Where Are The .NET Blogging Solutions?

Owen Winkler put together an overview of all self-installable blogging software, circa mid-2004. After surveying his options, he notes one clear trend:


This is a companion discussion topic for the original blog entry at: http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2005/06/where-are-the-net-blogging-solutions.html

What about Joel Spolsky’s Citydesk? It isn’t a blogging solution per se, more like a website maintenance solution, but I use it for blogging and it works great. (Even high-profile bloggers like Steven Den Beste use it.) It isn’t .NET but it is a Windows app.

I develop with .NET+MSSQL for most projects I do. Both at work and home. But when it came to writing a custom CMS for a web site I manage PHP4+MySql4 was simply the best option. Solely because I know that it will work on pretty much every hosting company in existence without a hassle.

I used Community Server for my blog. Installing it was as simple as setting up a virtual directory and running a sql script. Customizing it was more involving, however. The default install assumes that you want to build a community site which many blogs, forums, and photo galleries. Modifying it towards a single blog solution with a custom skin required a few evenings.

I use dotText and it is because it is .NET. I wanted to install it and see Scott’s great code at work. If it were not for my interest in installing dotText I probably wouldn’t be blogging at all.

On the otherhand, I’ve not upgraded to CommunityServer because I don’t want the headache of installing it for a single blog. I may do it at some point but not in the near future.

The default install assumes that you want to build a community site which many blogs, forums, and photo galleries. Modifying it towards a single blog solution with a custom skin required a few evenings

You should definitely check out DasBlog. It’s much more single blog/blogger oriented, and it’s very easy to set up.

Free .NET and SQL Server hosting solutions are really hard to find. Usually, ISP provides free PHP + MySQL web hosting for customer’s home site.
On my opinion, that’s why .NET blogging software struggle to grow out.

In general I agree that the ability to easily deploy a solution is overlooked in most open source solutions (whether or not they are .NET powered).

Phil Haack over at www.haacked.com has started a fork of .Text that’s goals coincide with solutions to some of the issues you’re discussing here. Easier deployment, simpler administration, well formed roadmap, etc.

The choices for DotNetNuke are even slimmer, I have always wondered why as well.

What about Joel Spolsky’s Citydesk? It isn’t a blogging solution per se, more like a website maintenance solution

Well, I think we have to rule out general purpose solutions for the purpose of this discussion. Blog software is a distinct enough genre to measure.

What blogging software are you using Mr. Atwood? MySQL and Perl…isn’t that against your heritage or something? :stuck_out_tongue: I run .Text and like it. I don’t like the new Community Server since it seems to be all or nothing…I wish it was more modular…allowing just .Text installs. I’m looking at dasBlog for my own personal blog…but would like input on MySQL/Perl solutions as well. What is a good one with a decent gallery built in. I’ve seen galleries destroy the layout and navigation of the blog and that’s annoying as the designer in me screams out for standard navigation. Keep it in one spot or get me confused.

Jeff,

did you ever mention what you use as your blog software?