Testing New Waters
Tuesday, August 22nd, 2006 at 1:30 amOver the next few weeks I’ll be testing out WordPress to see if moving the blog completely onto my own site is correct for my needs. Blogger has been a great start, but they are missing some features that I would like to incorporate such as categorizing posts since there are over 200 on here now; however, WordPress is missing some features like spell check (I’m addicted to it). The good news is that WordPress seems to have many plug-ins to deal with this. Blogger is rolling out a beta version with several new features, but those of us who publish to a server other than Blog*Spot are getting a bit of a shaft since they are trying to entice us back on their servers, which I don’t want to do as I want the blog to have a WebPen address and not a ‘http://thisismyblog.blogspot.com’ type URL.
The delay will mostly be caused by creating a template again in order for the blog to look like the rest of the site. As you can see on the test site that it installs a default template. I just learned how to code CSS files and now need to figure out PHP. It seems relatively simple in the fact that it creates a web site from different parts (if I understand it correctly), so I need to break the WebPen template into pieces. I think. Like I said, I need to do a little learnin’ before — and if — I make the move.
Why am I telling you this? Because posts may be more sporadic as I learn the in’s and out’s of WordPress.
Listening to: Paisley Park - Prince & The Revolution
August 22nd, 2006 at 9:03 am
I say you just snag your very own website…use Martha Stewart as your guide. Howard Omnimedia…blog, website, 24/7 Howard-cam, podcasts, and dare we hope, live streaming video of Howard as he works, as he performs, as he waters the lawn…
What say you??
August 22nd, 2006 at 10:36 am
I hate Blogger so much. SO MUCH. Also, I very much e-tarded; therefore, I put up with the PMS’y Blogger and deal. Ugh. Let me know how it all goes!
August 22nd, 2006 at 10:41 am
Kath: Ugh, I barely have enough time for the blog as is. Besides, I’m no where near the raging bitch that Martha is. Plus I don’t like to whip my lessers. Just destroy their reputations. :)
HDW: I will indeed let you know how it goes. I already have my own website, it’s just that Blogger is not rolling out some of the new features to those who have their own website, just those who publish to their server like you do. WordPress is all install on my site and I could immediately start using it, but I need to get my template over there, blah, blah.
August 22nd, 2006 at 12:08 pm
Your words are foreign to me.
August 22nd, 2006 at 12:21 pm
ROTFLMAO!
Okay, how’s this. WordPress is software that lives on the computer where my website lives. Therefore, I have complete control of it. Blogger is on Google’s computers and you cannot make changes except to the look of your blog.
Oh, I should translate that into German and back to English so it’s really f’ed up. :)
August 22nd, 2006 at 1:12 pm
HA HA! Good explanation, thanks!!
And nice songs over there … I have Erasure going right now.
August 22nd, 2006 at 1:24 pm
Oh, yeah. Those were playing whilst I was getting ready for work. Listening to the iPod, so it doesn’t send songs to their database. I’m poking around the WordPress files and it’s completely different from what I’m used to. I can’t even find where to tell it which template to use. I’m having to think all logically and shit. Ew!
BTW, I read the Future Teen Daughter post last night at the Monkeys show and it seemed to go over well. We’ll see how the Rodent audience likes it tonight.
August 22nd, 2006 at 1:26 pm
Oh! I just figured it out. I have to create a folder in the template folder. Easy.
August 22nd, 2006 at 1:54 pm
Holy crap! I meant to ask you how that went. I am forgetting what day it is lately. Sign of old age, baby? Or just a woman in desperate need of time sans toddler? YOU BE THE JUDGE!
August 22nd, 2006 at 2:26 pm
Wow. I feel fancy just getting a photo uploaded. Yet another reason that St. Howard is my hero.
Take your time with your techie-gobbedly-gook, sweetie. Your fans will be waiting.
August 22nd, 2006 at 3:28 pm
HDW: I think you just need some ‘alone’ time. I worship the time I get to myself.
Cliz: Ahhh, thanks. You’re a sweetheart. Hopefully, I’ll be able to compile it all together relatively quickly.
August 22nd, 2006 at 5:24 pm
I had the chance to ride with some friends to a wedding in the ‘Springs this weekend, but I opted not. I’m going to go down, listen to music, sing really loudly, and enjoy that hour alone.
It’s pathetic, really.
August 22nd, 2006 at 10:50 pm
I’m sooo considering making a move from Blogger. I’ve been limping along with it because I’m too lazy to migrate everything over to something new.
August 23rd, 2006 at 3:01 am
With php it’s not too bad, similar in many respects to HTML. Moving to WordPress is definitely a good move; I left Blogger back in January and have never looked back, although while importing previous posts was easy, I couldn’t say the same for comments and had to leave two years’ plus of them behind.
The default theme is really boring but there are literally thousands out there of varying usefulness and attractiveness. I use Hemingway because it’s not very blog-like; too many blogs are becoming samey, with a sidebar and long lists of entries. Hemingway is pushed as a minimalist theme and can be reworked easily to whatever a person’s needs are, though it doesn’t support widgets and personally I don’t feel a need for them but they’re good for beginners.
Some links you might find useful include a listing of plugins compatible with WordPress 2.0.x, here, and a Theme Browser, here.
If you need any pointers - say, you want to find a plugin for this or that - gimme a virtual holler and I’d be happy to try and help out. x
August 23rd, 2006 at 3:04 am
Btw, how’s it going with the Scissor Sisters demo album? ‘Step Aside..” is a great track and inexplicably didn’t make it onto the official release. Dunno if it ever appeared as a bonus single track or some such. x
August 23rd, 2006 at 9:52 am
HDW: Good for you!
Stolie: I hear you. Blogger is a great starter program, but it’s just not very expandable.
Andy: Thanks for all the tips! I’ll check out the links you left. My situation is that I already have a template of my own design and so need to get that into PHP. The new import tool for Blogger really does a good job with the posts and the comments. It’s the embedded video and opening a new window/tab when clicking a link are missing items for me.
As for the SS, I listened to a couple of tracks, but have been so busy with shows and preparing for shows and coordinating things that I haven’t had a chance to sit down with it yet.
August 23rd, 2006 at 5:52 pm
I don’t know nothin’ bout computers but I sure do knows about spellin’. So if you need a spell check just ask meee. And no, I don’t expect you to give me computer advice as a fair exchange. I just expect you to quit talking computer jargon when my eyes start to get that glazed look.
But does this mean you’re gonna start saying “tottally” again?!?
August 24th, 2006 at 2:21 am
Darn it, the comment import wasn’t available when I made the switch. Nice job! I wonder if there’s a way to import comments long AFTER you’ve switched to WP? My old site is still there, just inaccessible to anyone other than myself. If you ever come across a way, let me know! x