This is a product that has been around for a while, but I’ve just recently come across it while installing the Windows 7 Beta (which I’m using as I type). It’s called Windows Live Writer and is basically a word processor specifically designed for blogging.
It has the very familiar feel of Blogger’s online editor (I’m sure the other blogging services are nearly the same as far as editing) but also the ability to save a local draft of any post. What’s the benefit of this? I generally use a laptop for my personal computing needs and because of this, when I’m out and about I don’t always have an internet connection. This allows me to write posts even when not connected, like say, on my lunch (where I have 30 – 60 minutes) as opposed to on my break (15 min) and then I can just plug it in when I get back and… SHAZAM! Post published! It may seem like a little thing, but its nice to take my time and I am not restricted to Starbucks or McDonalds to use their free internet.
You may also be wondering, “Why not just use Word?”. Well my friends, that’s because I have tried using Word and then copying and pasting the post into Blogger. First of all, it takes extra steps. Second: unpredictable results, your formatting tends to get “lost in translation” and you have a jumbled mess instead of a post which adds extra steps, now that you have to go back and fix it. This is quicker and easier.
Set up is a breeze which basically involves typing your blog’s URL (in my case http://tepidcoffee.blogspot.com), my user name, and password. The program does everything else from there. It even downloads a “theme” which customizes the colors of Live Writer to those of your blog. You have the ability post using the basic editor (equivalent to the “Compose” tab on blogger) or you can even edit the source code (Edit Html), and even preview your post (offline too!). Another nice thing for you people who refuse to listen to me when I say “stop using Internet Explorer!”, is that Live Writer has the same real-time spell checker (which Firefox has built in) that you’re used to in other MSFT products like Word (red squiggly lines under misspelled words).
Windows Live Writer is part of a suite of products called Windows LIVE Essentials which is available for free and includes the following nifty programs:
- Windows Live Call (added VoIP feature to Messenger)
- Windows Live Messenger (formerly Microsoft Messenger)
- Windows Live Mail (formerly Outlook Express)
- Windows Movie Maker [Beta] (haven’t spent much time with this yet)
- Windows Live Photo Gallery (essentially Microsoft's version of Picasa)
- Windows Family Safety (similar to Net Nanny)
- Windows Live Writer (um… what I’ve been talking about)
It’s free so it’s at least worth a look! Happy blogging!
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