(no subject)

[felis_ultharus]

Sorry for spamming, but my frustration with the growing power of the right in this country has gotten me thinking I really would like to start a political blog.

It probably doesn't seem like much, but we need to clear some mediaspace in this country. Ever since Conrad Black's devouring of the Canadian media in the 1990s, honest voices in media have pretty much been restricted to the CBC, the Toronto Star, and small local papers.

Unlike local papers, blogs can reach a national audience, and given that even that neo-conservative bastion The National Post has quoted Slap Upside the Head (another queer Canadian blog) they are being read, and read widely.

I'd mostly tackle queer issues because they're the ones I know the most about. The question is, what do I do for hosting space and technology? I'm looking for something more professional-looking than blogspot or livejournal, and something flexible enough to give it the look I want.

I'm a bit out of my depth on this, so I'm hoping some of my tech-ier friends can help.

Comments

[jenjoou.livejournal.com]

I'll ask James what he thinks when I get home; he might have some idea of what you could use.

[jenjoou.livejournal.com]

James also sugests WordPress if you're looking for something tailored for blogging.

[felis-ultharus.livejournal.com]

This seems to be the consensus ^_^

[infinitecomplex.livejournal.com]

I'd strongly recommend WordPress. I use it at work to run three blogs, and it's robust, flexible, very professional looking (thanks to the wonders of CSS) and remarkably easy to use. It's so customizable that you can almost treat it as a mini-CMS rather than blog software. I'll send you some screenshots of my work blogs so you can see how much the look and feel can be tweaked. If you needed help with the setup, I'd be happy to help.

My second choice would be Typepad, if WordPress doesn't appeal.

[metawidget]

Seconded on WordPress, it's the standard industry-strength blog, and it's free, either on your server (geekier, more control) or on theirs (a little less control, free base setup and paying extras, automatic updates and security).

I read a few blogs on either setup, and the user experience is clean, rational and doesn't get in the way of your content at all.

[felis-ultharus.livejournal.com]

Thank you -- I'll probably go for on their server, because I don't have one I can use, and I feel more secure not knowing anything about security (I'm an arts geek, not a tech one, and net-knowledge basically ends after HTML and CSS code).

[felis-ultharus.livejournal.com]

It sounds good -- my programming knowledge only extends to HTML and CSS (I've forgotten all the C and BASIC I once knew).

I still might beg you for some help. Even the terminology intimidates me -- mini-CMS? Blue Word?

[scottevil.livejournal.com]

WordPress. I've got Puck's Prattle on it. It's very flexible and has a nice UI.

[scottevil.livejournal.com]

Actually, it's not that flexible, but I still recommend it.

[felis-ultharus.livejournal.com]

That seems to be the overwhelming consensus. I'll probably start it next wek.