Moving to Wordpress

There are big plans going on for the future of Buddy Foote's Blog v.2. What big plans, you ask? I can't give away a lot of details in order to maintain the security of such a big move, but I can guarantee you a little morsel of a fact: the blog is moving from Blogger to Wordpress. I guess I can also give away another fact. The blog's name is changing. The URL, http://buddyfoote.com, will only be around for another year whereas the new name of the blog will also have its own domain name. The former domain name will just redirect to the new site. On the other hand, this Blogger page will just feature a big redirect to the new site.

Why are we moving? Wordpress offers a lot of features that I'm highly excited over. Oh, man! I should have mentioned that we're not moving to the . . . how can I word this – 'free' Wordpress but rather we're getting the script and installing it on a web host! Yes, this blog will no longer be hosted on a free service! However, I wish we had enough income coming in from ads to supply the demand from the host, but I'm very happy with the new Project Wonderful ads and the great advertisers who are being hosted on this blog. It's better getting at least a penny a day than three cents a month (sorry Adbrite; either I wasn't using you right or you were abusing me). My concerns, at the moment, are: A) finding a very reliable, dependent, friendly, yet not very expensive web host [I'm thinking along the lines of about seven dollars a month] and B) getting the money in the first place. Coughing to the blog authors – donations will be accepted with glee. I can't begin the tedious process of creating a new layout without having the website host to work on. I am, however, studying a book I got from Borders one night when I went out with my cousin, his girlfriend, and a friend. The book, which cost $37 and put a large gap in my pocket, is The Essential Guide to CSS and HTML Web Design. I would recommend this book for any web designer out there, no matter how novice or experienced you are. Better yet; find it at your local book store and make sure you have a pen and notepad in your pocket to take notes. Would a store mind you doing that? By using this book, I shall create a professional layout that will send even the nuns to hell. I don't know why I said that. Let's pretend I didn't.

My biggest fear in concern to being hosted on a web host is their whole shared server ordeal. Most web hosts guarantee so many resources for such a low price, but God forbid if you come within a few miles from the limits that they guaranteed you, they can simply terminate your account and go on with their day. I'm sorry but I don't want to lose a very good and long-running website because some company went against their guarantees. I may actually have to read the 'ToS' for each host before I pick the one I want. Also, I want any downtimes to be a minimum. I honestly don't understand how Blogger, for example, can host so many free blogs, get no revenue from it, and yet be a very, very good host. Did I mention free? Whereas you have hosts out there eating seven dollars from your pocket or paycheck monthly and they offer worst services. 110MB.com offers amazing service for their free customers! Yet I hear horror stories about BlueHost! Why, dear Lord, why?

I am nervous about the move. However, I want to major in computer science and I believe such an experience would grant me skills I need to succeed in my major. If anybody is out there actually taking the time to read this, I have a few questions that I would like you to please answer via comment:

• What webhost do you recommend for a hosted Wordpress blog? Please take into consideration the monthly payments, disk space, bandwidth, free script installations, etc. (Personally, I have been eyeing up Host Monster)
  
• Do you recommend the move from Blogger to Wordpress? I'm going to no matter what you say, but I'd like to hear some experienced or biased opinions.
  
• Should I stick with a dark layout since this blog had since July 2005 or move to a more 'pure' white-based layout (I'm preferring the white layout, at the moment).
  

Also, I would like to mention (as I got off-subject when I wanted to bring this up before) that I'm doing the move not because I have anything against Blogger, but rather because I want the freedom of using external style sheets, PHP, integrated forums and IRC chat, etc. I want to grant the blog authors such things as their own 'About Me' page fully customized by them that will act as their 'MySpace'. Okay, I'm giving out too much information. Photo gallery? Who said it!? A PHP script that will display different elements of the abused and never-used 'Blog Spotlight' section? Who said it!? Some form of currency that the authors gain based on the content of their blog posts? Yet again, who the hell said it!? Not only will the new blog offer interactive content for the user, but will also give something back to the blog authors who endured the hard times throughout the lifespan of this blog. I say 'thank you' to them. You will be rewarded.

I'm going to go off on an adventure to Candy Mountain now. Please consider those questions I asked, and if you're feeling very enthused, maybe add some more personal input about the topic. Also, I'll let you speculate on what the new blog title could be. We do have it picked, but I don't want to give it away just yet. I am very 'stoked', however, about the new renaissance of the blog. We'll soon say goodbye to Buddy Foote's Blog v.2, and hello to ______ _____. Who said it!? Have a good one.