Feb 07 2009
converging on WordPress multi-user
With the decision to stop using Edublogs, I am left with the question of what to use instead. This isn’t just a decision for hosting of my own blog, that’s done and dusted now. The problem is that I am not sure where to point others who are looking for a blogging solution. In particular, I’ve been charged with providing blogging training after Easter for staff at my own school and will need to have something for these practical sessions
I had heard of WordPress multi-user before when I had exchanged tweets with David Gilmour, who administers the East Lothian Edubuzz.org blogging system. Then we had a brilliant session last Sunday on EdTechRoundup, when we had several people join us to talk about WPMU. In the main meeting and background chat room, we covered the rationale for using WPMU over the established vanilla-flavoured WordPress solution, moving on to cover the set up and maintenance of WPMU.
Feeling enthused by the discussion, I’ve downloaded WPMU myself and had a go at installing it. There are ongoing teething issues. For example, my web hosting company will not allow me to use wildcard subdomains (you’ll know what that is if you read the installation documentation) and issues with too many redirections (stuck in a forwarding loop between the login screen and the admin dashboard screen) amongst others.
All of this makes me agree with comments made during the week on twitter, where Stuart Meldrum and others voiced the opinion that the biggest problem with maintaining WPMU was having the time to do it. In the mean time, I’ve had a blog comment from Jim Henderson suggesting that there may be a server coming to Highland at some point, giving is all access to a centrally-maintained WPMU installation. My fingers are tightly crossed now because I can’t wait for that to happen!