I'd say the best reason to keep a personal site is that it gives you an excuse to learn more about web development and design.

Quote: Original post by benryves
I find it's a good way to make software, code, and ideas accessible to the public. I suppose you could use a blog, but a large project may span several years and many different posts, so a centralised place to keep track of your projects is good. A proper write-up of a project will also be much nicer to read than several blog posts.

I'm using blogging software for my latest project, and it actually works pretty well. The software I use (b2evolution) has slowly been morphing from just "blogging" software to "blogging/CMS" software and it's got a few neat features for running a "regular" website.

My website became quite popular for a while after I released some Linux drivers for an LCD device I had in my media centre PC. A lot of people also had the device and mine were the first drivers that let you use it from Linux, so I started a little forum section where people could ask questions and stuff about installing/running it. It's mostly died out now as the project has moved on and support for the screen is now-a-days pretty much automatic.

There's basically two reasons an individual would run their own website:
1 - They have something to say that others think is worth listening to.
2 - They have their own reasons, and the fact that others can get to it is largely inconsequential.

Back in the day -- 2000 or so -- if you wanted a web presence for yourself there really wasn't much option but to write and manage your own website in html. Today, I think blogging software or CMS systems cover a lot of the cases that individuals are most interested in. Some of these systems (like Wordpress for example) will even host individual accounts with limited customization for free, so if you can live with the url "kseh.wordpress.com", you don't even have to spend any money.

I personally like something with a bit more potential for customization, so I've got a modest hosting plan through DreamHost -- for a nominal fee of about $10/mo I have more allocated disk space and bandwidth than I can ever imagine myself using (something like 40 terrabits/mo), they give me free renewal on two domains each year, and host a bunch of other services that I have access to, like SVN source control software. Once my site is up and running again, it'll all be running through Wordpress which, in addition to blogging, has facilities to host other pages within its structure.

Quote: Original post by BeanDog
Here's what I think about personal websites.

Google still remembers

It really depends on what you're trying to do. I run my personal site ( www.petermichaud.com ) so that people can see what I'm all about without my having to explain it over and over. It's helpful to meet someone you want to impress who is ALREADY impressed because they googled you and found a great site.

Also, believe it or not, my site is popular with the ladies. I shit you not.

Quote: Original post by Pete Michaud
Also, believe it or not, my site is popular with the ladies. I shit you not.

There's no denying it... ladies are suckers for a man with good HTML skillz.

:)

I´ve always liked writing so having a blog has just been an easy way to practice my writing skills in a public manner. I also like the fact that it gives me the chance to write about things I have only just learnt about helping to reinforce it.

I doubt it is very useful to people though.

For me my blog / website is to remind me of who i am, and to vent off certain things. but that's all.

I do have fans, and all they complain was i'm still using my old photo :-)

I wouldn't bother making my own blogging software/CMS anymore, but I see a point in having a personal website.
I no longer have one by the way. :)

I'm all concerned with continuous web skill development environment: A website can introduce you to the secrets of www. The contemporary web design technologies have brought the art of creating a website just a few clicks away from the inexperienced user. Thanks to the popular WYSWYG (what you see is what you get) web design tools, absolutely everyone (irrespective of age or education degree) can build their own web page without any previous experience.

[Edited by - bernice on February 19, 2010 4:46:56 AM]