This is my first blog, and I have to admit I like the technology, but I can also see its short comings too. Blogging to me is the HTML equivalent of UseNet for the World-Wide Web. When the UseNet first appeared on the Internet almost 30 years ago, I am pretty sure it was a phenomena similar to blogging. All of sudden people around the world were able to post their views, ideas, interests, etc..; without having to worry about what the other people or governments think.
(Note: for those people who don't know what UseNet is, here is a brief explanation. In the 1970s the UseNet was developed to allow people to post their views and ideas on the Internet. Over the years it has evolved into a huge archive of everything under the sun [and I mean everything])
The primarily thing that differentiates Blogging from the UseNet (besides the back-end technologies); is the UseNet posting only supports plain text, where blog postings can use HTML (which means it can support: pictures, sounds, and much more). Also, if you know anything about HTML, then you know it supports a much richer set of formating options then plain-text. It is kind of like comparing Windows Notepad to Microsoft Word.
Blogging vs. Creating Web Pages
One of the best things about blogging is if you know how to use a web browser, then you should be about to do it. It only took me about five minutes or less to setup this blog on Blogger.
The great thing about Blogger is that you don't have to know HTML, CSS, Java-Script, etc.. to post (although it does help to know these technologies). If you had to reproduce the posting process using a regular web site it would require that you have a great deal more knowledge about how to create and maintain a web site.
For example, to post a web page on a regular web site you would first have a web server to host your pages; a web page editor to create your web pages; and some type of file transfer program (such as an FTP program) to manage the files. Then after you have all that, you then need to know use different web page technologies such as: HTML, CSS, Java-Script, etc..
Blogger Shortcomings
Some of the main shortcoming that I found in the free version of Blogger:
- No storage is provided to host additional files (such as images).
- No web site usage tracking statistics
- Knowledge/support areas are outdated.
If you need any of these features then you will have to pay for them. Personally, I am pretty frugal when it comes to money, so I found some free alternatives to help offset some of these shortcomings.
Support
First, the 'Blogger Unofficial FAQ blog' has some of the best and most update information about Blogger. If you're having a problem, or needed to know about what special tags that Blogger supports; this is the place to go.
Free Web Site Usage Trackers
If you spend your free time ranting (like me), and want to know if anybody is even looking at what you're typing. Then you will want to install a web site usage tracker. This technology requires that you insert a HTML code fragment into your template. Then anytime someone comes to your blog, this site will capture information about the page they visited, what type of browser they have.
Free Search Engine/Directory Submissions
If you want to promote your blog, then I would submit it to the search engines and directories for inclusion (note: if you have a commercial blog, then some search engines/directories will change you for inclusion.)
Host Web Content
If you need to include graphics, and/or other types of content in your blog you should be able to use a free web host service like GeoCities. Also, if you need an alternate free email address to prevent your real email address from being flooded by unwanted message, Yahoo Mail is great service.
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