Wordpress and Typepad and Blogger, Oh My!

KellyC · Jul 25, 2006

Problogger just started a group writing project to discuss what we'd do differently if we could start our blog all over again. The timing of this project is perfect for me, as I'm in the midst of a redesign.

Please consider visiting my post for this project and sharing your thoughts. I link to the problogger post there as well, so you can join in on the project.

I would love your advice - please leave your suggestions in the comments. I also encourage you to join the project at the problogger site and write your own post. If you make a suggestion for my site, I'll link to you. I'm looking for suggestions for the Pass the Torch redesign, as well as overall "I wish I'd known" thoughts.

Although my redesign is for blogger, I'm seriously considering a switch, as blogger's been a pain lately and I really don't know why. I'd love some real life information about your experiences with Wordpress and Typepad, etc.

Thanks!

TemlynWriting · Jul 25, 2006

I've actually been considering moving my blog to Wordpress for quite a while, and am hopefully going to be doing it soon. I've heard it's wonderful, and I just like a lot of the options that Wordpress has, and this way I can just add my blog as a section on my website.

FatTire · Jul 25, 2006

I'm still pretty new to blogging. I know of Wordpress and Blooger, but have never heard of Tyepad. As I've mentioned, I am trying to find a blog program that I can have as part of my domain Mr. Scherr Dot Com. My web host, Go Daddy, offers Serendipity, but I really don't like the interface all that much.

What I am looking for is an easy to use program that is very, very child friendly. I'd also like to be able to create usernames and passwords for each of my student bloggers. Any ideas?

Deleted member 42 · Jul 25, 2006

FatTire said:
What I am looking for is an easy to use program that is very, very child friendly. I'd also like to be able to create usernames and passwords for each of my student bloggers. Any ideas?

Is this in the context of a school? I ask because then you have to worry about federal privacy laws. How old are the students?

Blogger will work with a domain; you simply create a directory on your server for the files/web pages, and a sub directory for the archives, and fill in the URL/path for both in Blogger.

Typepad will also work with a domain, though it works a bit differently; you essentially create the whole site with Typepad. You can do much the same thing with LiveJournal.

MovableType must be locally installed on your server.

It sounds to me like you really need MovableType or Word Press, or one of the other install-on-your server blogging systems.

What do you want the students to be able to do?

Marilyn Braun · Jul 25, 2006

I use blogger and wordpress. I have to say that I still prefer blogger, although wordpress does have some nice features that I wish blogger would implement - such as being able to categorize posts. I just find Blogger to be more userfriendly, in terms of adding images and videos. I tried to add an image with wordpress and I didn't find it as straightforward.

When I first tried wordpress, it gives the option to import your posts from Blogger, so I did that and it took half of the posts, along with the template I'd made customizations to. I wasn't particularly pleased about that but I got my template back and all was fine by the end of the day. To the credit of wordpress, I did get a personalized response on this issue instead of the generic "check our FAQ's" from Blogger.

I think I tried to sign up for typepad and I found that you have to pay for the service - they give you a trial period and if you want to keep your blog you have to pay a monthly fee. This turned me off because, although I wanted to try typepad, I don't want the work I've put into my blog to be held hostage should I decide not to use typepad any longer.

FatTire · Jul 25, 2006

Medievalist said:
Is this in the context of a school? I ask because then you have to worry about federal privacy laws. How old are the students?

Blogger will work with a domain; you simply create a directory on your server for the files/web pages, and a sub directory for the archives, and fill in the URL/path for both in Blogger.

Typepad will also work with a domain, though it works a bit differently; you essentially create the whole site with Typepad. You can do much the same thing with LiveJournal.

MovableType must be locally installed on your server.

It sounds to me like you really need MovableType or Word Press, or one of the other install-on-your server blogging systems.

What do you want the students to be able to do?

My students will be using a blog program to write instead of a paper/pencil journal.

Deleted member 42 · Jul 25, 2006

FatTire said:
My students will be using a blog program to write instead of a paper/pencil journal.

I've done that a fair amount. If you can't get the school to set up a blogging system on a school server, than I would suggest you do the following:

1. Get a paid account on Livejournal (http://www.livejournal.com). It's 20.00 / a year. You want a paid account.

2. After you create your own LJ, create another LJ as a community. See

http://www.livejournal.com/support/faqbrowse.bml?faqid=77
http://www.livejournal.com/support/faqbrowse.bml?faqid=78

Each of your students will need to create their own free LiveJournal Account.
They will then need to become Members of the community you created.

You will need to decide whether they post their assigned journals to the Community journal, where all members of the Community can read it, or to their own, where they can control who reads their journal.

http://www.livejournal.com/support/faqbrowse.bml?faqid=76

LiveJournal is a good choice because it's easy to use, and you have very good control over who can read the journals.

http://www.livejournal.com/support/faqbrowse.bml?faqid=24

You need to be aware, if this is done via a school, that there are FERPA regualations about student privacy.

http://www.ed.gov/offices/OII/fpco/ferpa/

FatTire · Jul 25, 2006

Thanks Med

I will look into LiveJournal. As for the privacy, we plan on sending home a release form and having the students use only their first name. If a parent says no, then that student will be required to keep a tradition journal.

I plan on making it know that the use of an online blog that is password protected, will have many benefits to the learners. One such benefit is that it allows for instant feedback in the form of spelling mistakes. I could go on all day, but I'm going to go bowl now.

Thanks again.

Deleted member 42 · Jul 25, 2006

FatTire said:
Thanks Med

I will look into LiveJournal. As for the privacy, we plan on sending home a release form and having the students use only their first name. If a parent says no, then that student will be required to keep a tradition journal.

I plan on making it know that the use of an online blog that is password protected, will have many benefits to the learners. One such benefit is that it allows for instant feedback in the form of spelling mistakes. I could go on all day, but I'm going to go bowl now.

Thanks again.

Then definitely do check out LiveJournal.

KellyC · Jul 25, 2006

Thank you all for chiming in on this subject. I really appreciate your advice! Please keep it coming!

razibahmed · Jul 26, 2006

Marilyn Braun said:
I use blogger and wordpress. I have to say that I still prefer blogger, although wordpress does have some nice features that I wish blogger would implement - such as being able to categorize posts. I just find Blogger to be more userfriendly, in terms of adding images and videos. I tried to add an image with wordpress and I didn't find it as straightforward.

When I first tried wordpress, it gives the option to import your posts from Blogger, so I did that and it took half of the posts, along with the template I'd made customizations to. I wasn't particularly pleased about that but I got my template back and all was fine by the end of the day. To the credit of wordpress, I did get a personalized response on this issue instead of the generic "check our FAQ's" from Blogger.

I think I tried to sign up for typepad and I found that you have to pay for the service - they give you a trial period and if you want to keep your blog you have to pay a monthly fee. This turned me off because, although I wanted to try typepad, I don't want the work I've put into my blog to be held hostage should I decide not to use typepad any longer.

I agree with you. Blogger is the best free blogging software. What I like is that in Blogger you can easily put Google Adsense and earn some money.

KellyC · Jul 26, 2006

Could someone tell me how much it does cost with each of the blogging types? I really want some nitty gritty details. Sounds like everyone has their favorites and I've received some comments on my related post. I think you all have great experience and advice - I'd love you to add it to my comments or join the group writing project and post something yourselves.

I'll link to you if you do!

Marilyn Braun · Jul 26, 2006

KellyC said:
Could someone tell me how much it does cost with each of the blogging types?

Wordpress: http://wordpress.com/about/

Blogger is free. Another reason why I like blogger is you can customize and play with your template, which is something you can't really do with Wordpress, at least last time I checked.

Typepad info: http://www.sixapart.com/typepad/pricing

These are the only ones I've looked into and tried to use.

KellyC · Jul 26, 2006

Thank you Marilyn - that helps a lot. It doesn't seem like there is a clear favorite, which makes it hard to choose. I like the simplicity of blogger, but I wish I could make categories and I wish it were easier to reply to my commenters - like with wordpress and typepad. Maybe there's a way with blogger and I just haven't figured it out.

Marilyn Braun · Jul 26, 2006

KellyC said:
Thank you Marilyn - that helps a lot. It doesn't seem like there is a clear favorite, which makes it hard to choose. I like the simplicity of blogger, but I wish I could make categories and I wish it were easier to reply to my commenters - like with wordpress and typepad. Maybe there's a way with blogger and I just haven't figured it out.

With me, I started out with Blogger and I'm happy with it. I don't mind Wordpress, for the reasons I've previously stated. The thing is, because it's free, you can always try the various programs and see what you think, without making too much of a committment.

I'm not sure whether maybe there's some code out there that can be put in the Blogger template to allow categories to generate. I'm not a techie by any stretch of the imagination but maybe someone has discussed this in the techie and template thread. Otherwise I think Blogger is almost perfect for me.

Wordpress and Typepad and Blogger, Oh My!

KellyC

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KellyC

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razibahmed

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KellyC

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