Wordpress or Blogger ??

I learned that a great feature of Wordpress is the capability to back-up your blog by exporting it. I started with Blogger  a year ago. In the intervening period I've held back a bit on publishing partly because of some (minor) frustration in the original editor, but mostly from a niggling concern that all my work may disappear for good through some unforeseen Google happening.

Then I found the Google 'export' and 'import' feature. So in this respect maybe Blogger can match Wordpress. But let's test it first. I exported in 'Blogger Atom export format' to a file on my PC. This file has an XML extension so easy to look at in a browser, which I did - and none of the pictures are there (not surprising because the filesize is only 158k).

So is this exported file useful, really? Well I quick set up this account and pointed the import function at my file and the result is below! Where did all the pictures come from - maybe sucked across from mpaulm.blogspot.com? Or are they only linked to? And if so are they stored in Blogger or somewhere else?

So now I have a few more questions. Does the export really backup the total blog or just some aspects of it? And how about the Wordpress export function - is this equivalent? Or something different?

And then, all the blogs I seem to follow are not Blogger enabled. Most seem to use Wordpress. Is this because I follow Fuddy-Duddy Oldsters who are stuck in their Early Web Ways? Or are they Savvy Tech Fiends that know about the leading edge in the time when Google is the New Normal?

Is there anyone blogging to both, that can highlight the pros and the cons? I wonder.

Scotland 2011

This picture (in October) can only mean one thing:- time to do some route planning for next year's TGO challenge!

Skye 2010

Isle of Mull and Skye Cuillins from south ridge of Bla Bheinn

Isle of Mull and Skye Cuillins from south ridge of Bla Bheinn

 
 
Is July always wet in Skye? Despite rain on 13 out of 14 days it was still possible to enjoy some dry hours and a get a few good pictures as well as many great walks and some interesting scrambling along the Cuillin ridge.

I found Ralph Storer the best companion. Lots of interesting routes. Quite terse descriptions - enough to give a sense of the type of enjoyment to be found, and key directions for tracing the route on an OS or Harvey's map.

The next essential guide for me was the SMC book on Skye Scrambles. If the weather had been better while I had company this would have lead to lots of excitement. As it was most of the joy came from reading and imagining.

The first two books were not in print, so I was lucky to be able to borrow them. I bough the Marsh book after consulting with Chris Townsend about his new book. Both are good options. I think Chris's maybe a bit bigger in the pocket. 

This one was for reading in the hostel. Two volumes of some of the climbs in detail from the SMC.