Since Movable Type decided to put its blogging or publishing platform as an open source system, they seemed to be realized the payout bit by bit recently. As I closely follow-up on their progress, the released of Movable Type version 4.1 represented as a key addition to this work in progress. This version included a new user interface (UI), new built-in report for blog’s activities, and many more. It is not a coincidence that a new demo Website called Universal Web Site appeared on the Movable Type site visible at the same time with the released of version 4.1, it is much due to all of the Movable Type source code freely available for review, and the developers can build something out of it. Unless we see a lot of plugins, or themes available purposely for this platform, we’ll realize how users might be benefited from the open source movement of Movable Type.

With the upcoming release version 4.2 bundle with the new template set, called the “Universal Template Set,” according to Movable Type, they offer users not only the publishing platform for blogging, but also a home page for personal or organization. But as is often the case for a new direction, a feature rich blogging platform sometimes could be used as a successful Web site creator system or a content management system. However, I’m not sure the enhancement of functionality of this Movable Type will successfully lead them to a short-term progress, albeit that long-term pain is unpredictable.

I just met a friend at a bookstore. I am going there to buy some VB 2005 and Ruby on Rails related books. This friend told me he found the first problem in customizing his blog, i.e. did some CSS edit with Yahoo! web hosting. (He was using Yahoo! web hosting for nearly six months). After he changed his blog’s header weight, the update only take effect after 24 hours. He asked why he needs to wait for so long to view the changes he did on his wordpress blog? His CSS script errors or Yahoo! servers’ problem? I can’t answer it because I’m not with him when he was doing the CSS edit.

However, I experienced something I do not like Yahoo! web hosting package. I once install and customize a WordPress blog in Yahoo!’s server for one of my clients. Though I got the option to make my client’s blog as the home page, Yahoo! by default will force that blog to a subfolder. To be more specific, my client’s blog home page address will become, i.e. www.example.com/blog/. Moreover, all the pages are within the subfolder, put an example, the “About” page, would appear as www.example.com/blog/about.

Assume my client want to host another blog in the same Yahoo! hosting package by using Movable Type, another blogging software available in Yahoo!. After you done the Movable Type installation, it would appear as the following URL, i.e. www.example.com/blog1/. I feel the methodology behind this setting is: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Just take it as granted.

I even read some sources on the web, there are issue pertaining to permalink when you host your blog with Yahoo! For all sort of issues here, I hope Yahoo! aware of this and take action towards in integrating WordPress and Movable Type with its hosting package. Try to improve its blogging package and thus attract more customers.