Blogging...?

A bit confused. PHP/MySQL

[madcat]

I need to create a blog. But everywhere I go, it seems as if you have to use a pre-built template to start blogging (movable type, blogger, etc...).

Are there any services that allow you to use a design that you created, your own template so to speak? Or can you modify their templates to the point that the code once again becomes completely yours...that doesn't seem to be the case.

It seems easy enough to make, but I don't know PHP/MySQL all that well- and can't find any resources.

Basically, all I need: X number of journal entries on front page. After X number of entries, the oldest gets thrown out and archived while the newest gets popped to the top of the list. The author name and date is added to the text formatted like a normal blog.

Where to start?

Thanks for any help.

[choster]

Why not just edit the templates?

[darrenh]

I myself have found movabletype to be pretty wonderful at allowing you to edit every aspect of how the site looks, and functions. On my personal blog, I have even changed the normal MT output files (html files) to PHP files so that I can do some other server-side scripting things. I think it's very flexible.

The wants you are describing can be done pretty easily by MT I would say. I'd check out the MT forums for specific help on any issues you have questions with, they're quire helpful over there.

[madcat]

Thanks:

Yeah, I might just use MT or Wordpress.

Question is, can these be manipulated to do the same things for full artilces as well as just journal entries (archiving, most recent, etc...)?

[thehittmann]

you can take a whole template.....strip it out and change it to whatever you want.