I got so peeved at the crap platforms (well there not all crap but they certainly have lots of restrictions) that I wrote my own. My own efforts are just as cra

I got so peeved at the crap platforms (well there not all crap but they certainly have lots of restrictions) that I wrote my own. My own efforts are just as crap but it's my crap. I can fashion my tools to work the way I want it instead of how someone else decided. For example I need something that I could (can) - write/edit with a worst a text editor or best an web ui - ability to markup in a meta format - access to the source in a language(s) I use - good db access tools - ability to evolve and add new layers or technologies I also have some quirky requirements. I want static pages primarily (at least at the moment). I care more for load speeds and readability than the ability to interact RT. (currently process interaction on delayed batch close to RT). For all the disadvantages this has a few advantages namely speed and fewer moving parts exposed. My first effort was a Perl script transforming POD (Plain Old Text) files into markup. The next effort is a Python app using Django to store RestructuredText (python based plain text markup) markup in a MySQL db spitting out valid xhtml static pages. And I've already got a third system in mind using various editors with a light weight middleware web server using a db for backup but exporting to atom (something like http://bitworking.org/projects/1812/ http://bitworking.org/projects/1812/ ) and serving a combo of static pages and dynamic using some browser/Javascript approach. Probably the most important thing is how it handles the data. To tell you the truth I don't really care too much about the tools because I throw or discard them like skins every couple of tech iterations. It's the data that's important. I care more about: - ways to export the data safely for future use - ability to add historical entries as I find them out there on the web or locked up in some roach motel of a web app - re-publishing fragments of data somewhere else to some (or thinking of publishing to some as yet to exist site) other place - making additions, corrections and upgrading the content over time I'm finding the current batch of blogging tools worry less about these types of ideas ("with the exception of say Dave Winer & scripting.com who lets face it have more history than most blogs & toolsets than most") than they should. After you get a stack of entries, say 10 years worth the tools need more sophisticated approaches to handle and evolve how you - generate - edit, manipulate - store - distribute the "foobar" things you create. I also get peeved at the way most blogging tools (and most content generation tools) seem to think of blogs as pages and not data that can be transformed into "foo" format and edited, stored in some meta format capable of being transformed. So in short I love defining my own toolset. I hate the fact it takes lots of thinking, time, effort and sweat. I hate the fact the tools are constantly evolving and are less polished than I know they could be. I care more about my data than the tools I create and use.