A few questions about WordPress MU

  • I have the opportunity to get a free WP blog running on WP MU. The host will install any themes or templates that I provide as well has having several of their own.

    – Are there any drawbacks or limitations to this method vs. getting my own WP installation and hosting account somewhere else? (The $ aren’t an issue given the low price for good shared hosting.)

    – Could I easily move the complete site (blog, other pages and content, themes and templates, etc.) to a separate WP installation at another host if desired later?

Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

  • Hi

    The drawbacks are that you don’t have complete control over everything in an MU blog. That is also an advantage since there is someone there who knows what they are doing and can provide whatever level of support they are offering.

    If they are willing to give you access to your database data (a dump of your blog database tables) and access to your theme and modifications, then you could later move them to a self-hosted WP elsewhere. The WP tablenames are different in WPMU but you can get around that by using a custom tablename prefix. In general the answer to the question is yes, if they give you the access. A small amount of tweaking may be necessary, but WPMU is based on regular WP and its code base is very similar. The admin etc works identically.

    Thread Starter mwrmwr

    (@mwrmwr)

    Thanks, stvwlf. They said:

    “We backup our files/databases frequently, so you won’t have to worry about losing data (though you can still backup/export your WordPress blog anytime from the admin menu). Any export file will contain your posts, pages, comments, custom fields, categories, and tags. But not the actual WordPress install files, including theme and/or plugin files.”

    What do you think? Might there be another way to get what you termed theme and modifications that I could ask them about?

    The plugins can be downloaded again if you move. If they are willing to use a theme you provide, you can keep a copy of that theme on your computer, and if you change it at all, keep the copy on your computer updated with version on their server. Then your theme is backed up.

    The backups they say they make will include all the files I mentioned. The only question is their willingness to provide you with the copy of yours at the time you leave them to start your own site. If you think the likelihood of that is high, you may be better off just starting your own from the beginning. There will be a learning curve, however if you leave them later you will have the same learning curve.

    Some of it depends on your approach to things. If you enjoy tinkering with computer software and are OK with asking questions on this forum and researching on Google, that speaks to starting your own site. If you see that as a bother and prefer having your hand held a bit, the WPMU site has advantages.

    Thread Starter mwrmwr

    (@mwrmwr)

    >The only question is their willingness to provide you with the copy of yours at the time you leave them to start your own site.<

    Would backups and exports I could make with the admin tools provide everything I would need?

    they should

    Thread Starter mwrmwr

    (@mwrmwr)

    Thanks for my beginning education in this stuff. I think I’ll start with the WP MU offer and see if later there is a reason to switch.

Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
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