The latest trend in marking your foot prints online is to Blog. For indivivuals without any business online or an exciting profession that allows regular updates of a website, Blogging has become a great way to maintain an online presense.
So what is the best Free Online Blogging portal?
I use MSN Spaces where I maintain My Blog.
What I like about MSN Spaces include:
Easy Setup
MSN Messenger Contacts can easily see when I have updated the Blog.
There is a Photo Album.
I can see how many visits I have got and which URLs they came from.
I really can't say the cons cos i have not used any other Blogging portal.
So what is better and why?
I seem to be so indecisive to the point that I drift between three particular ones. The first one is Blogger, the second LiveJournal, and the third Wordpress.
Blogger was the first free blog I acquired for myself. My friend was on there, so I figured that perhaps joining it would not be a bad idea. And I was right - what I like about Blogger is that it's simple and customiseable, and has most of the bells and whistles that one would normally find with other free services. The themes are delightfully easy on the eyes, and you can even code your own.
LiveJournal is something I've been using for a long time. I have for myself a Basic Account because I'm minimalistic and cheap 
but it's good. You get six userpics (100 x 100 images that appear alongside all your posts), you can add people to your friend lists, and even join communities. What I really like about LiveJournal is that it offers everything that you seem to need, and yet when you go to try and find something you DON'T need, it's not there. Aaand, I'm not quite making sense, am I?
Wordpress is, by far, my favourite of the three. It's uber-customiseable, and if you manage it on your own server, then it's all the better. Let me try and explain this a little more. I've found that with Blogger and LiveJournal, I seem to write for my own peers, and I'm constrained to updating things onsite. Whereas with Wordpress, if you do it all on your own, then it's more of a diligent and personal portal of self-expression than the others, which is what a blog is.
I had an MSN space once - I didn't like it too much. But that's just me. 
For a remotely-hosted blog, I prefer WordPress.com (mainly because it's powered by the WordPress blogging software)
However, my blog is hosted on my FriHost web hosting space, using the WordPress blogging software. WordPress is absolutely magnificent, it has all the featured you'd want from a blogging system, and is quite extendable using plugins. Personally, I prefer blogger. It's simple to use and easy to personalise.
I also prefer blogger, it's really easy and I've never had any probs with it.
So far 'Blogger' seems the favourite. WordPress sounds very interesting. I think I will check both out. It would have been nice if you guys had included links to your own blogs in the posts so I could have checked out what they look like in these portals. But I guess there must be a reason why you didn't....
If possible do give me some links to a couple of good examples of blogs in these sites.
Thanks.
Also I notice no one is talking about Blogspot. I have a friend who moved there from MSN Spaces....
| jipmerite wrote: |
| Also I notice no one is talking about Blogspot. I have a friend who moved there from MSN Spaces.... |
Blogspot and Blogger are one and the same.
Here's a link to my blog, which runs on Blogger.i think blogger is the best one if you want to get a nice serp. blogger is easily crawled and indexed by google than any other free blog site. furthe more with blogger you can register for an adsense account to get some money from your blog. 
| godam64 wrote: |
| i think blogger is the best one if you want to get a nice serp. blogger is easily crawled and indexed by google than any other free blog site. furthe more with blogger you can register for an adsense account to get some money from your blog. |
Bingo.!
These 2 are most important points..
especially the crawling thingy,
your blog gets noticed very fast and anything you update is almost updated at once.
Blogger all the way for me.myspace blogging.. 
I prefer blogger because it is easy and simple
Msn myspace is very good too
Go for wordpress if you want to run it yourself, but go for blogger if you don't.
I've been using blogger since 2002.
msn spaces is verygood ....
blogger is very simple ...
but the most used blog is SKYBLOG in france ... I don't like it because I don't like the radio SKYROCK ... but it is a very simple blog : http://www.skyblog.com
it exists also DotClear that permit to create a blog ... i don't know very well ... Frihost + BlogScript (WordPress ect...) are a good bet. No Ads, No nothing unlike many services out there plus you have more control.
The opera community blogs may not be the most skinnable, but they are ad free and have quite a good amount of space.
LiveJournal will give you around the same space also(1 Gig), but with ads.
DeadJournal is similar to LiveJournal but accepts nearly any blog that nobody else would dare host.
I cannot say about any other service since I've never used them.
If I make my own Blog on Frihost, say with WordPress, would it also be google crawled like Blogger? Or will it be crawled less?
Also, are there any other good Free blog software like WordPress?
Pls give me some links of of Blogs made with WordPress....I'd like to compare the features of WordPress and Blogger...
Right now I am inclined towards Blogger 
| jipmerite wrote: |
If I make my own Blog on Frihost, say with WordPress, would it also be google crawled like Blogger? Or will it be crawled less?
Also, are there any other good Free blog software like WordPress?
Pls give me some links of of Blogs made with WordPress....I'd like to compare the features of WordPress and Blogger...
Right now I am inclined towards Blogger |
I think they'd be crawled in the same way, but due to the fact that blogspot is more popular then frihost (as well as the fact that google actually own it), blogspot would probably appear higher in the rankings.If you have it in Blogger or in Frihost, it won't make a significant difference on how many people visit your site. 
I'd recommend hosting it on Frihost because then you have more control over your blog. | Quote: |
| It would have been nice if you guys had included links to your own blogs in the posts |
Yeah, sorry, my blog is at http://www.daniel15.aus.cc/blog/ (powered by WordPress). If you want a demo of WordPress (including the control panel), please see http://examples.dansoftaustralia.net/wordpress/ (the username and password is 'admin').
| Quote: |
| If I make my own Blog on Frihost, say with WordPress, would it also be google crawled like Blogger? Or will it be crawled less? |
It should be crawled the same. Google seems to love WordPress-powered sites, as out of my whole website, my blog has the highest PageRank.
| Quote: |
| Also, are there any other good Free blog software like WordPress? |
Sure, have a look at http://www.opensourcecms.com/ (click on 'Blogs' on the left menu)
| Quote: |
| Right now I am inclined towards Blogger |
Just be sure to check out all the plugins available for WordPress Excellent post Daniel..thanks a million.
Yeah, i've tried quite a few blogging systems in my time, and I have been extremely impressed with the simplicity yet functionallity of wordpress.
Blogger is good, but I use Myspace just to maintain a profile and a blog. I write some poetry that's pretty much all religious.
I've used Blogger for many years now, and I host it on my on web space. It has been very reliable, 100% customizable, but later on, when I tried applying PHP skins, blogger couldn't follow.
That's the reason why I am now migrating to Wordpress. I've heard a lot of great things about it, and now I am in the process of building my site using it.
This should be fun. If all you're looking for is a place for your words and maybe some images to accompany them, Blogger & WordPress are good. If you don't need a photo album or anything like that.
Yeh I have been using Blogger, it's simple to use and it does the basics fine.
Since your on frihost, get yourself a free account and install a wordpress blog.
The thing about wordpress is many review or blogging help sites make it out to be a difficult system to use. The only difficult thing about it, compared to, say blogger, is that you have to set up the blog engine yourself.
This is hardly difficult. If you have your own webspace, you can do it in 5 minutes with all the hundreds of tutorials available on the internet.
After that, it runs just like the blogger engine, but off your own webspace, and has tons more features available.
Nicer templates too...
I have used googles blog service for a while and ti has worked great. www.blogspot.com or www.blogger.com is the address. It has bee sufficient in my use.
It is easy to use, quick posting and works always. never get blogger it really worst i have its hard to make trendy or any other stuff there make offen spam banned of own post wheich we make there use to lock the web site it mean we will not able to post
As far as free services are considered, wordpress rulez, due to it's extreme customizability. As far as hosting one's are considered, I prefer some cms like serependity, wordpress is a good chioce too.
wordpress is the best out there, i found a lot of good reviews for it, i believe they have a similar system like blogger at wordpress.com but if you want to install in on a server wordpress.org.. very flexible and easy to use.
I've been using it for about six months, and i switched to textpatter but didnt like it. i tried other but none match up to wordpress.
same here wordpress i recommended,but dotclear,movable type are a good scripts to blogging
I pretty much only use MySpace because that's what all my friends use and it's an easy way to stay in touch with them. However, my favorite online profile/journal/blogging thing is on the RedvsBlue Forums. Great place, funny stuff, if you haven't been there, check it out. well i used to have blogger.com i hosted my blogs there, but i no longer use it!
Xanga.com is the best!
Next i like livejournal.com ...................
Myspace is also good ................ I dont blog these days ............. got bored of it!!!
Have a nice day
whplace
i'm trying to set up a wordpress site now.
WHat is like about MSN Spaces is that my MSN Messenger contacts will know when I have updated.
What I hate about is the almost complete lack of customizability. They are talking of releasing MSN Live Spaces soon. Hope it is better than now.
| kazikame wrote: |
| Personally, I prefer blogger. It's simple to use and easy to personalise. |
i am agree with you coz i also use the blogger tooblogger is better.. is more easy to use and simple...
when you go for free blog of any product there wont provide you ftp so that you wont able to add new themes or any toher plugin which you need you can have log from fri host by getting free hosting why you need to hard yourr time have free hosted blog
not sure if this was made totally clear in the above posts, but blogger allows you to host your blog, so that pages are put on your space.
I was using it once before, and it worked well for me.
I use livejournal now, which is relatively simple. I never liked blogs that arn't on the same database as other users, just becuase it was easyier to keep in contact with everyone all on the same site.
i like facebook, but it's not really a blog site.
...just something to waste your time on. Wordpress without a doubt is the best. I used Blogger for about a year, it just does not compare with Wordpress.
Wordpress allows you to create pages and customize so much more.....
Lets just say a Kindergartener could use it.
| tribe wrote: |
Wordpress without a doubt is the best. I used Blogger for about a year, it just does not compare with Wordpress.
Wordpress allows you to create pages and customize so much more.....
Lets just say a Kindergartener could use it. |
Wasn't that easy to me... 
First, I had a blog on blogger for 4 years. Then I learned PHP, and switched to Cutenews. And then, I met Wordpress. Wonderful, amazing, customizable, lots of plugins! Wordpress is the best for me because I have lots of internal pages, and create a new page in Wordpress is so easy! But wasn't so easy to instal, it took some time for me to learn. And I didn't know how to use a FTP program... (stupid, I know...)
If you want to know my blog (it's in portuguese), just click on the link on my sig. I'm a solid LiveJournal fan and user...I've tried probably close to a dozen other forms of blogging and whatnot and just haven't been able to find a more solid and easily accessible community elsewhere.
There is a difference between software and the host, among the hosts, blogspot is the free and fast alternative, but not so stylish as many would wish.
In terms of the software WordPress and MovableType are really very good.
Happy blogging everyone I think WordPress is a good one,and MSN Space is also good.
Wordpress is the best, but if u have adsense, then go with blogger
| shwetanshu wrote: |
| Wordpress is the best, but if u have adsense, then go with blogger |
Why do you say that Adsense goes better with Blogger? Your thoughts would be appreciated.
As of current, Im suring wordpress, It works fine for me. Maybe you guys can recommend other softwares...
:: IT Ninja.I started off with blogger but now I host my own although I have not gotten created with it or anything I use http://www.simplephpblog.com/ I've had the msn one, blogger and livejournal and livejournal is my absolute favourite. I love the friends options, the free account that has no ads and the communities. It's also a great place to have a graphics journal because there are so many communities that you can post them in I'd advise using Blogger.
Blogger and Livejournal. Personally I used blogger.
I always use Livejournal since of all the blog things out there, LJ gives you a considerable amount of freedom for a free blog, in compare to others (and yeah, I like the interface because I'm a customize addict.)
i think blogger is the best one ,easy to use
WordPress is excellent and I highly reccomend it. Its so easy to set up once you get the hang of things and its really really flexible. You can turn it into a fully fledged site. WordPress.com is a great alternative for people who want an easy wp site.
well word press is amazing i love it well easy to instll any plugin i have a word press where google index at present 97 pages its really seo friendly try your self and find out how easy it is
Wordpress is very nice, as well as dot clear, which is french, so logically its better *raises hand for livejournal* Since 2002 :) Always been happy with it.
I recently got facebook, but only because people IRL were so all over it... I don't have the same sort of attachment to it at all.
Livejournal, for sure. I love the icon communities and it's a great way to make friends with people who have similar interests to you. I have two lj blogs - one personal and one for graphics. I love the communities on LJ because you can get some really good, interesting discussions and they cater to everyone's fandoms. | secret_soul wrote: |
| Livejournal, for sure. I love the icon communities and it's a great way to make friends with people who have similar interests to you. I have two lj blogs - one personal and one for graphics. I love the communities on LJ because you can get some really good, interesting discussions and they cater to everyone's fandoms. :) |
For sure-- if I had to say one thing lj was good for, it'd be the 'anything fandom related'. XD It's the main place I go for fics, now.I personally prefer blogger. Well up until they starting going with the new system. Although its a bit more feature rich, I prefered the old system where I could edit my template using Dreamweaver.
The new system uses XML and I have NO idea how to redesign anything for my template now.
In fact blogger is one of the reasons I am trying to get hosting here. My other host will not upload my blogger content for some strange reason.
Not to mention I want to expand my blogger from more than just a journal to something with family picts, and other stuff that is important to me.
Googles Blogger, never goes down, very easy to use, no ads, its great!
Wordpress is by far my favorite blog app and I've used a lot of them. That requires hosting of course, though you can have one hosted for you at wordpress.com (yourname.wordpress.com or whatever you like). I also like blogger.com, especially lately since they've unveiled their new system which is rather nifty.
All in all I'd prefer my own hosted copy of Wordpress, which is what I use Frihost for actually.
datter I absolutely love LiveJournal. I've had an account there for years and it's always fun and organized. Mysterious Euphony pretty much summed up the description of it in his/her post. It's by far my favorite blogging site. That, or greymatter on personal sites (is that even around anymore?). I guess anything that can be read by anyone you want, prettied up, organized, and commented on is what I go for. I've used Xanga and LiveJournal and they are ok, but with a website I'm creating (not one I'm making on Frihost) I wanted to be self-sufficient (to a point) and was recommended WordPress. I checked out the website and definately like it.
I'll try it out once I get Joomla installed >_>
i use a blogger.com and wordpress.com
That 2 is the best
i prefer blogger.com because it is better than others. specially it has the addon of adsense.
yeah......blogger is the best. Can earn money by blogging.
Wordpress is my favourite! very neat, easy to use and feature rich.. blogger comes pretty close because you can tweak almost every part of the template. That is one thing missing in wordpress - you cannot customize your site much , other than changing a few built in themes...
but looking at the pros, id choose wordpress anyday
Wordpress have many feature and plugins, Livejournal have a nice and large community, Blogger is the most popular and have adsense addon. All of them are the best blog hosting.
Currently, I use RODiary for my Ragnarok Online blog. It's very good too, but it only accept a blog that related with online games.
Well, I got Joomla installed and Wordpress to be installed into it. I have to say that I've already have good feelings about Wordpress. I'm thinking I'm going to like it better than LiveJournal or Xanga >_>.
Still haven't tried Blogger though.
