Blog Polygamy
There are an impressive number of free blog services popping up all over the place, it seems. While reading a recent CuteOverload post, I discovered one of the latest services: Vox, today. The invitation only service is the latest from Six Apart, the makers of Movable Type, Typepad, and LiveJournal.
Based on Typepad's great reputation, I decided to snag one of the 1,000 invites offered through CuteOverload. I've been pretty happy with Blogger as a whole, but I thought I would give Vox a once over. No need to tie myself down to one particular service. After looking around Vox a bit, I have mixed feelings. It has some really great features: wide variety of templates/site layouts, a friends network, public and private posting, tags--and most importantly--image, audio, and video hosting. I would love to be able to host mp3s sometimes. And more easily posting pictures would be delightful [I've had to fight with blogger's image hosting many times].
But the service doesn't appear to offer any way to personalize your page. You have to use their templates, and there is no way to create sidebars in addition to the automatically generated ones [i.e. most recent comments, archives, etc.]. Since I've taken the time to teach myself rudimentary bits of HTML and CSS, I don't like the lack of these options on Vox. Sure, I fight with blogger a lot. But part of the fun of blogging is designing both the content and how it's presented. For people less interested in the web design aspect of blogging, Vox seems pretty perfect, though.
I haven't decided if I'm going to switch or not. The audio and image hosting is awfully tempting., I'll admit. But regardless of my decision, I have several invites up for grabs if anyone wants one.
Based on Typepad's great reputation, I decided to snag one of the 1,000 invites offered through CuteOverload. I've been pretty happy with Blogger as a whole, but I thought I would give Vox a once over. No need to tie myself down to one particular service. After looking around Vox a bit, I have mixed feelings. It has some really great features: wide variety of templates/site layouts, a friends network, public and private posting, tags--and most importantly--image, audio, and video hosting. I would love to be able to host mp3s sometimes. And more easily posting pictures would be delightful [I've had to fight with blogger's image hosting many times].
But the service doesn't appear to offer any way to personalize your page. You have to use their templates, and there is no way to create sidebars in addition to the automatically generated ones [i.e. most recent comments, archives, etc.]. Since I've taken the time to teach myself rudimentary bits of HTML and CSS, I don't like the lack of these options on Vox. Sure, I fight with blogger a lot. But part of the fun of blogging is designing both the content and how it's presented. For people less interested in the web design aspect of blogging, Vox seems pretty perfect, though.
I haven't decided if I'm going to switch or not. The audio and image hosting is awfully tempting., I'll admit. But regardless of my decision, I have several invites up for grabs if anyone wants one.
posted by Amy at 11:17 AM
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