Windows Live Writer (beta)

I'm writing (and hopefully posting) this entry using Windows live Writer beta. I tried using Windows Live OneCare, and was not impressed. I use Windows Live Messenger, and it works okay. I have an email account set up at Windows Live Mail and it seems to work okay except they take up way too much room for the ad at the top.

Here's a test of the blockquote...

Cool, it's using the style sheet from my site, so the entries looks exactly as it will on the site. I'm impressed.

If you want to use this, which apparently will also work with Blogger, and other blogging platforms in addition to Movable Type, you'll need to have some info ready about the API interface. It asked for my Login and password, which at first I used my server account login, but that didn't work, then I used my MT login, that didn't work. It wasn't until I looked into the database itself and found the API password that I got it to work. A bit of a headache, but if this thing posts as easily as I think it will, then well worth the effort.

It allows image insertion, with some cool modifications as well as resizing. I'm loading this image (a wooden computer case made by some craftsmen in Russia) from my hard-drive to see if it will upload the images as well. (My kids really want a computer like this. We found several of them awhile back, including wooden mice and even speakers)

I'll update to let you know how it actually posts...

UPDATE: It had problems finding the photo it uploaded because the file name had parentheses in it. I changed the filename on the disk, and it worked fne. I also forgot to spellcheck, a nice additions, and also checked it out in FireFox to see if the photo frame effect worked there, too. It does. Nice. I'm officially impressed.

UPDATE 2: Embedding YouTube...

...Cool, not only can I embed YouTube video (via the HTML code) I can then resize it from the WYSIWYG editor, although you have to be careful to not click on the embedded player, because it will open a browser window to display the video.

UPDATE 3: It does seem to take a bit of time to publish. Well over 30 seconds by my count. That can be annoying if you're in a hurry.

UPDATE 4: I forgot to tell you how to find it. Go to http://ideas.live.com/ and the link will be in the section of Beta projects. I also don't know if it will do auto-trackback-discovery like MT does, so if you're used to that and depend on it, that would be a downside.

Posted by Danny Carlton at February 13, 2007 10:37 AM