Blogging talk

[JaneH]

I used to use LiveWriter all the time for my blogging, but it's now nigh impossible to get it to work with Blogger and I hate the Blogger editor. I've just very nearly given up blogging because it's such a hassle to get it to "publish". Especially if I want to include pictures of my layouts, cards, etc.

Has anyone used any other (free) blog platforms for their craft blogs? I've heard of some such as blog.com, tumblr.com, etc.? I'd like to know if they're any easier to use.

[MaryAnne]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Wordpress. One BIG advantage is the amount of free storage you get - I think I've been bloggin for 3 or 4 years and I have used only a fraction of my allowance for free photo space - and if you have ever visited my blog you know I post a ton of photos, often. The down side is you can only use their Themes so none of the "pretty" blogger templates for backgrounds work - although again, if you have seen mine you know for a lot of them you can create your own custom header. I use a theme called Yoko and with that you can even set a header for a specific post! So I have three custom ones I use for WOYWW, for Gelli Art stuff and for the Stampotique Designer's challenge. For posts on those topics, the normal header appears if you are just on the Home Page, but if you look at the specific post the custom header is what you see.

I love the editor, and you can use a visual one or a native HTML one, as you prefer.

They have a crackin' SPAM filer and none of that Word Verification rubbish. You can set it so you have to approve comments - and to be honest I don't get that completely, because some comment appear automatically and some I end up having to approve, but I can't seem to identify why the ones need approving (maybe if they contain a link?) and the correctness of the SPAM filter is good - in al that time I have only had a small handful of comments that are either SPAM, and it doesn't think it is or NOT SPam and it thinks it IS. Under 20 I think for both together.

The options for Themes is huge, so you can filter the free themes by number of colums, wether it is fixed or flexible width, they have the option to enable a MOBILE theme for phones/iPads, custom backgrounds or headers, and they have a huge number of what they call WIDGETS you can add in your sidebar, footer, etc.

I know one person who tried it and hated it, but 3 or 4 who moved from Blogger (and you can import blogs from other platforms) so it is bound to be a personal thing. Might be worth creating one that is hidden to see how you get on with it and if you like it, take the plunge or delete it if you hate it. Happy to help if I can.

[JaneH]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Wordpress. One BIG advantage is the amount of free storage you get - I think I've been bloggin for 3 or 4 years and I have used only a fraction of my allowance for free photo space.....

Thanks Mary Anne. I used WordPress some years ago. I may try it again. Do you use the free version?

[Dan99]

I'm with Blogger but if I was starting again I would go with Wordpress too, it allows much more control over the end result (though maybe with a higher learning curve?). The design team I'm on has just switched to Wordpress from Blogger in the last couple of weeks and it hasn't been without problems, but that could just be down to having to learn a new system.

[MiniOwner]

I use LiveWriter and Blogger with no problem. I tried Wordpress for a little while but went back to Blogger. It is irritating though that you can't compose a page on Livewriter but I find it OK for posts.

[soojay]

I suppose I am lucky - I have four blogs and they are all on blogger and I have never had any problems in the last 10 yrs.

[MaryAnne]

I do use the free version - DH and I talked about self-hosting but he's so busy that I hate to then have to demand "tech support" from him as it would be on one of his servers

[JaneH]

I just read about a new blogging platform called ghost. It looks promising though won't be available for a few months. Blogger is easier to use for me, than WordPress, but only WHEN it works at all. I have so much trouble with actually getting it to publish, especially when I have photos. And I do make the photos small with Photoshop Elements using "save for web".

One thing I dislike about all blogs is that I might find a name I like only to find out it's already taken, although it hasn't been used in about TEN YEARS! There ought to be a limit on how long a blog can be left abandoned.

[MiniOwner]

It's funny how Blogger behaves differently on different computers. I don't have any problem with photos and I never resize them.

Keep us posted about Ghost, Jane.

[linda321]

It's funny how Blogger behaves differently on different computers. I don't have any problem with photos and I never resize them.

Keep us posted about Ghost, Jane.

Me too. I occasionally have a problem with it running out of time when publishing but I try again and it works second time without a problem.

[MaryAnne]

With you on the name thing Jane - lots and lots of dead blogs out there. You could email the platform and ask - it's possible that they would email the owner and warn them they will delete the blog if they aren't using it. I would say only if it's a name you ADORE and would 100% use if they make it available to you.

I LOVE how Wordpress does photos. It's so easy. With Blogger, if I understand, if you add a huge photo, you can DISPLAY it smaller, then if people click the photo it will show it at the bigger size BUT the larger size one goes against your storage limit, over which you have to pay. And the storage isn't huge, or so I've been told.