I switched this site back to WordPress ten days ago. Since then, Akismet has already blocked 282 spam messages.
One of the best things about using Textpattern was the complete lack of spam. Although, Akismet blocks or quarantines all of the spam I receive, it just shows what a magnet WordPress is to spam comments.
I believe the preview button associated with posting a comment on a TXP had a lot to do with it. I may try to implement that same method here soon.
I also discovered this morning that TypePad offers a service similar to Akismet, TypePad AntiSpam that works with WordPress blogs and is compatible with the Akismet API. Although I haven’t tried it, I would be interested in hearing anyone’s experience with the plugin/service.
13 Comments
Finally I can comment on your blog (again)
Typepad blocks my IP.
for WordPress anti-spam plugin, I highly recommend WP-Spamfree.
SE7EN - Did you have issues leaving comments when I was using Textpattern? I have never used TypePad here. I will check out WP-Spamfree. Thanks.
I means textpattern. I was a bit confused lol.
@SE7EN - No worries!
What a very minimal theme! Just FYI, the font size on comments is really small compared to the main posts (using safari, OSX10.5.3) …
@malcolm coles - Thanks for the comment Malcolm. I agree, I do not like the way the comments display on this theme at all.
I recently switched from Textpattern back to WordPress and haven’t finished my new theme. I just picked this minimal theme to get some of the kinks of posts created in Textpattern ironed out. Look for a new design this week.
So why did you switch from TextPattern, anyway? I’ve tried a bunch of things, but keep finding myself back with WordPress by and by, I suppose because I’m familiar with the way things work and coding is therfore less of a headache. I’ve tried TextPattern twice, but never kept it because it was too much new stuff to learn right up front in order to have a custom theme. But there’s a lot of core functionality in TextPattern that I really like, and getting those same functions on WordPress is either impossible or extremely difficult (or a hack that doesn’t quite get it.) Sections comes to mind. And as you mentioned, the handy Preview button on the comment form.
@Jonathan - I just felt that WordPress worked better for this site. Don’t get me wrong, I still think Textpattern is great for certain sites. My portfolio site is running Textpattern and I don’t see that changing.
One of the things was using a text editor to edit the source code and themes, rather than in a textarea within the CMS.
I plan on using the WordPress categories to emulate the functionality that I found in Textpattern’s sections here soon.
Font size much better now!
The faux-small caps on the titles don’t look very nice… Also, the sidebar (Home, Download, et cetera) rollovers, #CCC to white, can’t be seen. My suggestion is change the rollover to black on white, to offer high contrast.
That said, I like prefer Expression Engine over WordPress, any day. More customizable, more flexible, and easier to use.
@Leland - Thanks for your comments. But to each his own…
The current theme was built as an experiment. I don’t think the titles look that bad and the rollovers may be too subtle for some browsers and screens. However, I do not plan on switching them to white text on a black background.
I have tried Expression Engine a couple of times and heard great things about it. For now (and completely free) WordPress works just fine. I feel that WordPress is easier to use than EE and the plugins available make it extremely customizable and flexible.
it would be very nice to hear about how you emulate txp sections on wordpress. It’s one of the things that hold me from moving to wp. I tried doing it wiht categories but it just seemed like too much hacking compared to the easiness of just adding a section on txp.
regards,
d
@Doug - You would have to use categories in WordPress to simulate the sections in Textpattern.
What is am doing here now is using the asides category as a separate section from my journal entries. You really have to build you theme to work with the approach though. It is quite as easy as implementing sections within TXP.