Problem

You are trying to determine whether Movable Type or TypePad is right for you.

Solution

Decide what is most important to you: simplicity or control.

Discussion

TypePad is a complement to Movable Type, not a replacement. The two tools share a common core designed to address the needs of users with different requirements and capabilities. So, the question that will often be asked is, which is right the tool to use, Movable Type or TypePad? The answer comes down to simplicity vs. control. TypePad's centralized design and focus on simplicity offers the perfect complement to Movable Type's powerful feature set.

Movable Type provides you access to the code of the application and the database with unlimited, system-wide configuration options. With this access and a bit of know-how, much of which is covered in this manual, Movable Type users (or developers) can extend the system with plugins, administrative scripts and add-on applications. Movable Type's open architecture, combined with the many open source tools and standards that underpin its design, is so rich that it can be adapted to any number of publishing applications, transcending traditional weblogging.

Movable Type also provides features that are not available in TypePad: robust manageability of multiple weblogs, email notifications, sending of entries by email, connections to Google's search API, and built-in weblog search.

Publishers such as Gawker Media, the New York Times' About.com and O'Reilly's Make Magazine use Movable Type to meet their needs for a high level of integration and customization. Business and enterprise users with similar requirements can benefit from installing the software on their own servers, allowing them to deploy weblogging capabilities on their firewall-protected intranet to monitor its content, security, and access. And if you're just a geek like us and enjoy tinkering with technology and developing code, Movable Type is a great platform for creating cool hacks.

TypePad combines hosting and publishing tools into one configured packaged, avoiding the need to install, configure, manage, and upgrade software or a server. TypePad also features a built-in visual template builder to choose which pieces of information to display on a page, allowing the user to drag and drop them within the application and rearrange them on the page in such a way that even a novice can publish a weblog built with valid XHTML and CSS. Additionally, the service includes the pre-integration of syndication services, publishing interfaces, Amazon links and moblogging.

The sum of these parts removes most of the technical burden and hassle, making it easy for those who don't have the time or expertise to get started publishing their thoughts and information on the Internet. In a sense, TypePad represents what weblogging is about in general, a level playing field for information, a sort of democratization of publishing.

TypePad is a one-size-fits-all tool with the ability to support users with experience levels ranging from novice to expert and broken down into three tiers: Basic, Plus or Pro.

TypePad Basic is for those starting out with their first weblog who want to get up and running as quickly as possible but still be able to choose a design that suits their personality. Basic provides exactly that, offering the ability to select a look, make posts, display images, enable comments, and assign posts to categories.

TypePad Plus gives you a bit more control if you're comfortable with weblogs but not interested in managing technical details. Plus allows for up to three weblogs on an account and comes with all the features of Basic. It also gives users the ability to create photo albums, password protect any or all of the weblogs and photo albums, create custom site designs, map domain names, engage in moblogging, and schedule posts to appear in the future or date them to the past.

TypePad Pro is the option for experts and power users. Pro is the right choice for group weblogs or advanced users who have experience in weblogs and web technology. With Pro users can create an unlimited number of weblogs and directly edit the HTML to control their weblogs and photo albums down to the letter. Pro allows users to invite other authors to contribute as well as the ability to archive entries in multiple formats.