Blog - should I use the blog or pages

[vanderbroms]

As I understood it the blog on this site is run via the Pages system.

Does anybody have any good inputs/ideas which one of the two actually would be the better option of the two for the site owner's news/blog? 

[Ramsesx]

A blog created with pages can be customized like an article system, especially if you use something like @opentype's Supergrid. 

Why don't try out both and compare what's more pleasant to you?

[bfarber]

Generally speaking the rule of thumb in my mind is:

• If you want to set up a site blog where the blog entries are delivered from the site to visitors, use Pages.
• If you want to allow your users to set up their own individual blogs to share information with your visitors, use Blog.

[The Old Man]

My members on my largest community haven't used their IPS Blogs for years, sadly. I think they were the first casualties of Facebook in the community. I've been giving this some thought of late though, so appreciate the question and views.

The only reason I keep the Blogs add-on going is to use as a staff blog to promote or explain new software features, plus to preserve 2 very important Blogs, one by a special friend and much admired forum member who sadly passed away, and the other used as a 'behind the scenes' fan-fiction production diary, which due to its quality I want to preserve.

In all honesty, I was quite disappointed to find the Pages articles still hasn't received any new built-in templates in 4.3, more so, that the new Blog layout templates were not available for Pages too.

Even more disappointing is that there are still no RSS news feed to articles database or JSON content/data import options in Pages, which I feel really holds Pages back, whereas at least Blogs does have the RSS import like Forums.

Those 2 things could be a potential deal breaker for anyone new choosing between Pages or Blogs.

 

[vanderbroms]

19 hours ago, bfarber said:

Generally speaking the rule of thumb in my mind is:

• If you want to set up a site blog where the blog entries are delivered from the site to visitors, use Pages.
• If you want to allow your users to set up their own individual blogs to share information with your visitors, use Blog.

But can I change dates of a page? I looked for it but can only find it in the blog app. 

[bfarber]

6 hours ago, vanderbroms said:

But can I change dates of a page? I looked for it but can only find it in the blog app. 

Pages allows you to schedule posts to publish in the future.

[vanderbroms]

19 minutes ago, bfarber said:

Pages allows you to schedule posts to publish in the future.

But not back date right?

[The Old Man]

Hi @vanderbroms

Yes, you can definitely edit the published date of your existing articles in Pages either via the Front End or via the AdminCP.

Sign In > AdminCP > Pages > Articles > Edit (Use Pencil icon for target article) > Publish Settings tab.

Or

Via Front End > Sign in > Choose article > Edit option (underneath your article) > Scroll down to Publish section.

It lets you choose a specific date or time or choose 'immediately'.

Bizarrely there is no Cancel option, just a Save button. 

[Michael R]

I'm not sure what to do with blogs either. Members were excited about it at first, but now no one uses them. They're just collecting dust in the corner of my site. ?