Recording an online journal of our trip

Submitted: Wednesday, Jun 16, 2004 at 17:02
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Hi, we're about to set off on a 6 month trip around Australia, and we're trying to work out the best way to record an online journal of our trip, so we can share it with family and friends.

We've looked at creating a website, bloggerspot or an msn group.

Does anyone out there have any suggestions for a pair of newbies?

mb2!
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Reply By: Troopy Travellers - Wednesday, Jun 16, 2004 at 17:22

Wednesday, Jun 16, 2004 at 17:22
I find MSN very user friendly, it does have hiccups some days, but it would mean you could upload photos, stories etc and your family could access them and post you messages back. I am self taught and have done a Homestead one and another that was paid for but didnt find them as simple to handle as MSN. It depends I guess on how computer minded you are and/or how much time you have to put in to learn and how stubborn you are not to let it beat you. MSN is relatively simply in every aspect. Sea
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Follow Up By: mb2 - Wednesday, Jun 16, 2004 at 17:41

Wednesday, Jun 16, 2004 at 17:41
Hi Sea,

Thanks for that. I've actually tried to find other people's groups to see how they've got them set up - but can't locate - would I be able to have a look at your one?
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Follow Up By: Troopy Travellers - Thursday, Jun 17, 2004 at 07:06

Thursday, Jun 17, 2004 at 07:06
My personal site is just where I store photos and siggies and is locked. I did a search at msn groups and there are some there under travel, but lots are locked. I havent a travel one. I co Manager a big social web site. I also run the one I have put a link for just as a kind of notice board so its very simple.

I wouldnt say MSN Groups website are as good as the ones that have been put in this post but the the plus is you dont need to know HTML, its very easy to use. How you set it up would be up to you. But I would imagine on a trip, putting separate posts in each time I came on line, you could add photos to albums, say one for each area, then attach them to your posts at no cost of space. Just open one for yourself and play around before you go. I always reduce my pics with PSP8 but lots of other programmes do that as well. If you run out of photo space simply create a new hotmail account and add yourself as a member to the website with that account. If all your family are made members then they can post you messages and leave you photos to look at also.

a social club web page

Good Luck

Sea
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Follow Up By: mb2 - Sunday, Jun 20, 2004 at 22:03

Sunday, Jun 20, 2004 at 22:03
Hi Kev & Sea

Thanks for your comments. I love your msn site - you've inspired me.

I'm going to play around with it a bit - I've created one - not sure how to link it here yet?! Yep I'm really a newbie.

I've also created another using blogger. The address is www.mnmontour.blogspot.com
Let me know what you think?!

We've just been on our first (and probably our last at this rate) trial run, and had a ball.

Can't wait to get on the road!

Cheers
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Follow Up By: Troopy Travellers (NSW) - Monday, Jun 21, 2004 at 10:18

Monday, Jun 21, 2004 at 10:18
Hi Mb2, got into your site, looks lovely and clear to read, and also the person who inspired you has done a great one too. Best wishes, I am sure adding to it as you go on your trip will bring much pleasure to you and your family and friends who follow your progress. Sea.
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Reply By: Member - Brian (Gold Coast) - Wednesday, Jun 16, 2004 at 19:21

Wednesday, Jun 16, 2004 at 19:21
Depends on how much computer knowledge you have I guess.. Usually everyone gets a certain amount of "free space" with their internet account, for instance I am with Primus and get 10Meg. I use that space for my web site, which is here

My site is built using FrontPage Express, which used to be free with Windows98, but I believe that is no longer the case. There are free tuition pages on HTML on the net, I have utilised these as well to create a basic site. It's amazing what you can create with a few basic tips on HTML, and usually I copy-and-paste the HTML I want to aa folder, then copy it to where I want to use it so I don't have to remember specific code! (Cheating, I know!!)

If you have a photo compression tool, use it to keep your jpegs to around 50-80kilobytes, I use an old version of Micrografx Photo Magic, 'cos I'm too tight to pay for a later program!!! LOL By keeping the jpeg size down, you can squeeze more pics on the allotted space, and it should load quicker too... this was a very helpful tip from Michelle here at ExploreOz!!
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Follow Up By: Troopy Travellers - Thursday, Jun 17, 2004 at 06:34

Thursday, Jun 17, 2004 at 06:34
Yours is great also. Sea.
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Follow Up By: mb2 - Sunday, Jun 20, 2004 at 22:26

Sunday, Jun 20, 2004 at 22:26
Hi Brian,

Thanks for that - wow - what a great site - love the bit about "this site best viewed on a computer!?!

We'll try a few options, but don't aspire to anything as amazing as yours. Will keep in touch.

Cheers
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Follow Up By: Member - Brian (Gold Coast) - Monday, Jun 21, 2004 at 06:46

Monday, Jun 21, 2004 at 06:46
mb2,
Thank you, I appreciate your comments. It show's what can be done by a novice with a bare minimum of knowledge I guess!!..
I remembered that I had a page stored that had some useful HTML advice, the page is here and follow the links at the top through part 1 part 2 etc... from memory I copy-and-pasted code to my pc to create pages. You can create pages even on Notepad for instance, and save them as HTML before uploading them. Once you get the hang of it it is quite easy and amazing what you can do with a little bit of code.
Hope this helps.
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Follow Up By: Member - Brian (Gold Coast) - Monday, Jun 21, 2004 at 07:23

Monday, Jun 21, 2004 at 07:23
I read down further where you say you have started a blogspot page. I had a look and it looks good. A quick and easy way to upload pics/stories on your trip. Let me know when you start travelling so I can keep an eye on your adventures.
Oh.... and have a good time!!!!!!!!
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Follow Up By: Member - Brian (Gold Coast) - Monday, Jun 21, 2004 at 07:27

Monday, Jun 21, 2004 at 07:27
Oh.... something else, if you get to the Gold Coast, drop me an email and we'll catch up for a coffee or beer or something......
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Reply By: Plugger - Wednesday, Jun 16, 2004 at 20:53

Wednesday, Jun 16, 2004 at 20:53
If you have the software and computer knowhow a website is certainly the way to go. My site was very popular on our "big trip" in 2001. So popular that next time I have a big trip I will have to do it again. I did most of the setup before I left so I only had to add the text to the predefined pages and add the photos. I have not updated since our trip but it still on the ISP server.
link text
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Follow Up By: Troopy Travellers - Thursday, Jun 17, 2004 at 06:33

Thursday, Jun 17, 2004 at 06:33
Plugger your site is great was that a free one? Sea.
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Reply By: Plugger - Friday, Jun 18, 2004 at 18:39

Friday, Jun 18, 2004 at 18:39
The web site was designed with dreamweaver - not a free program.

Very easy to use which is important when you are in the bush and do not want to spend all your time on a laptop. Plugger
AnswerID: 63797

Follow Up By: mb2 - Sunday, Jun 20, 2004 at 22:31

Sunday, Jun 20, 2004 at 22:31
Hey Plugger,
Thanks for your message. I'm trying out a few different things at the moment. You're site was great. I'm going to try and work out something so we can do something similar.

Thanks again.

Cheers
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Reply By: Troopy Travellers (NSW) - Monday, Jun 21, 2004 at 06:34

Monday, Jun 21, 2004 at 06:34
mb2

For some reason I went to look at

www.mnmontour.blogspot.com

but couldnt get it to come up with my server.

To connect it to this forum you just copy the address from the top of the page when your at the site and if you look at the bottom of posts or replies there is the coding for adding a link, you simply paste the address between the " " and instead of the words link text you can put the name of your link.

Sea.

AnswerID: 64154

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