To pay for Weblogging or not to pay

Last week we could read that SixApart (makers of Movabletype/Typepad) are going to introduce their service in Europe.

Can they earn money from the low lands? [Holland]
Do you want my opinion. It’s simple, it’s no they can’t.

Why will they not earn money or will it be very hard to have a business overhere?
An overview of services already active in the low-lands (holland)

1. 20six.nl
2. web-log.nl
3. bnn.nl
4. weblog.nl
5. blogspot.nl
6. pivothosting.nl

the first 3 are free services which do offer same services as typepad already.
It’s common for the dutch: they will only pay if they know the service. It will be really hard to setup a paid service to attract a lot of people. The crowd wants to have it: simple, in the local language, and free to use. Cause they can start and stop whenever they want without losing ‘money’

I started weblogging using the free service of weblogs.com at that time. It was in oktober 2000 I think. Only with the free service I could do: trial and error to find out if I liked weblogging.

After some time I changed my domain and implemented various weblogging software. As ‘expert’ I tested some software and kept using Movabletype cause it was its time far ahead. But now: development is going slow and other software like ‘Pivot is doing its job painless and easy with lots of functionality.

I’ve no experience with 4 and 5 but 6, the pivotlog net hosting is just started by Bob. (yes the man who started Pivot). A simple domain with weblog hosting of Pivot for a small amount of money.

If I have to choose I will go for local solution(s). As Bob is dutch and has also a great team with people giving support I give him the change to prove himself other than chosing for a solution comming from abroad.

The web-log.nl service which is also free is adopted by ilse.nl the local dutch search engine with other services attached

Right now the business plan for Six Apart in Europe is unknown other than that they will try to get a market share through major parties and focus typepad in the local (dutch) language (see interview they had with r-win (dutch)

Change for success in the lowlands (Holland): below 30% is my point of view