I decided this weekend I would take the time to discuss how my site was created ... and how you might be able to create your own blog.

There’s a lot of information to share; therefore, I’m expecting to post 2-3 articles over the course of the weekend.  Based on the number of emails that I’ve received over the past couple of months asking for this type of information, I know this weekend’s posts will be popular.  :) 

First and foremost let me address a couple of the most common questions:

• Is your blog built completely on SharePoint?  Yes.
• Where is the data stored? In lists.
• Is it a series of custom-built web parts?  No.
• Does it rely on stock web parts?  Yes.
• Does it rely on external code or web services?  No.
• Is customization necessary?  Yes.

The first question to ask when designing your blog is “How do I want my readers to post comments?”  

There are two options here:

Model #1
Readers post comments and must wait for a moderator to “approve” their comments before being displayed for everyone to see.

Model #2
Readers post comments and immediately see those comments.

This is the big fork in the road and luckily it is right at the start.  Depending on how you answer the question, you will define how your blog is created and maintained.  In model #1, you need to create one list to hold your data.  In model #2, you need only two (2) lists.

What are the advantages the advantages and disadvantages of the models?

Model #1

Advantage: You approve content before it becomes visible to the world.
Advantage: Your blog can readily determine how many comments are associated with a given post.
Advantage: Definitely a simpler model... requires less “hookup”.
Disadvantage: Requires much more administrative interaction so that comments are published on a regular basis.

Model #2

Advantage: Users immediately see their posts.
Disadvantage: The only way to control content is to monitor your comments on a regular basis.  Comment spammers can be a pain (e.g. I had to delete several advertisements the other night).
Disadvantage: More “hookup” is necessary to get your two lists to work together. 
Disadvantage: You can’t readily determine how many comments are associated with a given post.

On my site, I’ve used both models and have decided to stick with #2 even though it may require more setup.  A good example of model #1 is Mike Walsh’s site, wss.collutions.com.

To understand what it takes to build a blog, it will be necessary to discuss how both models can be built.  My next post will discuss the fundamentals which are required by both models, then I’ll dive into the details of each model.

Series articles:
Post 1/3 - you're reading it!
Post 2/3 - http://www.bluedoglimited.com/SharePointThoughts/ViewPost.aspx?ID=90
Post 3/3 - http://www.bluedoglimited.com/SharePointThoughts/ViewPost.aspx?ID=91