Blogging n00b questions

Steveire

It is my plan to write a blog while i am off interrainling in eastern europe. I'd like to have some idea of how touse a blog and make a few entries before i go. I have many general questions.

There are many websites where i can start a blog. Why would i choose one over another? Do they offer more than just hosting of a journal?

Will i be able to post photos in a blog, or do they just take words?

What is RSS and XML? Do some websites offer one other the other and some offer both? Should it be something I consider when starting my blog?

Is posting a blog as simple as sending an email or posting on a forum?

Who will read my blog other than people i tell about it? Will it automatically be added to a blogroll on the site that i start it on? Will it automatically be added to other blogrolls? Do I have any control over this?

Is getting a Journal on boards a good enough reason to subscribe?

I'm sure i'll have more questions to ask later. Thanks

mneylon

Lots of questions

RSS is basically a way of syndicating content.

Why one blog system over another? It depends on what you are trying to do tbh.

If you are going travelling I would recommend you get yourself a personal site with a blog, that way you'll get email as well.

You can post photos to your blog as well. How will depend on what you are using.
Wordpress is very easy to use and has a large userbase, so there are a lot of mods etc., available.

Steveire

I've just signed up with blogs.ie, it looks like it uses wordpress.

If you are going travelling I would recommend you get yourself a personal site with a blog, that way you'll get email as well.

how do i get a personal site with a blog? Do i have to pay for that? Getting an email address is not something i'll be considering. I'm happy enough withmy current address.

What does it mean to syndicate content? Add it to a blogroll?

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

Steveire

Thanks for the reply. I also have a irishblogs account and a blogger account. Just signed them up so far, haven't decided which to use yet.

Usually people start with a hosted solution and move up if they grow out of that system.

Do you mean by this that I could out grow my blogs.ie account and register a domain name like you have with davesrants.com or http://deadcerttips.com/. Presumably the advantage here is that it's more customisable, or is there another reason you'd do that? Does it cost much?

I've signed up for a Flickr account, so i'll be trying out that photo thing, and see what you mean there.

You can stop search engines from indexing your site if you want so pretty much only people you give the address would have access if you want.

I'm not worried about that. I was asking the question in the context of "Do I have to add it to, eg POTB myself, or is this done automatically".
(LOL cause i went to POTB.com)

Another question:
Can i make private blog entries on any blog that I choose to start on, like the boards.ie journal?

mneylon

Steveire wrote:

Another question:
Can i make private blog entries on any blog that I choose to start on, like the boards.ie journal?

You definitely can with Wordpress.

Steveire

Do all blogs provide icons to put your mood on the blog? Can you use custom ones or just the ones already there?