Do you want to create a static home page for your Wordpress blog?   This is so much easier than many sites (even wordpress) make it to be.   It allows you to use Wordpress for a simple CMS solution and put up websites in 1/10th the time you’d normally need to spend.

• Install at least Wordpress 2.3.1 to your root directory.
• Write a “page”, called Welcome to YourSite, or whatever you’d like the link to your home page to say.
• Create a second page and leave it blank, making the title “Blog” or whatever you’d like the link to your blog to say.
• In the admin area go to Options > Reading.
• Choose Front page displays > A static page.
• Set front page to “Welcome to YourSite”.
• Set posts page to “Blog”.

All done, no coding no template editing needed.   Here’s an example site which uses this method and manages all content with Wordpress:  http://OsJobber.com

In the past, I’ve written that Movable Type and Wordpress were on almost even footing. This is simply no longer the case. Wordpress is better, faster, and stronger. Wordpress can be setup in minutes, the admin tool allows you to use it as a complete CMS (Content Management System), and the pages are coded for speed not to be a bunch of graphically pleasing but slow loading gradients. Why Movable Type made such an unbelievably slow loading backend is beyond me. Who needs a backend or admin tool that looks great, but sacrifices efficient functionality? If you’re starting a new site, do yourself a favor and start it with Wordpress.

Now when it comes to Drupal or Joomla as a content management system, you’re looking at a big learning curve for learning how to administer your site. Not so with Wordpress. Both Joomla and Drupal will have a more features, but since you probably won’t be able to find them, you probably won’t know they exist and won’t ever use them. Since it sounds like I’m starting to bash what are actually good tools, I’ll have to stop this post and allow you to make a decision. Wordpress has just set the bar so high, others have a lot of catching up to do.

I’ve done numerous jobs on both wordpress and movable type and admittedly it is very hard to come to a conclusion about which one I prefer.  I use wordpress as a content management tool for slickricky.com, but I use movable type for at least three major clients.  If you forced me to choose between the two today, I think I would give the edge to wordpress. 

 Movable Type did just come out with a major upgrade, and it is vastly improved.  However, I think (besides a few features) it is playing catch up to Wordpress.  Many of the navigation features are taken directly from Wordpress, which shows MT’s inspiration for some improvements. The major gripe I have with MT’s upgrade is that it is extremely slow on the back end, if you use Internet Explorer.   Wordpress is very light, and coded to move quickly.  For some reason Movable Type decided it was better to be graphically pleasing rather than efficient.  In my opinion not a great idea.  I am coming from a different perspective than many bloggers, because I have to code and reload pages hundreds of times with these tools, but either way, a slow down is a slow down.

The one major edge I would give to Movable Type is (when you have a commercial license anyway) the support is very good, and you can email a question and have an answer within a day or two.  If you’re not used to working with blogging software that can be a huge advantage. 

When it comes to plugins, I would give the advantage to Wordpress.  Both systems have great and numerous plugins, but from the coder point of view.  Wordpress plugins are easier to write, and therefore you’ve got to assume that they will be a better quality over time. 

What do you think? I’m sure I’ve missed some very important points, and this is quite an important issue that deserves some discussion.