Setting Up a Blog: Software Options & Reviews

[Crumbles]

I am trying to set up a blog. I was just wondering if anyone had any experience of the different software available out there, like 'Simple PHP Blog', 'Blogsphere' etc.

I want to be able to host the blog myself so I am not keen on Blogger and the other free hosted blogging tools out there. I am after a user hosted one that would have the same level of functionality as blogger. Thanks!

 

[Crumbles]

blogger ftp

I found http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?answer=121" on Blogger. Does anyone use the ftp function on Blogger?

Does it give you full control of the page on your site where it posts the blog or is it just like it would have been like posting in Blogger itself. The reason I ask is I want full control of my blogs in terms of ads.

 

[ComputerGeek]

you could use a CMS like Drupal.

 

[imabug]

I use MovableType, which is very flexible and customizable. The templating system uses a combination of it's own template commands and Smarty, so the look and functionality of your blog can be customized fairly easily. CSS is used extensively to control appearance.

If you're familiar with navigating around *nix with a shell and installing Perl modules, installation will be largely trivial. Can also be installed under Windows, but from what I've seen installation there is a little more effort. Most complaints about installing MT that I've seen come from people who've never stepped foot inside a command shell and have no idea about how *nix works.

Wordpress is another alternative (PHP based), which I've heard is an easier installation. I've never used it though.

 

[Crumbles]

Thanks!

you could use a CMS like Drupal.

Are you familiar with Drupal? I got round to trying it but it doesn't seem to be able to do what I want.

I am trying to set up a site with three different blogs but I do not want to allow users to have their own blogs on the site.

I am looking into tools like b2evolution and nucleus but they don't seem to be as customisable as Drupal. Do you have any suggestions?