Overview:
All bloggers should use the free utility Windows Live Writer. It’s an excellent tool for writing blogs offline. It’s built in word counter and spelling checker make it a very useful. I actually prefer to use it then writing directly to my WordPress sites direct.
Let’s Go: Using Live Writer
So I’m sitting in the lounge. I’ve just had a nice meal. The telly’s on and my wife’s offered of make a cup of tea. There’s some programme on where some American serial killer is killing. But we all know that the CSI NCIS, the Law and Order team are going to solve the case somewhere between the last set of ads and the end of the programme.
So out comes the notebook. Switch it on and click on Live Writer.
I can then quickly belt out an easy post on a subject that doesn’t require a lot of research.
I’ve got wifi, but I don’t need to use it. I just write, save to disk. I can then upload later when I’m connected.
The interface
The interface is like a simplified Microsoft Word. There’s a whole host of controls on the top of the screen and a nice area below where you can enter your text. You can also add images and video. However, be warned the package quickly gets complicated when you try and do anything clever with images.
From a simpler to use set of controls than WordPress you can add hyperlinks, change the styling, add bold, italics and underline, change text colour, alter text alignment and switch on or off lists.
Links with your blog
The publishing section of the interface allows you to build links with your blog or blogs. The package allows you to link up with a wide range of blogging platforms including WordPress, Sharepoint, Blogger and Typepad.
When setting up a blogging site you have the option of letting the system download a copy of the theme. With a simple theme Live Writer will display an approximation of your theme’s layout and with a more sophisticated theme you’ll get a display of the styles, such as headings and customisation of text.
Posting your posts
The utility allows the user to post direct to the blog or post to draft.
There is a simple menu bar that uses a drop list to set up a category, tags and a click down calendar to set the date of publishing.
And guys and gals it’s free
OK you’ve got to have either Windows 7 or the deadbeat system Vista. But if you have then the package is free.
For a download go to the Live Writer site. Click and download.
You’ll find that the download will also try and load the entire Microsoft Essentials package, which includes a photo gallery, a video editor, Live Mail, (which allows you to link all your mail programs), and parental control system and Mesh, which allows you to synchronise all your computers.
Personally I only use Live Writer I’m sceptical of allowing Microsoft too much control over my computers and my life.
So when you install, then please use the customise option, so that you can select the options that you want, rather than what Microsoft wants.
Conclusion
If you’ve got Windows 7 and blog then you should be downloading and using this very important blogging tool. It will improve your productivity greatly, particularly if it is used in conjunction with focus booster, which helps you focus on the job in hand.
My one complaint is that the image processing section is quite good if you want to enter a simple image, but to be truthful I just don’t like it. I prefer to import my images directly into WordPress because I can standardise the image size and my theme, Freelance, from StudioPress, does clever things with the WordPress system. But then there’s a problem. If I then try and update the blog from Live Writer my images disappear.
So for my use the package is good for making a draft of text, but that’s it. Once you’ve published I advise deleting the post from Live Writer.
Discuss your comments with Disqus
She makes her comments heard
Overview:
The standard blogging systems have good, built in comment systems. However many websites are now using the online comment system Disqus. This article discusses the pros and cons of Disqus and explains why ‘Beginning to Blog’ uses the system.
Let’s Go: What is Disqus?
Disqus is simply an alternative to a blog site’s own comment system. For most blogs there is a simple plugin, which when activated will as the name suggests plug in the Disqus system.
There are two big differences to the standard comment system:
A user logs in once and can then automatically comment on any website that has Disqus activated. So for example once signed in you could write a comment on Beginning to Blog, but you can then go to other blogs and comment there, or you can even go to two UK national newspapers, the Independent, and the Daily Telegraph, and automatically make comments there.
A user’s comments and approval of other comments are stored on the Disqus systesm. The user then has a separate, online file of all their comments on all of the Disqus sites they have used. As Disqus has a great search system this can be useful in checking back on the comments they have made or someone else, possibly impressed by someone’s comments on one site , can follow that person’s comments on other sites.
The login
A user can log into Disqus using their Twitter account, their Facebook account, Yahoo account or their OpenID. Once the link is established they can comment.
This has the plus point that the gravtar, or image they use, on that account can be drawn in. It also means that when a person is posting a comment they can also opt for the details of their post to summarised and linked on the Twitter, Facebook or Yahoo system.
The positive advantages of using Disqus
for the user
The biggest advantage is that the user receives emails telling them when there are comments on their comments. The links in the emails takes the user straight to the comment and so it is quite easy to engage in a discussion or argument with other users of the site.
for the website owner
The downside
Why I use Disqus
I think that Disqus will cut spam on my sites, will look more professional, will give me valuable back links. It will also enable me to check the comment history of my commentators.