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Stupid Shiny Ribbon in Windows Live Writer 2011
It Started With Zemanta
It all started when I noticed the Zemanta Windows Live Writer Plugin had an update, so I went to the page for the update. I love Zemanta. Great tool. I have the extension installed on Chrome too. It lets me be lazy, suggests pictures, tags and links and I don’t have to think. But I saw this:
And had to get it. If you use Windows Live Writer also, you’ll notice the difference also. I had to have the ribbon. I am writing software in .NET now and am using a ribbon because it is such a useful feature. And for those of you who don’t know what the ribbon is. it’s that wide bar across the top that replaces the normal file menu where you have to open a dropdown first to see what’s there. With the ribbon, you just have access to much more features at once and big old buttons and icons for quicker recognition.
And I thought I could get this version just by checking for updates on my current live writer installation. Nope. So I downloaded the beta version and ran it. It balked and said I already had a version of Live installed. So I uninstalled that and starting installing the new version. And the installation now comes with even more live tools, which I did not want. So after unchecking about 10 things, leaving just Live Writer, the Photo Editor(because sometimes I hate waiting on Photoshop to load) and the new Sync(because I hope to get a new laptop soon now that there are some that beat mine out there finally and I want to keep my stuff), the installation looked like it was chugging along.
NO, Stupid Windows Live I Do Have Internet Connection
But I get bored easily waiting on things like this. So off I go browsing this and that and submitting links here and there and finally running about 4 other programs, I lost my wireless connection. An issue I am used to but never tracked down. The only thing that ever seemed to fix it is a reboot. The Live installer told me I lost connection. So just to be sure, I checked if I could search Google. And Live Writer was wrong. It was in the middle of the Sync installation.
So I let it try again and it started off again. But a few minutes later, it said it lost connection again. So I would try with a reboot and then just let it do it’s thing and not run anything at the same time while I catch up on some reading on the Nook.
After about 10 minutes of preparing the installation, I got this again:
And kept posting updates at Twitpic.
- I found out that everything somehow got halfway installed and the Live Writer icon was there, so I clicked it. Fail. Got an error message.
- So I uninstalled all of the new beta Live Components. And ran the installer again, same message.
- So I turned Windows Firewall off and back on, ran Glary Utilities registry cleaner as well as hunting down the registry values manually.
- And for good measure I used both Windows and Glary Utilities to clean up all the temporary files because Glary finds a lot more.
- So I then rebooted and tried to run the installation again. Same error.
Looking At An Alternative – Zoundry Raven
This is a couple hours of work here. Good thing I am now on meds for anxiety, because I would have been about ready to kill my computer by now or at least kick a random cat or two. But I always hedge my bets and as I said before, getting really bored watching progress bars that never seem to move or have an end.
So while all this was going on I went through a few other free desktop blogging programs. I browsed 6 to 8 and installed a couple. Finally decided that plan B would be Zoundry Raven because who knew if the whole thing was effed now and what if I couldn’t even roll back.
I like the features of Zoundry Raven but one stood out that originally drew me to WordPress and then to Live Writer: extensibility. What that means is any developer who wants to can add features to the software through a simple plugin process, not that the Raven plugin community is very active now. But if I had to, I guess I could write some plugins with xml and Python. Another great feature made me install Raven twice. You can also install a portable version on a thumb drive.
Back to Where I Began
But reinstalling the current version of Windows Live Writer worked, so while I was at it, I installed a few more plugins. Including one that allows me to hook into Flickr to upload some of these images and one that hooked into SnagIt so I could take the screenshot of Zoundry up there.
So I guess there is no moral or point to this whole story. I do use the backend of WordPress at times. But when I put real work into a post, I hate that once in a million time when you lose internet connection or your WordPress site lags and 500 words go down the drain.
There might be one lesson though. Open source, extensibility, and API’s kick ass. You want features, you just hunt them down at the WordPress Codex or Windows Live Gallery and add them for free for the software you got free in the first place. That beats packaged software with “features” any day. And why three hours later, I am not really bitching. Just waiting for that official update, in anticipation.
And another, I am really attracted to shiny objects I guess, much like raccoons. To find the ribbon component I am adding to my own software, I searched and tested for three hours or more. Stupid shiny things.
Update:
I finally got Windows Live Writer 2011, shiny ribbon and all, installed, with a tweet from Scott Lovegrove, otherwise known as ScottIsAFool. It turns out you can skip the web installation and get the full installation file for Windows Live here and skip the whole stupid web install.
29 Responses to Stupid Shiny Ribbon in Windows Live Writer 2011
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Your experience is why I’ve stuck with open source, when many of my colleagues have gone to .Net, with results similar to yours. Open source isn’t perfect by any means, but situations like this it definitely has the advantage.
The same thing happen to me what the heck is up with it thanks for the post
Humorous read. It sounds like one of my days. I agree, open source is really the way to go. When your writing blogs, you really don’t need to reinvent the wheel. And while gadgets are cool, content is king. I’ve never used Windows live before. I’m gonna have to check it out. Thanks.
Aw, this was a really quality post. In theory I’d like to write like this too – taking time and real effort to make a good article… but what can I say… I procrastinate alot and never seem to get something done.
Oh, another fail by Microsoft to do cloud computing?
Another annoyance? What a surprise, huh?
I think the products are quite good, it’s just most of the time the default way they want you to do things (ie. your problem with the stupid web install) isn’t the best way to go!
Are we at all surprised that Microsoft has failed yet again in some way? Go with open source…so much better!
There are days when even photoshop doesn’t behave. We will try out everything possible and finally quit.. Tweaking and finding the alternative can be tiresome. Thanks for explaining everything in detail.
Really, I hate the new style.
I forsook “Windows” a long time ago…
Man on Man that ribbon is a pain in the rear! I cause Microsoft failed! =)
I wish bigtime software developers wouldn’t mess with a good thing, as far as user interfaces go.
When I first started using Windows 7, I blogged about Microsoft having dumped the “classic” Start menu, which for me has become comfortable.
Comfortable shouldn’t be something jerked away from the user simply because Microsoft marketing thinks they’ll be able to snag more market share by basically trampling the cozy comfort zone of long-established users familiar with a particular way of doing things.
My blog details a workaround for this annoyance. I so far have managed to avoid having to use apps with the “ribbon” interface, thankfully, but am hoping if I’m ever forced, that there might be a way to fall back and punt with the original interface, which to me is not merely simpler, but better, since it unlike the new, shiny one lets me do what I need and gives me what I expect out of the experience with the software.
Usefully
fine, so put in in open source, let me try and give you feedback
I think that Windows Live Writer 2011 is beta but the best is Windows Live Writer 2007
Yes, there will be problems with using open source stuff. But what I do is to wait for it to be tested by time first. But of course if you want to taste them first, it will help a lot of persons waiting for your review. Thank for informing us.
Thank God I found this article! I went to where Scotts site said and got the full installation file, It save me a lot of time!
Would be absolutely sweet the ribbon interface is included natively, but a man can dream…
I say bring on more plugins!! I love plugins on my firefox to the point where I cant function without that plugin bar hahaha. Great post!
Open Source is really the best thing.
I gave up on Windows Live several years ago. I know HTML5 is supposed to change the face of the internet, but I just have no faith in Microsoft’s web stuff.
Wow, very strange! Thanks for sharing this post
Amazing work you are doing here! Way to navigate through what Microsoft is trying to do.
I’ve been there. Throwing my computer out of my window is something I’ve thought about many times.
MS Ribbon has been out since 2007 but I still unable to get familiar with this stupid thing. I hate ribbon.
This is microsoft
The new ribbon makes old add-ons look and behave differently. It’s a shame all apps need to by updated, and that it’s a pain.
Wow, I gave up that stuff (Microsoft-things…) many years ago. I lost all hope of them. Microsoft is rich but not successful.
Also, the ribbon doesn’t really do much good. You have more options open to you with the menu and tool bars. The ribbon creates a lot more clicking, because there’s a lot more searching for things.
The only good part about Windows Live Writer 2011 is that the formatting for text is visible most of the time, which they could have done in any version sans ribbon.
I have been using zemanta for a couple of months now. I find it quite easy to navigate and you can also call customer support if you have problems with its use.