/dev/random

As I am just starting to blog, and I did not have my own blog yet, I went ahead and created a blog on a blogging service. Now, to make it even more interesting, I have created accounts on several of them… So, let’s see what we have here:

• Blogger
• WordPress
• TypePad
• Blogsome
• Vox

So, I thought 5 blogs, all on different services is enough – otherwise I would go crazy.  Now, I have specifically avoided LiveJournal as I do not like for some reason.

1. Blogger is nice free service, now part of the Google family. It has a nice clean interface, some additional features like ads via Google AdSense program, etc. I was suprised to see there are only about 10 or so templates to choose from, and I did not find much room for customizations. Nonetheless, it is a very nice service and the one I am using most right now. I am not sure if I would be using it for long as this service clearly has its ceiling.
2. WordPress is another nice free blogging service, although they have paid Pro accounts. Cleaner (compared to TypePad) interface, a lot of features, a lot of templates. Free accounts are limited to 50 MB of storage.
3. Typepad is a “professional”-level blogging service – i.e. they charge you for using it (starts from $4.95/month). It has a LOT more features and room for customizations, but its interface is a bit overloaded and much more confusing, especially for beginners like me.
4. Blogsome – never heard of them before, actually. It has somewhat minimalistic look and it is not as slick as, say, Blogger or WordPress. I would need to play with it to make my mind.
5. Vox seems somewhat simplistic, although they do have a lot of “community” features – like adding information about your favorite music, books, etc. Plus – they put ads both at the top and the bottom of the page. Well, a free service has its price. I believe it is clearly geared towards non-technical beginners.Interestingly enough, Vox is also a part of a family of blogging services by Six Apart company, which includes LiveJournal, Typepad and Movable Type. The former two are free, while the latter two are paid “professional” services.