FINDING OUT WHAT WORDPRESS IS
In simplest terms, WordPress is a blog publishing application that makes it incredibly easy for anyone to start a blog without any programming knowledge. WordPress uses What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) editors that allow you to enter and publish posts similarly to how you create documents using word-processing software such as Microsoft Word. Additionally, WordPress uses widgets to make the addition of features to your blog as easy as pointing and clicking or dragging and dropping. WordPress is also known for its flexibility in terms of customization. You can find a myriad of free and premium WordPress themes (offered for a fee, usually between $50 and $100) online, which anyone can use to give their WordPress blog a more personalized look.
Furthermore, with WordPress, you can have ultimate control over the function and design of your blog. In fact, WordPress can even be used as a Content Management System (CMS) to create web sites, which is particularly useful for small businesses and nonprofit organizations with limited budgets. However, many of the most popular blogs and many web sites are created using WordPress, including Mashable (www.mashable.com).
UNDERSTANDING THE TWO WORDPRESS OPTIONS
WordPress comes in two different forms : WordPress.com and WordPress.org. The two forms have many differences, and you need to be certain that you understand them before you start your blog. Both options allow users to create blogs, but the features, functionality, and technical skills required for the options differ significantly.
CHECKING OUT THE DIFFERENCES
This describes the differences between WordPress.com and WordPress.org.
. WordPress.org is known as an open-source application, meaning developers can create tools (known as plug-ins) that users can integrate seamlessly into
WordPress to enhance functionality. Open-source application code is freely available to anyone who wants to create enhancements and modify it to meet
their needs. As such, WordPress.org requires some technical knowledge to use but offers great flexibility in terms of adding functionality and customization.
WordPress.org is free, but users have to upload the application to their own, separate web hosting and a domain name as well as additional technical
knowledge. Although the technical skills required to use WordPress.org are minimal (unless you plan to handle your own extensive customization), people who
are not comfortable with technology might find this path challenging.
. WordPress.com is also free, but WordPress.com blogs are hosted by WordPress. That means there are no hosting or domain name fees. The technical
knowledge requirements are minimal, so if you can use a word-processing application and navigate the internet, you can use WordPress.com. The features
and functionality available to WordPress.com users are limited, but you can purchase premium services to enhance your blog.
GETTING WORDY WITH WORDPRESS (www.wordpress.org)
The WordPress blogging application is extremely popular. The software is easy to install and easy to use. Writing a blog post couldn’t be easier with WordPress, and it has lots of templates available for you to get the look you want. If you have an existing web site, chances are good that you can find a template to match your site. Using a little bit of wizardry, you can customize the template to include the banner from your main web site.
If you decide to use WordPress for your blogging needs, your web hosting service must meet these requirements:
. MySQL : WordPress requires MySQL 4.1.2 or later.
. PHP : WordPress requires PHP 4.3 or later.