Blogging Basics- Software and Services

There are three components to blogging they are:

Blog editor - This is the software that allows you to create blog posts.
Blogging software- This is the component that manages, organises and publishes the posts.
Blog Host- This the server space where the actual blog resides.

Blog editors

Most blog editors are web based editors (blogger.com). With the case of web based editors the post is created by connecting to the blogging server and clicking a button for a new entry (post) . A new window opens like the one shown here and you type in your entry and when finished click publish.

Clicking publish causes the blogging software to organise your post and place it at the top of your blog ( Blogs are in chronological order- most recent first) .

Web based editors are simple to use, require no software on your machine but they have limited functionality and you must be connected to the net to use them.

PC based editors are like word processors and they are installed on your PC. These type of editors offer much more functionality and can be used when you are not connected to the internet.

The difficulty with these type of editors is getting your posts onto the bogging server. This generally means that the blog editor has support for your blogging host.

Popular clients include: w.bloggar (freeware supporting multiple blogging hosts/services including www.blogger.com), blogjet, wbeditor, ecto.

Blogging Software and Services

The bogging software is the software that is responsible for receiving the blog updates and organising and archive them. There are two approaches you can use.

One is obtain and install the blogging software on your own web server. This option is used by experienced web masters and hosting organisations. One of the most popular is WordPress ( free under GPL ) other include Moveable type

Most will not want to install and maintain our own blogging system like (WordPress or Moveable Type), but will instead use a blogging service like blogger.com. Both WordPress and Moveable type offer an hosted solution for those who don't want to install and host the software themselves at www.wordpres.com and www.typepad.com respectively, and there are many other free and paid ones available.

Blogging Host

This is the server that actually stores (hosts) the actual content and is usually the same server that hosts the bogging software/service. Blogger.com is a blogging service that also hosts blogs, in fact, all blogging services will also host the blog.

The problem with using a blogging service to host the blog is that the blogname will contain the domain name of the hosting service.

Therefore blogs on blogger.com are called blogname.blogger.com. You get to choose the name when you create the blog.

This isn't the only option available, and it is not the best one, but the easiest and the cheapest. The other options are discussed in Hosting A Blog.

Return to start A Blog.

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