Hosting vs. wordpress.com

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  raysalemi · Member · Oct 31, 2008 at 1:04 pm

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  Hi,

  I’m creating a web site that will have blog posts (transient postings that can get old), articles (more stable postings that people will refer to), download files (sample code) and links so people can buy my book and sign up for my email newsletter.

  I’m considering the hosted version of WordPress on godaddy.com vs. just starting the site with a blog on wordpress.com.

  Does anyone have thoughts on the advantages of one approach over another?

  Thanks!

  Ray

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  lizii · Member · Oct 31, 2008 at 1:07 pm

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  I think the difference is $5USD.

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  lizii · Member · Oct 31, 2008 at 1:09 pm

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  Just to clarify:

  When you get a wordpress.com blog first and purchase a domain through it, it comes with domain mapping for $15USD.

  When you get a domain and map it to wordpress.com, it becomes $10USD plus the amount you pay for your domain, which I kind of assumed was $10USD in my first post, but now I realise it’s not necessarily true :)

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  raysalemi · Member · Oct 31, 2008 at 2:26 pm

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  Hi Lizii,

  Thanks. Are you also suggesting that there are no real technical differences?

  My instinct is to start my blog/articles on the free wordpress.com and then start paying the hosting fee on godaddy (~$5/month) only if necessary.

  Does that seem like a good plan?

  Ray

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  rosclarke · Member · Oct 31, 2008 at 2:59 pm

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  There are huge technical differences. Read the sticky thread at the top of the forum.

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  maggnet · Member · Oct 31, 2008 at 4:39 pm

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  Maybe someone can help with this question. I signed up for WP just today. I watched some video tutorials on how to “download” WP to my server. When I went to the WP Home Page to do that I didn’t even see a “download” button. Has this site changed or am I on the wrong “home” page for what I need? The purpose of having a blog for me is to add it to my website. Considering that, I’m confused about the policy that states that a blog cannot be used for ads or traffic generation. That is exactly what all the buzz is about in Internet Marketing right now. Can someone please explain? Thanks….

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  rosclarke · Member · Oct 31, 2008 at 4:40 pm

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  @maggnet. You also need to read the sticky thread at the top of the forum on the differences between WP.org and WP.com.

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  raincoaster · Member · Oct 31, 2008 at 5:11 pm

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  https://en.forums.wordpress.com/topic/please-read-me-first-before-posting?replies=1

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  raysalemi · Member · Oct 31, 2008 at 9:12 pm

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  Hi,

  Thanks for the pointer. I guess the question is not, “What are the differences?” but, “Why would I use one over the other?”

  For example, if I have a server, I can use FTP and a shell. But I don’t know why I’d want to use the FTP and shell? Would I use them often as a person whose just writing content? I’m not planning any development.

  That’s the ultimate gist of the question.

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  raysalemi · Member · Oct 31, 2008 at 9:26 pm

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  I found a great link:

  WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org

  For those who also have this question. I’d suggest adding this to the sticky links.

  Ray

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  raysalemi · Member · Oct 31, 2008 at 9:36 pm

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  And one more bit of info from http://michaelmartine.com/2008/03/18/moving-wordpress-com-self-hosted/

  Except that…

  * Soon or later, you find out that out of all five billion themes available, you don’t really like any of them, but you have little to no say (or skill) in customizing all but a very few of them.

  * Sooner or later, you find out that you can’t put AdSense or any kind of web widget on your blog that runs on the JavaScript language.

  * Sooner or later, you discover that all the cool functionality other blogs have from something called plugins is verboten to you on WordPress.com.

  The inability to use AdSense is key here. I want to be able to host advertisements for extra revenue.

  So that’s key.

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  raincoaster · Member · Oct 31, 2008 at 9:40 pm

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  See, it’s a lot easier to give you pointers if you tell us what your priorities are in the first place. We could have answered in one post if you’d said Adsense was a must.