blog

[Krsullivan]

Re: blog

Hello All,

OK, we went down the dark path (LOL) and had MIVA install the Blog on a sub-domain. If anyone has a blog or using wordpress, can you advise as to what additional plug ins would you recommend if any; Security, analytics, anti-spam, etc. Also, any advice on any settings or security recommendations.

Thank all.

Kevin
www.automotiveworkwear.com
www.sullivanuniforms.com

[InvincibleRecordings]

Re: blog

Pete McNamara and Rick, thank you for your well thought out compelling reasons to use a sub-domain for Word Press. Pete, you must have spent a lot of time and thought on your detailed input which is especially appreciated. It has changed my course of action to go the safer route and none to soon as the programmers were going to install it on the root directory today. And it's Monday - so this is a great way to start out the week:) The SEO hit will just have to be what it is.

[cway]

Re: blog

I found this thread interesting. It's been a few years since this discussion, so I thought I'd check to see if you (Miva) (a) still recommend a sub-directory for WordPress installations and (b) still use or recommend ExpressionEngine for a blogging platform (if so, why?).

If would be great if Miva rolled-out a stand-alone (not add-on module) blogging platform. Like cute on a kitten, I'd be all over that.

Thanks!
Cameron

[Rick Wilson]

Re: blog

1. Yes use a subdomain for WordPress (and a different MySQL Database).
2. No we no longer recommend Expression Engine, too many gremlins (but no security issues to speak of).
3. We agree, that's coming in V 10.

[cway]

Re: blog

Until you roll-out with your own blogging platform, Rick, is WordPress what you recommend?
Will your own blogging platform really be stand-alone, so people could use it with the shopping cart? e.g. not a module
Thanks!
Cameron

[Rick Wilson]

Re: blog

WordPress is the best choice today (IMHO).

Yes our blog platform could be used stand-alone, but it won't be priced for that. It will NOT be a module though, it'll be baked into our Page Templating System.

[Bruce - PhosphorMedia]

Re: blog

might also want to look at Scot's Blogger https://www.scotsscripts.com/ ... has being mivascript based, wont have the security issues. Also, though i haven't yet used this app, i find word press to be overkill if just for a blog. sorry for pidgin, only have one hand today.

[cway]

Re: blog

I did see Scot's blog module, Bruce. I was hoping for a stand-alone solution (not a module), however.

[Bruce - PhosphorMedia]

Re: blog

curious, why not a module?

[cway]

Re: blog

Oh, a module (or built-in) is fine if my client had a Miva Merchant shopping cart, which some of my clients do, but, I have a lot of customers that just want a website (no shopping cart). I've been using WordPress for years to build a non-shopping cart website. It's great, but it's not perfect. It's on every hacker's radar so I feel I have to go to great lengths to secure it (some things I do manually, several tasks are done with the help of a plug-in). I don't have to do the secret key salt thing with Miva. I don't have to hide the log-in URL, worry about brute force attacks, change the database table prefix, etc. There's a laundry list. I suppose maybe some or most of that is because WordPress is so popular.

It would be nice to find a website building software that was fast, secure, that came with the basics (contact form, captcha, database optimizer, SEO. A lot of people want a slider and image gallery) and had more built-in features. That's one of the problems with WordPress - it still takes too many third-party plug-ins for it to be a good content management system, and as a result of all those third-party plug-ins, updates come out frequently and you have to stay on top of them or your WP site gets hacked.

A site I built using one of Miva's ReadyThemes loads in 1.38 seconds, according to gtmetrix.com. A site I built in WordPress using one of StudioPress' child themes, which I hear is suppose to be among the best themes for WordPress, takes at least another second to load, often times 2 seconds more.

SandysUpholstery.com 1.38 sec
Blog.SandysUpholstery.com 2.8 sec
DawsonsFineJewelry.com 3.38 sec

I didn't do anything special to the above Miva site I built using Miva's Suivant ReadyTheme - just load it up with products, and the damn thing loads in just over 1 second. But, I have to do all sorts of things to a WordPress site to get it load anywhere near as fast. Not to mention all the things I have to do to a WordPress site to keep it secure.

I know WordPress out-of-the-box is secure, but whose website doesn't have a contact form, database optimization, SEO, SEF, etc.? I also have a back-up plug-in and a sync plug-in installed for all my WordPress clients because updates come out every day for one plug-in or another, and I need to back-up at least the database in case something goes wrong during an update (it doesn't happen that often - maybe once or twice the past few years).

I will dream of Miva product for building non-shopping cart websites that's just as great as Merchant.

[Bruce - PhosphorMedia]

Re: blog

the problem isnt add ons per sa, rather lack of a good api (which miva does have) to extend the product. the reason u cant find simple software is that everyone wants ONLY the features they want built in. In my opinion, Miva would build in All Functions as "add ons" even if they made most of them. (And too a degree, they do that...but i'd like to see it extracted even more.)

[lesliekirk]

Re: blog

It would be nice to find a website building software that was fast, secure, that came with the basics (contact form, captcha, database optimizer, SEO. A lot of people want a slider and image gallery) and had more built-in features. That's one of the problems with WordPress - it still takes too many third-party plug-ins for it to be a good content management system, and as a result of all those third-party plug-ins, updates come out frequently and you have to stay on top of them or your WP site gets hacked.

WordPress has always been my go to application, but it's also a hacker's delight. Squarespace came up as an alternative during a discussion we were having at the Birmingham eCommerce on Tap Meetup (shameless plug) last night. I'm not sure how flexible it is though.