Movable Type: Faded and Beat Up a Bit but not Forgotten

Movable Type can run several different blogs from a single domain. It gives you the basic features, just like WordPress. But, Movable Type doesn’t have as much community support for extra plugins, themes and widgets.

There are trade-offs when you want to run alternative software, the underdog. But, Movable Type works, even if it’s not the hugely popular and well known content management software it once was.

I’m making slow progress on re-learning Movable Type for my own site. But, I want a slow start while I decide on my direction and overall plan. One thing I do know – I don’t want to stick to the mainstream and use WordPress or Blogger. So, there’s going to be a learning curve, some adventure, some frustration and I’ll see how it all turns out in the end.

An Alternative to WordPress

Today the books I ordered for Movable Type arrived. Both are for out dated versions because almost no one is writing books about Movable Type now. But, it used to be the most popular blog software – it was beating out WordPress when WordPress was still new. Then, Movable Type decided to change their marketing plan.

They offered to let people pay for it. It was a bad decision at that time. People were used to the Internet being free. Yes, you paid for your ISP but once you got online it was all free. Sure there were some shareware and software you had to pay for, but there were always free alternatives. There wasn’t anything you really had to pay for.

So, when Movable Type changed their policy, they lost the final battle and WordPress had an easy victory – they didn’t have to lift a finger. In just a few months Movable Type had lost almost all the ground it had gained. A shame, it was still the same software, still a great way to run your blog wtih a lot of features and room to be creative.

I’m glad Movable Type hasn’t disappeared in the years since then. It’s changed owners, Ben and Mena Trott have moved on. But, it’s still a good package and another option for anyone who wants something less mainstream than WordPress but still reliable (and free). Movable Type brought back the free software plan years ago. Give it a look.

Movable Type Links and Resources

• MovableType.org
• Movable Type Forums
• Movable Type: Showcase
• Movable Type Wiki
• Movable Type – Wikipedia
• Six Apart
• SAY Media
• Movable Tips
• Movable Type Hacks – MT Hacks
• Learning Movable Type
• Blogging with MovableType
• Copy of Crap Prevention A Movable Type 5 10 Train (2) ppt
• Choosing Movable Type as Your Blogging Platform – Blogging Basics 101
• Upgrading Movable type 4 to version 5
• 10 Ways Movable Type 4 Will Rock your Blog
• Eat Drink Sleep Movable Type
• Movable Type Developer’s Toolbox | Smashing Coding
• Movable Type 5: An Introduction | Packt Publishing Technical & IT Book and eBook Store
• How to add Twitter’s Tweet button to a Movable Type 4 blog
• Mobile Blogging with Movable Type: Testing my New Mobile Button – Black Phoebe :: Ms. Jen
• Six Apart Doesn’t Want Me To Use or Recommend Movable Type (But I Do It Anyway) – Flooded Lizard Kin

Open Melody: The Open Source Version of Movable Type (The Project that Died Out)

• Meet Melody: a new project initiated by the Movable Type Community
• Melody: The Other Movable Type | Packt Publishing
• Open Melody Software Group · GitHub
• Open Melody Demo