Thinking seriously of moving my blog. I just can't get Blogger to do the organization my blog needs. I want bigger pictures and tabs across the top; those many pictures down the right side of the screen are way too much! My computerman hubby has been toying with Fauna's site for a while now trying to make the template I want, but I'm starting to think it would just be easier to move. I have been toying with Wordpress today here's the link if you want to see it....Faunarain. Horrible name, just a tester. I will move my entire 5 Orange Potatoes blog if I decide to move.
I would love opinions of Wordpress and Typepad. Also would love advice from those that have moved from Blogger. Thank you in advance!
Lisa :)
33 comments:
You can do tabs.
I found them right after I completed my three column transition. :) (I wanted them, too.)
I think you can make your picture frames bigger by changing your html code (the frames for pics), as well.
The other setup is pretty, though- at faunarain, i mean.
I have a wordpress and blogger blog and I've always really disliked blogger. So many like it though so... who am I to say? My wordpress blog is hosted at a friend's site though and that offers me a lot more room to play with the theme, widgets, etc etc.
The new blog is beautiful, too! It's hard to choose...I've seen people change from Blogger to WordPress and Typepad, but never knew why. If you do switch over, be sure to let us all know how you like it. I, too, get frustrated by not being able to post pictures the way I want them to. Blogger can be glitchy, also. Preview mode does not show what the actual view will be. Good luck!
I've had blogger, wordpress.com and wordpress.org. I've never had typepad but i've heard good things.
I prefer my wordpress.org. It's self-hosted and the flexibility is greater than .com in terms of widgets and themes. But even .com does some pretty awesome things. it doesn't have the same customability as blogger but i'd still choose it over blogger myself. i'm just not a blogger fan anymore.
good luck with the decision.
~Tara
Thank you ladies so so much! Your comments really help!
Lisa :)
I've been toying with this idea myself. Looking forward to seeing what you decide and how it all works out for you.
Can't give any advice as I've never tried anything but blogger. I never knew you could do tabs-good to know. Well, I'll follow you wherever you go!
I follow a bunch of blogs through typepad. Have you tried there? I haven't used it so I don't know if it's nicer than blogger or not. Otherwise, I like that you can put nice big pics on the wordpress blogs. That's always one thing I wished I could have too. The "extra large" pics option on blogger just doesn't do some pictures justice!
Hmmm, I don't have any wordpress or typepad advice, but if you are on a PC you can use Windows Live Write to write your posts and you can change and edit the picture size right in that program, that is what I use. Also tabs aren't that complicated to add either.
I love my blogger blog, and have simple tabs - I know you can do better ones than I have, with some code.
The newer blog is pretty neat, though!
I moved from blogger to typepad and I LOVE LOVE LOVE typepad! It's a lot better for what I need my blog for. But I still do have blogger blogs. It's a hard decision but I do love typepad. Though Typepad you do have to pay and blogger and Wordpress are free. Hmm...hard one.
A bit off topic ... but I hope that someone in the publishing/homeschooling world sees how inspirational and fresh your ideas are and looks at putting onto paper... wherever you move to keep up the posts... I still am in awe of your pictures!
I am on Typepad and really like it!
Good luck in your decision!
Oh, my mysterious Anonymous friend, thank so much for the kind words. :)
Mrs. B, I was just checking out your site with your tabs.
Manic Mother, your site is great, thanks for the tips. I've been talking to my hubby about that possibilty.
gardenmama, thanks from another beautiful blog. I've heard a lot of good thins about typepad.
Highly recommend Wordpress (self-hosted, not .com, though that'd probably be my 2nd choice). Very customizable--the sky's the limit in terms of design & functionality. And they make it super easy to move from Blogger and keep all your old stuff.
i love your blog. but understand the quandry. ive been wondering myself where to go. i find that most of the blogs i read are wordpress. no idea why. but they are clear and easy to navigate...otherwise i have no real advice to offer....good luck
I have found ways around most of the issues on blogger, becuase I have had my blog here for so dang long that to move it would be insane. But I have to admit to having the thought from time to time.
If you do end up staying and want help with anything... let me know. :) I may be able to help. I personally think your blog is beautiful and you could make it what you wanted without a lot of fuss. All else fails, you could pay someone to fix it for you and it would cost you less than a year on Typepad.
Good luck! Whereever you go, I will follow your blog there. ;)
Val
I want bigger photos on my blogger blog as well. I have seen plenty of blogger blogs with large photos, so i guess there is a way. Your new blog looks wonderful! Wishing you well if you move.
Spirithelpers
i have no advice, but i was really struck by how AWESOME those photos at faunarain look!!!!! very clear and striking, which of course is only partly the sizing and format...;)
i'll be curious to see what you decide - thanks for sharing the process with us!
debbie
I like the Wordpress template you're using for faunarain. I do change the html code in my blog to increase the picture size.
I think content heavy blogs like yours (loads of good info, tutorials, links etc.) are probably easier to navigate on Wordpress or Typepad.
Good luck!!
I tried blogger once upon a time and right away I wasn't fond of it, so I quickly moved to wordpress.com
The one drawback I recently found out with wordpress.com is the inability to use Mr Linky's. I wish I could have a pretty "wallpaper" for lack of a better word, but the pictures do pop on my white background.
I do like the easy way it organizes things, and that it has a stat counter built in, and if I wanted larger pictures, all I do is upload to photobucket in a larger size. I keep mine relatively small because I have no idea when I'm going to reach the limit of storage capacity (I have TONS of photos on my blog).
If what you want is large photos, you can use Picasa and get them to post in the Stretch Minima template. I can't get my photos to post small. lol! I have to adjust every single one of my pictures to fit within my template. lol! I think blogger problems are really individual.
Val
I just switched from wordpress to blogger a few months ago and prefer blogger. I've seen blogspot blogs with tabs, so I know it's possible. Good luck with whatever you decide!
thanks for asking this question! the answers have been so helpful, as i have had the same thoughts lately. (and now i am curious to link through to all your commenters' blogs!)
how do you plan to move the whole blog when you do? this is one reason i have hesitated moving mine. additionally, cost. i really like the typepad blogs i follow, but there is a minimum monthly fee and i am trying to keep my blog free for now.
i love your blog, so will happily read it anywhere. and the faunarain test blog (i like that name since it is partly your daughter's name!) looks lovely, too.
nice new header, by the way!
nicola
http://whichname.blogspot.com
Nicola, (Love your name by the way), the monthly fee leaves me hesitant as well. But i'm no good at html and it sounds as though wordpress is much easier to navigate. Supposedly it's "easy" to move the entire blog from blogger to wordpress, something I will have my hubby do though. I think I'm going to use wordpress.org and pay a little monthly fee so I can do things my own way; wordpress.com is free and I LOVE the freedom you have with the the size of photos, but not as much template freedom.....Oh, so many options!
Hi, I haven't gotten too technical with options on my typepad blog..I like it I guess...I don't know anything different.
The big pic format on your faunarain site is nice, especially for your photos :)
Great post, I too have been thinking that tabs would be good, and I love the idea of 3 columns so I will eagerly be watching what you do.
Thanks to everyone or the info here as well, I am off to visit a ew of you.
Well, if you do move it... please don't erase any! I just discovered your blog and am slowly reading it. You inspire me to be a better mother. LOL! :-)
there are a bunch of different themes on wordpress with tabs, and custimizable headers and everything. I had blogger for a long time and just got tired of it so i moved, and maybe the only thing i would say i don't like is the little sidebar widgets aren't always made for wordpress to. there's a different html involved. i'm still learning all that but, but all of this to say that wordpress is better than blogger, imho. :)
Hei! I just moved to typepad from blogger and I'm loving it!!! Worthwhile the monthly fee. Lots of accessible help and support and good quality photos and threaded comments (I love this!). All this just makes life easier when I have little time for blogging some days. Good luck with the moving! :-)
I've been amazed to see what you are able to do with Blogger. I just can't seem to manage to do anything but the simplest of layouts, and I often have trouble spacing the photos, etc. Your blog is beautiful; I'm sure whatever you decide to do will be wonderful.
wow, there are certainly some changes going on here! i was away for only six days - and have been home for nearly two weeks now - but i still haven't been able to catch up on my blog reading. i'd love to get tabs on my blog too, and i'd like to get rid of the blogger toolbar or whatever on the top of the page. but i'm not willing to pay for a blog. i love your new header here though!! and i'll be following you on wordpress :)
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