Ah, web hosting. I used to maintain my own servers when I was learning how to set up and administrate Linux, but the novelty wore off some time ago. With all the security advisories, backup chores, and network management to keep track of, it was no longer fun. It's a pain in the ass.
This is a review of what I'm using now, and what I may use in the future.
The Current Setup
For hosting, I've been using Pair Networks for years. I've found them to be reliable and competent, though I tend not to need a lot of technical support. While a lot of other providers are cheaper for pure web/email hosting, you sometimes don't get these services:
* shell & file access via ssh
* file transfer via ftp / scp
* complete development environment
You can get this with the next-to-cheapest hosting plan, though I've since upgraded to the developer account. On the minus side, their online tools could be a little slicker, and they don't offer as many mailboxes / domains / databases / transfer / online storage as some other providers. Most of their support is handled online, as is their sales. Don't expect a lot of handholding.
For domain name registration, I've been using directnic for just as long. They were one of the first inexpensive registrars out there, and their prices have remained at $15/year since they started. I like their control panel, and I don't see any immediate reason to switch.
The Alternatives
I haven't really checked any of these out yet, but maybe I'll get a chance to try them out.
- Dreamhost: I first heard of them on HateBot, and that picture of Lorne stuck with my imagination. Looking through their offerings, it looks like a good deal and a good environment. Prices look good, and features look good too.
[last updated 9/15/2004]
I spent a good few hours figuring out how to make WordPress look more like MovableType. I ended up duplicating some of the structure (the content and right divs, in particular) and converted a lot of font-size CSS to use the named sizes. This seems to allow things to scale a bit nicer. I'm pretty sure there's horrible, horrible things left in the CSS from my mucking, but for now seems to work.
Horrible Things
I'm using a wide GIF background to draw the edging on the left/right of the #rap area. The GIF itself is small, but I can see my browser draw the background THEN draw the edges on top of it. Yuck.
I'm having a bear of a time with hyperlink styles staying set. There's some interdependence between setting the default "a:visited" color so it stays the same as "a:link". I probably am missing something about the way style inheritance works in CSS.
Good Things
So far, I'm enjoying WordPress more because I can use DreamWeaver to edit the css and index.php files directly. Edit, CTRL-SHIFT-U to upload, and then preview. In Movable Type, you're pretty much stuck using the web interface because updates to files require a site rebuilt before you can preview. Bah.
Next step: Adding image support, additional site directory structure refinements. After that, it will be filling out additional information about me.
CONTINUE READING ...
Very quickly, my impressions so far...
- I like WordPress's admin interface slightly better, though there are some odd gaps (deleting a draft, for example, requires posting it then deleting it unless I'm missing something)
- The default CSS looks terrible on my computer...it looks like ass
- The template system doesn't require rebuilds like MT does. Instead, you're coding in PHP, and there is no "rebuild" every time you update a template in MT.
- The WordPress admin interface doesn't compartmentalize all the editable files as cleanly as MT, but then again you're really editing css and .php files directly...the flip side of being direct is that you have to be more careful.
- If you're not careful about being XHTML compliant in your posts, you might lose some of your work :/
- The "Save" button in Write automatically opens a blank post window. I would prefer it to go back to the posts window.
- I like the "edit this" link that pops up if you're logged in
- If you hate editing the templates via the admin interface, DreamWeaver works just fine!
NOTE: This post got 'piratized' by the text filter I used for Talk Like A Pirate Day and got saved back into the database. This seems kind of dumb. Is it a config issue? Anyway...
I'm evaluatin' both Movable Type and WordPress, I'll warrant ye. Movable Type has a nice interface, but th' static page generation workflow bugs me a bit. Aarrr! I were bein' also surprised t' see a lack o' built-in CSS class definitions t' handle basic formattin' chores o' images, etc. My impression is that th' power o' Movable Type lies largely in its skeleton structure, integration with RSS feeds, and plugin support. There are also a few very nicely designed Movable Type weblogs, we'll keel-haul ye! Aarrr!
Some advantages o' Movable Type
- It's relatively nice lookin' out o' th' box
- It's relatively easy t' install, though 'tis still somewhat involved fer th' novice on unix who's ne'er installed a database-driven application.
- It has an active developer and user community, unlike "more powerful" roll-yer-own systems.
- A pretty powerful template-based content system, with lots o' useful tags
Some thin's that are iffy:
- A somewhat primitive upload admiral
- Nay asset management...ye need t' define yer directory structure fer images, thumbnails, and so on in advance if ye want it t' make sense later.
- A confusin' dynamic template system. Partly this is due t' th' system itself not bein' well understood by meself
- A requirement t' know CSS t' restyle yer site
- Cost fer multiple users (not a big deal, th' prices are quite reasonable)
So this brin's me t' WordPress, which is free, has active community support, and installs quite a bit more simply, pass the grog, avast! Let's see how this goes.
The new web site is launched, though things are still obviously under construction. This will be a good opportunity to post regular tidbits about what I'm working on for a small group of acquaintances, while working on my writing.
