OTHER BLOG SOLUTIONS
When you purchase an independent blog solution, for example, from Movable Type or pMachine software vendors, you purchase a permanent license to install and use its software on your own Web server. The software gives you an interface with which to customize the look, feel, and behavior of your blog and also allows you to make and edit entries to the blog.
You almost always need to install and configure independent blog software before using it, a process that takes time and several different technical skills to accomplish. Even the easiest installation can go awry, and you may not have the supporting software necessary to install the blog software. After it is installed, the software is powerful but not for the technically faint of heart. In addition, the HTML coding on which most blogs are built is among the most complex Web page coding being done today.
Of course, if you buy software that needs to be installed on a Web server, you may also need to find a Web hosting company and, probably, register a domain name for your blog. I talk more about registering a domain name and choosing Web hosting.
Having a firm grasp on HTML and Cascading Style Sheets is key to really making this software work hard for you. The resulting blog is personalized entirely to you, though most of the available software comes with a selection of generic and recognizable templates from which to start.
Although you spend some dollars for an independent blog solution, the real cost is counted in terms of learning and setup time. You must have strong technical skills to take full advantage of your blog software or work with someone who can handle the configuration for you. And after you start tweaking, you may find keeping your blog up to date is a never ending process. There’s always a new plug-in to try or a new Web tool to add. Lots of blogs are created by and for technical folks, and if you’re part of that community, you may already know that an independent blog software solu¬tion is what you want to do. As you set up and configure your blog, these skills are helpful:
� A background in creating Web sites, writing HTML, designing Web graphics, and programming: Even if you don’t have all those skills at your fingertips, being familiar with how the Internet and Web publishing work and being willing to experiment are good indicators that you can make independent blog software work for you.
� Experience with other blog software, even a hosted blog solution: This isn’t to say, however, that everyone with a strong technical background needs to go with an independent blog software solution, but it is more likely that you’ll succeed in using one effectively if you do have good technical skills.
As you think about whether an independent blog software package is right for you, consider these points:
� Customization: Maybe your company has a certain graphic design style that you need to emulate as you create a blog. Many hosted blog solu¬tions let you customize templates or change color palettes, but if you want to have final control over every aspect of how your blog looks, feels, and acts, an independent blog solution is the best method.
Look for a system of templates and style sheets that allows you to change the following items:
• Colors, graphics, layout, and wording
• How to create URLs and make custom error and search result pages
You should also look for an independent blog that allows you to install plug-ins so you can expand you blog’s capabilities in the future.
� Finances: If money isn’t an issue, you’re free to choose the best software solution for the job. Since independent blog software is typically more expensive that hosted solutions, having a generous budget puts you in a better position to consider using one. A generous budget for starting a blog might be in the $500 to $1000 range to cover software and hosting costs. Your budget may also allow you to pay for a top Web designer and/or developer to install and customize that software for you.