When you sit down to put together a blog post, the last thing you want getting in your way is a finicky blogging client. This week, we'll take a look at open source blogging software designed for the Linux operating system.

A lot of people ask me if there are any desktop blogging clients for Linux that can be used for offline editing -- something like Windows Live Writer. So I'm going to answer them through this post... for those of you who really want to have a desktop blogging client, here are some of the decent ones that you should try

"I always tell people to blog what they're working on. 'If it's worth doing, it's worth blogging!' I've put effort into blogging over the last three years, so here's the advice that I give myself each time I start to blog something..."

The GPL-licensed Pivot blogging software stands out among blogging applications because it requires no database, no extra libraries, and minimal installation effort. While it's still in an early stage of development, its flexibilty and the ease with which it can be set up make it ideal for those new to maintaining their own blogging Web sites.

Thingamablog is a cross-platform GPL blogging application that lets you create, update, and maintain multiple blogs from the client side. Thingamablog even acts as its own FTP client when you're ready to publish or update your blog with new content. The software is easy enough for beginners to use, but sophisticated enough that veteran bloggers will appreciate it too.

Ask ten bloggers at random what they use to compose their blog posts and chances are that you might get ten different answers to that...For the GNU/Linux users though, the options are pretty limited and I am yet to see a full-blown, feature-rich desktop blog editor that could post to most of the popular blogging engines that are out there.

"...One thing Django didn't include: a blogging app. (That's ok; this blog is only a small part of Blogcosm.) So, we wrote Blogmaker..."

In response to the growing blogging ecosystem and Web phenomena like the Slashdot effect, the developers of the Habari blogging platform have built features into their core software to tackle the increased attention blogs receive, both from innocent viewers and exploitative attackers, while making it easier for users to manage and administer their blogs.

Bilboblog is a small application of micro-blogging in Php / MySQL. To ensure that everyone benefits, I share its source code which is under a free license.