One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Earlier today, I observed one new feature in New Blogger GUI (2011) - the Post Editor "Add or remove link" wizard now offers the option to

Open this link in a new window.

This, in my opinion, is a major improvement in the New GUI (in general), and in Post Editor (in particular). A few minutes later, to my disappointment, I discovered a major design deficiency, in Post Editor.

Having acknowledged the new option, in the update of another post, I hit "Update" - and found myself back in the Posts list, positioned at the top of the list (with the recently added post The First Compelling Reason To Use The New Blogger GUI (2011)) at the top of the display. My recently updated post Make Links Open In A New Window, written long ago, was nowhere to be found.

The ability to return directly to Post Editor mode, for a given post just updated, was an option given to us, some time ago, after much pleading. It appears that option is now gone - and once again, we have to start from "Posts" and re locate any given post, just updated. Any old post, just updated, is somewhat unlikely to be found on the home page of "Posts", in any blog of any significant size.

My personal publishing strategy (shared with a few people) is to publish a post, then re publish it, repeatedly, with one simple goal.

Make each post as well written as possible.

Some time ago, I observed that I generally re publish any given post an average of maybe 6 times the number of paragraphs in the post. That means that I will, possibly, re publish this post 42 times, in an effort to make this post as clearly written, and as complete, as absolutely possible.

Having hit Publish above, I will now be returning to the Classic GUI. My morning of experimenting with the New GUI (2011) Post Editor, and the option to "Open this link in a new window.", is now ended. Having to re locate any given re updated post, in "Posts", is distracting - and interferes with my re publishing efforts.

One step forward, followed by two steps back. This is an experience not unknown, in the world of Blogger blogging.

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The First Compelling Reason To Use The New Blogger GUI (2011)

For many years, I have consistently used "Edit HTML" mode when creating and editing my posts, because I need to make some links, embedded in the post content, open in a new tab / window (subject to choice of the reader). Up to this month, this could only be done by manually editing the links, and inserting the link modifier

target="_blank"

. Today, in creating this post, in "Compose" mode, and adding the above link, I see the option

Open this link in a new window.

in the "Add link " wizard.

If Blogger is able to resolve the many design issues with the New Blogger GUI (2011) in general, this change in the New GUI (2011) Post Editor will go a long way towards removing our need to use "Edit HTML" Mode. This will remove a significant amount of problems of using Post Editor in dual modes, and will allow them to stabilise Post Editor in general.

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You Don't Always Get Everything You Want

In the "Western" world, and for the young of heart, there is one very special day of the year, celebrated by (almost) everybody - December 25, aka "Christmas".

While this was once (and still is now, for many) a religious holiday of great importance, for many young people it is important as a secular holiday - you get presents. For celebrants of both the religious and the secular versions of Christmas, this is a time of joy.

But, there's a sadness here too. Not everybody that I know always gets everything that they would like to get, even for Christmas. The lack of unlimited funds makes Christmas a time of anguish and depression, for some people.

Some folks, legendarily described as "bad", might traditionally get a lump of coal instead of presents.

In the Blogger world, Christmas comes irregularly and without notice. In a recent Blogger Christmas, we were given a new version of the post editor, with a greatly improved ability to upload and arrange photos. That improvement was eagerly awaited by many bloggers, for a long time.

The latter "present" arrived without an assumed second present, accompanying it. The new post editor lacks a spell checker - and this has been noted, many times. Unfortunately, many bloggers don't appreciate this, and decide that Blogger is intentionally mistreating them.

Bring back the spell checker!!!

is a cry seen regularly, in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken.

Instead of seeing a glass that's half full (finally, improved photo management), the bloggers see it as half empty (no spell checker). They just fail to accept the fact that Blogger can't provide all required changes at the same time.

What did you get?

I got a lump of coal.

Blogger, like The Real Blogger Status, releases changes, progressively. If you got a lump of coal last Christmas, be good this year - and hope for something better next Christmas.

Christmas 2009 came and went, and some folks are paying the bills this month. Christmas 2010 will be here, in another 9 or 10 months.

Christmas never comes soon enough, for kids. It doesn't come any sooner, when you wait for it, with anxiety, either. Spell checker for the new post editor is coming - though it, too, won't come any sooner if we keep asking about it.