One Word: ImPressive
OK, I admit it. I’m on the WordPress bandwagon.
It took me a total of 6 hours to get this blog running the way that I wanted it to run. That includes the initial install, customizing the templates, and getting the settings set the way that I want them to be, at least for now. Yes, I did already have a design to work from (you’re looking at it), so that doesn’t count as part of the equation. I’m not done yet, but for the most part, I have a functioning blog, with a customized design, and some customized functionality. Only one word fits: Impressive.
Now, I’m not just on the bandwagon because other people are doing it. I have a number of reasons that I think WordPress is very much worth working with, and having in the arsenal for future client projects. Keep in mind, I’ve tried working with Movable Type and it always seemed to be less than intuitive, and I eventually abandoned it. Certainly I’m no MT afficionado.
PHP vs Perl
I can do Perl if I need to, but it isn’t my first choice of development language. The fact that WordPress is written in PHP allows for easy customization in a format that is familar to PHP developers. Very nice to have the ability to manipulate things just like regular old PHP. Lower barrier to entry.
Syntax
Movable Type uses its own syntax. Another new syntax to learn? Not if I have the choice (which, of course, I do…). WordPress uses PHP and a plethora of custom functions that are very easy to use for anyone that already reads and writes PHP. Again, score one for WordPress – lower barrier to entry for someone that already knows the language.
Templates
There is one basic template that runs the entire blog, at least for the regular old XHTML version. You can customize the ATOM feeds, the RSS Feeds, the RDF feeds, but they are certainly unimportant to get things runing. Seems like enough to me. No messing about with multiple versions of templates like I recall from Movable Type – although my memory is a little sketchy given that I abandoned things before really being able to successfully modify multiple templates. I like being able to modify one template and have things “just work”. A lesson for everyone – making things easy to use is good.
Learnability
My favourite thing about WordPress right now is that while I haven’t learned enough to do absolutely everything I want with WordPress I’ve learned enough in the 24 hours I’ve been using it to be effective and to be able to get this blog up and running. Its incredibly easy to use – yes, I still have to go hunting for something I know I’ve seen, but can’t quite place. That will take care of itself.
The bottom line for me personally is that all of the advantages of WordPress that I’ve listed above seem to be reasons enough for me to give WordPress a fighting chance. That’s more than I can say MT ever had in my books…
2 Responses
Comment by Jonas Rabbe — Jun 04 2004 @ 7:22 pm
Just a note on the syntax. MT templates basically use custom html tags (alright they use the < $…$> syntax for tags, but leaving out the $’s works fine too). Considering that you have modified at least one template to get this to work you must know html syntax, then the MT templates are just a question about learning new tags. Compared to having to learn which functions to use as in the WP template(s) is just a matter of what you want to do.
I do agree with you on the question on intuitiveness of MT, but none of the CMSes I’ve tested have the usability I am looking for (I need a CMS where my explanations to my mother and mother-in-law can be kept to a minimum).
Anyway, good luck with your WP experiments, I’ll continue my search for my own MT replacement.
Comment by Mark J — Jun 03 2004 @ 8:26 am
Agreement, all the way around. But what of the handy new plugin system? I think that may be the best part. Most “under the hood” tinkering you want to do can be accomplished via a plugin (which means that when you upgrade WordPress, you don’t have to re-do anything like you would if you actually modified WordPress code.)