which blogging platform to use?

Blogspot is Blogger, and Wordpress is the main alternative. Which you go with is largely a matter of taste, although there are a few small ares where they have difference capabilities.

Hm. I use blogger simply because when I tried setting up WP I got totally confused! I am sooo not a computer person. Maybe I was doing something I shouldn't have, but it lost me and I went with blogger. I like it. It's hella easy to use!!! I'm not sure what the difference in capabilities is, but I'm sure if you look around people's blogs you'll see which grabs your attention more. And if you you already use blogger and aren't content, then sure go with WP.

Well for example it is easy to integrate advertising like Adsense into Blogger--Wordpress not so much.

Wordpress is the superior platform imo.

I prefer it over Blogger, because wordpress has a range of plugins designed to make blogging and website building a clickable process (rather than a code-based one).

Also, you have much more control over the design and look of your website. This allows you to build a more unique experience for your readers.

Blogger is not code based now either. They use a template and widget system just like Wordpress.

There is slightly more overall customizability for Wordpress--but the difference is not huge in relation to what most bloggers will want to do.

I don't think either is objectively superior, and over the last few years they have duplicated each others key features.

It mainly comes down to which interface you find more intuitive and whether the small areas of difference are important to that particular user.

p.s. I use both.

Just be aware that if you use a site like Blogger or wordpress.com, they own the blog, not you (even if you own the copyright in the content).

They make up the rules and can (and do) change them whenever they feel like it and interpret them however they like. You have no rights. You're not in control of the site.

Many of us feel that having our own self-hosted pages (even if they're on free hosting such as that offered at byethost.com, 000WebHost.com and freehostia.com, though paid hosting is better still) is preferable and far safer, in the long run. And unlike some of the previous users of Blogger and wordpress.com, we tend not to have too many horror stories to tell about our blog-hosting experiences.

I stumbled upon Blogger first so I picked Blogger. It's easy to use for a simpleton like myself, so I'm happy with it.

I go along with owning your own space and using Wordpress. The cost is relatively small for a tremendous amount of inner peace knowing it is all yours.

The Wordpress templates make an easy process. Plus there are a lot of free templates.

But if you choose to go with your own hosting, you can plug the URL into Blogger and use their templates and widgets, just like you can with Wordpress. I like the look of wordpress blogs, but like Randi Lee, I stumbled onto Blogger first and it's super easy to use.