I recently switched from Windows to Mac, and one of the things I miss is the Windows Live Writer software that allowed me to write a post in a word processor-like program on my desktop and then send the finalized post to my blog. This allowed me to be more spontaneous with my posts, and it also saved me several steps to posting such as logging in and getting to the editing screen. It also saved me from using less than efficient means of inserting media like pictures and videos.
Now that I’m on the Mac I have found Blogo. It allows me to do many, if not all of the things that WLW allowed, and does it in the Mac drag-and-drop way. The best feature by far is the support for sites such as YouTube and Flickr. Simply go to the site page that your video or image is on and click the “Send to Blogo” bookmarklet in Safari or Firefox (instructions on how to create the bookmarklet are simple and available from the Help menu). A placeholder image appears in the editor window. You can preview how the video or image will look by using the Preview button. You can then see exactly how things will look in your blog, and then you can make any changes before you publish.
You can also drag-and-drop text from a text editor into Blogo, and you can even add blockquotes easily by highlighting text in a web page and clicking the Send to Blogo bookmarklet (it even includes a link to the source automatically).
Blogo’s interface is designed to let you take your mind off the details and just write.
link: Blogo: The blog editor for your Mac
You can enter tags and/or categories in a post. They are entered into a single field in the editor window, and you distinguish categories from tags by using a hashtag before the category name (ex. #newmedia). It will even pick up your categories from your blog and offer them in a drop down menu.
It can publish to many platforms including Blogger and WordPress, and you can set up multiple accounts to post to. It’s not free like Windows Live Writer ($25 US), but I think it’s quicker and easier, and it produces cleaner code in WordPress. One less reason to miss Windows (that was for the Bava).
Totally agreed! If you’d like a chance to grab a free copy of Blogo my bandmates and I have partnered with Brainjuice to give away three licenses. Details are at
http://atris.wordpress.com/.
The bava reads you loud and clear, but the bava doesn’t pay for bullshit Mac programs, the bava blogs from the web interface god gave him for free
Welcome to OS X. I made the switch about a year ago (http://wheatblog.com/2008/08/switching-back-to-mac/) and have been very happy with the decision. Thank for mentioning Blogo. I hadn’t heard of this one. I’ve tried MarsEdit (http://www.red-sweater.com/marsedit/), which is pretty popular, but I didn’t end up buying it.
Amen to that Rev! I am a web interface girl myself. Although I’ll admit I was all excited about this site until I saw it costs money. How am I supposed to use your blog as fodder for the Stuff for Starving Students site if you are going to find things that cost money?
Come on, more free stuff Andy. Think of the starving students!
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