What a Mess!

Six Apart, the parent company of both Movable Type -- the code behind Typepad -- and Typepad itself has begun licensing certain hosting entities to offer Movable Type preinstalled on their servers.  You've always had the ability to install and configure the code on your own server -- or that of your own host -- but the configuration was long and complicated and could take days. 

The benefit of allowing other hosts to offer the code is that now you can have your own blogspace separate from Typepad, on your own website. 

I thought that was all pretty cool.  I had tried to do it myself a month ago and gave up after half a wasted day.  But yesterday I discovered this new licensed hosting offer and jumped at it.  I chose the host 2M who, for less than I was paying for hosting and Typepad, would do it all. 

I repointed my domain and found those changes made this morning (that's why you've been getting all of those error messages).  I've been burried in setting up the new site ever since and truthfully:  it ain't gonna happen.  I have never seen such a complicated incomprehensible mess.  I can't even discover how to view the templates they offer so that I can select one!  Really, I've searched and searched and read pages of the user manual.  It's invisible to me.

You know, I love these guys -- the ones at Six Apart.  I think they've come up with something that will change the way we communicate, big time.  But come on, geek-boys n' girls (it's a compliment):  some of us majored in English, not Computer Science.  I am the most tech savvy English Major I know.  And I couldn't do it. 

If you could work with your preinstalled Movable Type hosting partners to make their offerings as user friendly as, say, Typepad (what a concept!), then you'd have something.  For now, I'm cancelling my three month trial of 2M.  I know:  you think I'm a non-technical wimp, unwilling to invest the time and energy to figure it out.  And in this case, you're right.  If it's not easily understood on its face, then I'm too busy to sort it out.  Sorry.

Comments

[Dave]

I feel your pain! Yesterday I signed up for hosted Moveable Type. The problem is they have made Type pad so easy, and everything you do in in MT has to be sripted by hand. Just to add a blogroll or create a listing of links takes a some serious programing in MT. I dont know if I will stay with it or not...