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Best Free Blog Software?


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So I am sure this topic has been beaten to death in this section, but I wanted to get the latest opinions out there, so pretty simple, what is the Best Free Blogging Software available these days?

I basically would like 4 main features...

  1. Ability To Customize
  2. Admin Interface
  3. Allow People To Comment On Posts
  4. The Ability to embed media (youtube, etc.)

Way back when I used to design websites, but that was a long time ago now, before CSS, Java, AJAX, and all of that stuff took the forefront. With that said, I am not totally lost with using these things, I am just not 100% capable either.

Basically the reason I am wondering this, is I have had a Domain name for awhile now I wanted to use. I already have the hosting, etc. etc., and I finally am motivated to start up a Blog.

So I know about Word Press, it is still a viable option for sure, but just wondering if there is anything better out there these days, the simpler the better, as this is not something I plan on doing all that often, just here and there, and I am more about clean and minimlastic design. I really want to the ability to customize it just to add my own logo, change the color scheme, perhaps play with layout, etc.

I do not need an option that also supports forums, etc. Just a simple old fashioned blog that allows people to also comment.

TIA,

DL

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Okay cool thanks all. (Y)

As I said, I was pretty sure WordPress was probably still the preferred one, but wanted to make sure I was not missing out on something new and fantastic that was out there. :blush:

Downloading it now. :yes:

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The features you ask for pretty much describe about 95% of all blogging systems available. The problem is though - just about everything uses CSS these days, gone are the days when sites were designed using tables for layouts. To make the site your own and develop a custom theme for it, you're gonna be spending a lot of time working on CSS.

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The features you ask for pretty much describe about 95% of all blogging systems available. The problem is though - just about everything uses CSS these days, gone are the days when sites were designed using tables for layouts. To make the site your own and develop a custom theme for it, you're gonna be spending a lot of time working on CSS.

I know CSS, and I actually have played with Word Press before so I know it's CSS as well, so I am not worried there. I just by no means try to say I am an expert at it, but I do know it and am familiar/comfortable with it.

When I said before CSS, I meant before it was used to control entire aspects of sites, but I definitely used to incorporate it into sites I designed, almost primarily for styles, but I know and am familiar with it, and can edit it, etc. Thanks for your concern though and mentioning it, but I am fairly confident I will have no issues with it, and if somehow I do not know something, I can always do some research and learn it. I basically stopped designing websites as my career took a different path, not because I was lost or anything like that. But I by no means would say I am an expert these days, not even close. Hence why I say I am not that familiar with what is being done nowadays, as that is the truth.

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Wordpress. I am not happy about it, but Wordpress.

http://webdesign.about.com/od/weblogs/tp/aatp_weblogs.htm

http://asymptomatic.net/blogbreakdown.htm *** very updated, but useful information to use when you do an updated comparison

http://blog-software-review.toptenreviews.com/

Two other good considerations:

http://www.movabletype.org/ *a good alternative to Word Press

http://www.squarespace.com/ *if you don't want to code and, or find a host. It's kind of neat, but expensive for what you get.

http://www.dasblog.info/ *.net

http://telligent.com/ *cool ideal, but the company is a ripoff and the product is insanely priced. Enterprise blogging. A joke, avoid.

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WordPress, Expression Engine and Squarespace.

The first two being self-hosted options and the last being hosted. Essentially Squarespace is like WordPress.com. it with more control over details (wp.com being free with paid features.)

Still would say WordPress is the best with a decent learning curve. Themes will work around WordPress functions and of course if you know HTML/CSS well then you'll have no problem working with themes.

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Thanks again everyone. I have gone with Wordpress. I was setting it up on my own, i.e setting up folders with permissions etc, then realized my hosting company Media Temple had a 1 Click Install, so really could not have been easier. Just currently playing around with themes seeing which one I want to stick with and just poking around the admin. Really is pretty robust for what it does, and also pretty damn simple. I am in no huge rush so may be a few weeks before I officially get this idea off the ground. But thanks again. (Y)

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