In the desktop browser, libbybrittain.tumblr.com and parislemon.tumblr.com look completely different. Different templates, layouts, colors and identities.

In the mobile browser, however, this personalization disappears — completely. The two blogs look identical.

That's because Tumblr, WordPress, et al. churn out websites designed for the desktop browser. They're pre-iPhone platforms that have no choice but to show you (imprecise) adaptations on your mobile screen.

What would a mobile-first publishing platform look like? If the laptop-view was an adaptation?

What would its blog templates look like? The compose UX? Editing tools and feedback mechanisms?

Most importantly, would it be compelling?

Totally agree that there is a need for this. But there is a further problem getting the content in for mobile for everything apart from pure text and photos is difficult.

The web's a medium built on links and link sharing, and the process of doing this on mobile is too fiddly. I think the missing bit is trivial but not there - simple link sharing mechanism at the level of the mobile OS or browser. This may literally be as basic as rethinking the way cut and paste works.