Being a SharePoint consultant makes it difficult to use technology that does not provide the functionality of at least WSS, but I have installed Subtext, and want to give it a shot. I am going to give it two weeks, and see if I can stay with it or not.

Subtext Pros:

• Simple enough to install
• Easy to brand
• Easily publish from MS Word or Windows Live writer
• Skin extensions make it easy to develop with

Subtext Cons:

• Something different to learn
• No true masterpage, instead inside of the skin there is a file like a materpage
• Another username and password to remember (not my hosted AD account)
• Configuration is a bit cumbersome (not as familiar to me as WSS)
• Limited search

WSS Blogging Pros:

• Use/Eat my dog food
  • I am always trying to find ways to use SharePoint more, instead of just customizing or writing code for a client. I think it is very important to work with the product more, to feel some of the pains in the product to better connect with clients/colleagues.
• Use the same AD account to login to my site
• Supports Live writer/MS Word Publishing
• Easily have one site for content root with a Blog sub site
  • I could store documents, photos, etc. on the Root site
• Richer search
• Easy for me to develop on

WSS Cons:

• More difficult to brand
• Limited feature set (for blog sites)
• Not trying anything new (sometimes it is good to write some code without using Microsft.SharePoint)
• No community growing customizations (there is the CKS, but very few updates, etc.)
• Harder to export your posts if you plan to move elsewhere

After writing this, and looking through the options, I realize that I am primarily avoiding WSS so that I do not have to brand another WSS site… how ridiculous is that! Oh well, I will give it a couple weeks, and see how I like things.