely reliable and secure and good at filtering out spam. It is a pretty safe blogging choice for any person.
.......................................................................................................................
2 | Wordpress
About - Started in 2003. Reported in wikipedia as "being used by 202 million websites worldwide," it has a hefty following that would swear by its customization, plugins, and structure. Since it is open-source, there is a great degree of fliexibility for you to download it and install it on your own server.Rating: (out of 5)
Pros - Definitely a simple-to-use interface, essentially point,click and type. People say it is as easy as email to use. For programmers, there is A LOT of customization possible, you just have to know how to use it. Great customer support in the form of forums. Can install on a local server. Plus there is a great deal of widgets that you can use to enhance your blog. IPhone app support also makes it portable.Bottom Line - Powerful and templates look great, but it is not completely perfect. Great for the advanced blogger, but it may not be as gentle on beginners. Requires technical skill and equipment (ie hosting). It works well for many bloggers, and security issues have been improved upon since 2008. Not too shabby overall.
.......................................................................................................................
3 | Blog.com
About - Started sometime near 2004, in truth there is not much difference from Wordpress, which means they must have used the same open-source software.Rating: (out of 5)
Pros - Including the pros listed for Wordpress, blog.com has a cleaner interface, and offers a variety of nice-looking templates.Cons - In order to really get the same features you might get with blogger, you have to pay a price. Extra storage costs $20/year, Advertisement removal costs $30/year, and Unlimited blog authors costs $35/year to upgrade.
Bottom Line - You can get better results with Wordpress or Blogger. I don't see a lot of necessity to go with this option, besides their clean interface and supposed network of reader. However, if you have a vendetta against Wordpress, blog.com mimics it in almost every way.
Bottom Line - You can get better results with Wordpress or Blogger. I don't see a lot of necessity to go with this option, besides their clean interface and supposed network of reader. However, if you have a vendetta against Wordpress, blog.com mimics it in almost every way.
.......................................................................................................................
4 | Typepad
4 | Typepad
About - Launched 2003, now an internationally-used blog site. Used by many prestigous companies, including ABC, NBC, and BBC. Utilizes the platform known as Movable Type, which is a different concept from what is used in Blogger and Wordpress. Rating: (out of 5)
Pros - Simple to set up and use. A lot of very well designed templates (over 100) make it easy to find your look. One of the strongest and most praised points of Typepad is the utilization of third-party widgets and tools. This includes Feedburner and AddThis, which are indeed important if you are going to have a decent blog. They also take care of hosting and I have heard rumors that their customer support is wonderful - they even have a Twitter account to help customers.Cons - In one word: COST - this one is going to cost you. IF you have the money, go for it, but there is a reason why the big dogs come here. Plans listed on the Typepad website include Plus, Unlimited, and Business Class which cost $8.95, $14.95, and $89.95 a month! There are no free blogs available, but there is a free trial for 14 days.
Bottom Line - Great aesthetics, and very customizable blogs make this a powerful tool for any blogger, beginner or advanced. Combine that with integration with blog tools and you have a nearly unstoppable platform. That is until cost comes into play...
.......................................................................................................................
5 | LiveJournal About - Launched 1999, LiveJournal (LJ) includes the options of blog, diary or journal. Originally started by Brad Fitzpatrick as a means of keeping in touch with friends, it has since grown immensely to include over 5 million members, especially among teenagers.
Rating: (Out of 5)
Pros - Social networking plays an important role in this platform, which is the appeal for adolescent-aged kids. "Friends List" enables simple networking with others. Simple, and easy-to-use as well as free - get started and within seconds you are blogging. Security features are also a "must" for this type of environment, and LJ does a pretty good job at providing it.Cons - Not many options in terms of aesthetics, it is not much different than a journal or diary. Not intended for advertising, it becomes a challenge to use this platform as a PR tool. Turnover rate is significant, so you may have a community, but it may all disappear overnight. Also, managmenet issues may be a damper in the near future due to the switchover of the company.
Bottom Line - Great for personal use. Bad for promotional use. LJ has great networking features and may be a goof fit for you if you are looking to connect with friends and share journals with each other. It could very well make a difference in finding out if he likes her who like this guy who likes that girl who likes etc..
.......................................................................................................................
About - Launched in 2006, established as a Social Networking - Blog hybrid relying upon the Catalys MVC Framework.
Rating: (out of 5)
Pros - Easy to use, Visually clean, and includes the ability to upload sufficiently-large amounts of media. Also, the user has the ability to control individual posts and if they are displayed to the public. In terms of customization, the headers of each blog can be customized to a significant extent (color, images, etc..)Cons - May be too simple for more advanced blogger, in terms of customization. Although there are a number of templates to choose from, you may feel restricted by the lack of user settings. Almost more of a microblog service, true bloggers will be disappointed.
Bottom Line - In conclusion, this is a good service, it will definitely get the job done. With an emphasis on media and web 2.0, it may appeal to certain types of bloggers. Also, being free, it becomes available to anyone. There are certain limitation in terms of how much you can customize, but overall, the pre-designed templates are not too bad.
Bottom Line - In conclusion, this is a good service, it will definitely get the job done. With an emphasis on media and web 2.0, it may appeal to certain types of bloggers. Also, being free, it becomes available to anyone. There are certain limitation in terms of how much you can customize, but overall, the pre-designed templates are not too bad.
.......................................................................................................................
Bottom Line: This is one of those cases where Tumblr can either get a really low or really high rating depending on what you are looking for. In terms of blogging, it suffers because it is more of a microblogging - twitter type service, so you may not see the features included with Wordpress, Typepad, and Blogger. But if you are looking for a quick way to share ideas, images, and videos in a simple way, then this may be a good fit for you.
About - Launched in 2007, Tumblr is now home to more than one million tumblelogs. Several celebrities make use of Tumblr, including Katy Perry and John Legend (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tumblr)
Rating: (out of 5)
Pros - One of the most simple of all blogging platforms, it leans more toward microblogging. With abilities to upload all types of media, and being free, it is an accesible platform. Friendly to search engines because of its xml layout, it can help score points with SEO. Photosets are a pretty way of presenting photos. Also, includes integration with twitter, so that you can simultaneously update both.
Pros - One of the most simple of all blogging platforms, it leans more toward microblogging. With abilities to upload all types of media, and being free, it is an accesible platform. Friendly to search engines because of its xml layout, it can help score points with SEO. Photosets are a pretty way of presenting photos. Also, includes integration with twitter, so that you can simultaneously update both.Cons - The biggest fallout for Tumblr, and to which many users attest to, is its lack of user control. Being very restrictive, Tumblr does not allow users to change much more on their page than the text they just wrote. There are templates and widgets to use, but it becomes diffcult when using third party applications and templates.
Bottom Line: This is one of those cases where Tumblr can either get a really low or really high rating depending on what you are looking for. In terms of blogging, it suffers because it is more of a microblogging - twitter type service, so you may not see the features included with Wordpress, Typepad, and Blogger. But if you are looking for a quick way to share ideas, images, and videos in a simple way, then this may be a good fit for you.
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Well, that's all folks for the main blogging services you can find in the wild wild web. The bottom line of all of this information is that you will have to adapt your own needs and wishes to what these platforms carry.
In the mean time, I am going to spend a few hours and check out some newly-found blogs that I have come across.
Consider this topic toasted!
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