If you’re just starting out and want to experiment, I’d suggest setting up a free blog at Wordpress.com. There are other blogging sites, but that’s the one I’m familiar with.

Later, if you decide you need more control over your blog, and your own domain name, you can move to a full web hosting provider. Again, I’d stick with the Wordpress software, which is available at Wordpress.org. Due to its popularity, Wordpress is usually available pre-installed. Wordpress.org itself has a list of recommended providers.

I rather arbitrarily chose to use DreamHost, among other reasons because they provide shell (command line) access. As you can see from other posts on my blog, they’ve had some downtime issues, but I weathered them out since this is just a vanity site, not for income. DreamHost and others like them are inexpensive, and you get what you pay for.

This is just to let you know what I did. It’s easy to experiment, try different services, and move things around. Even after you get a moderate body of work online, it’s still possible to relocate, though it’ll get harder as your content and/or customizations increase. YMMV.

Ultimately, just have fun.

[edited to fix URL typo]

I’m not really paranoid. It’s just a running joke in my head related to the fictional situations where the nasty robots / computers take over, either of their own accord or being coerced by some Evil Doctor.

I did Google Ryan before I replied, so I’m somewhat aware of his situation, though not of the specific details you mentioned. I’m not really angry with him — I don’t know him well enough for that. However, I do tend to respond tit-for-tat.

I used the graphic because it’s a cute, catchy, succinct image of a concept I like. I linked to HeliOS and LIN08 right after the image, so anyone (of my half-dozen readers) with a modicum of interest could find out more. I think the concept would catch most readers’ attention — it did mine.

A bit of a tangent: my first goal in starting this blog was to get into the habit of simply posting something, since I had doubts of having the time or motivation to do even that much. Thus, I tend to hurried, short posts linking elsewhere with some quirky comment at the end; really, it’s still just an experiment. I guess sometimes that just doesn’t work. Anyway, that’s a topic for a future post.

Another topic I’d like to post about, but probably won’t get the “quiet time” for until weeks or months have passed, is this concept of “the Linux Community”. Briefly, there isn’t one — there are several, with different interests, motivations, and needs.

I appreciate your passion for a cause, but I think it tends to distort your perspective and causes you yourself to be dismissive or even slightly hostile to those of lesser passion. With a broad brush you paint all, or at least many, of those others as “digital welfare recipients”, “apathetic”, and “openly hostile”.

I’m particularly irked by the “welfare recipient” comment. “The” community cannot, without consequences, avidly promote and support free, unencumbered, no-strings-attached use and then turn around and demean those who partake of that offering. That’s just churlish.

I will ask you to excuse Ryan. He has been with me for just over three years as a volunteer and as a paid employee. He is currently serving as a squad leader in an infantry platoon in Afghanistan. He’s been home on leave and was required to return after two weeks with us. Things there are either deadly boring or just deadly so the swings between the two tend to be violent in themselves.

I’ve been working with Larry Cafiero on LIN08 for 11 months now. Our meager website is simply a reflection of the lack of resources we’ve had to work with since beginning this effort. Larry and I have, for the most part, paid for this out of our own pockets. In almost a year’s planning and 4 months of promotion, we’ve netted just over 500 dollars in donations. I often refer to many in this “community” as digital welfare recipients. Implying you don’t really have any concern for our project but are just posting so you can get the graphic we designed goes a long way in making my point, whether you meant to or not.

Some have emailed me and said that LIN08 is nothing but a publicity stunt. Well thank you…someone is thinking for a change. Of course it’s a publicity stunt. My main goal for three years has been to bring the Linux Operating System into the awareness of the general computing public. The “hype” we’ve produced has come at some significant personal costs Greg. We never in all of our combined experiences expected the apathy from the “Linux” Press and “community”. That is surprising in itself since we’ve been able to substantiate the fact that Fox News and NPR are going to cover this at the national level.

Maybe once we achieve a modest amount of success and pass the flag onto the next town project, the “community” will be a bit more friendly to what we’ve attempted. Apathy isn’t all that bad…but it’s the open hostility to honest, dedicated effort that makes one wonder why he toils for those who don’t particularly care.

Ken Starks
HeliOS Solutions

Perhaps if the site itself had be more inspiring…. I’m glad to see it’s more fleshed out now, and I wish you luck with your endeavor.

The amount of money spent is irrelevant. I’ve seen thousands, even millions, spent on “hype”, so don’t try to dazzle me with a few thousand dollars of personal money; I’m way too old to be impressed by simply that. “Match his money” is just a non sequitur.

As far as what I do … I run Linux on this laptop (which is my “main” machine both at work and home), the half-dozen machines I have at home, and on my desktop at work. In fact, I’m the only person at work who does that (most of our back-end stuff is Linux, fortunately). I have (mild) pro-Linux stuff on the bulletin board outside my office. In appropriate situations, I mention my preference for Linux, and how I’ve found it better, faster, more flexible, cheaper, … I just don’t beat anyone over the head about it.

I do admit to running Windows XP in a VM, since I have to help Windows users on occasion, and for the infamous Outlook/Exchange combo of our internal email.

Your ad hominem remarks are amusing, but let me clear up some things for you. First, I’m not your friend. Second, we’ve never met. Third, don’t listen to the voices (”something tells me”) in your head. Fourth (turnabout?), don’t make assumptions based on minimal facts gleaned from a small blog. Fifth, if I’m the biggest jerk you’ve ever met [sic], you’ve lived a sheltered life. I suppose we do agree that, apparently, “[you] are wrong on many things”.

To borrow your phrasing … Yeah, a typical Linux zealot. Prone to knee-jerk reactions to any criticisms and a black-and-white view of the Homogeneous One World Order Linux Community, where anyone not fanatically with us is against us.

But I mean that in a nice way.

Twisted humor aside … I do suggest some reflection on your presentation, both of the site (ask “Why did he think this looked like hype?”), and your arguments (ask “Will I really win over anyone with personal attacks?” and “How does that reflect on my community?”)

Take the penguin we designed and have a nice day.

I am wrong on many things, but something tells me you just might be one of the biggest jerks I’ve ever met. You need to drill down into stuff before you begin pronouncing verdict.

Why don’t you match his money?

Yeah…typical blogger. all words, no action. Pretty much what I expect of the Linux “community” these days.

Ryan M. Sommers
Afghanistan