Years ago when I first started blogging and learned it was going to be a consistent thing in my online life, I downloaded blogging software called Mars Edit. I loved it. After I had been logging directly into my Blogspot account for a few years, the idea of using a ‘professional’ piece of software meant that I was now a serious blogger; almost as much as moving to my own hosting provider would seem a couple of years later. I kept Mars Edit for a while, then discarded it when WordPress’ own internal blog editor seemed to pass MarsEdit in functions. But mostly, I had to abandon the Mac platform as I needed a new computer and could not afford a new or refurbished Mac; I went Linux and using WP software was a perfect fit. (MarsEdit is Mac-only.) Then WP came out with their own desktop app and that just ‘blew me away’ with its functions. Not only could you write blogposts, but also administer and manage your blog, check stats and so on. I retained fond memories of Mars Edit but never thought I’d go back to it.
But that all changed yesterday. I drafted of a post for Sober Catholic on my phone using the WP Android app, then afterwards tried to edit it on my Mac. I couldn’t. I got this error message: “Proceed in External Browser? You have one or more plugins that prevent editing content within WordPress Desktop. Continue in an external browser?” I got so mad that I went to Twitter and ranted in a series of Tweets:
“Seriously? The whole point of using the #wordpress desktop app is to avoid having to go online and blog. Blog offline, upload when done, see it on the blog. But according to a WordPress forum, a recent update broke this basic function. Great job! I used to use #marsedit a long time ago for all my blogging needs. I wonder if I can find my old license would I get a discount on an upgrade? (No idea where the license key is…. deep in some external hard drive…)”
To me, this was mind-bogglingly stupid. You have a popular piece of software that works just fine, and then you update it and these updates breaks the basic, core function of the app; as in ‘the primary reason for its existence.’ Who tested this? How could they have missed this basic flaw prior to software implementation? This was just…. so…. irresponsible and incompetent.
So I emailed the Mars Edit help desk with the info needed to assist them in finding my old license key, since it was buried in some folder on some external backup hard drive. It took them just a few hours (and on a weekend, too!) to locate it and email it to me. Plus, I also qualified for a 50% off upgrade discount (I had used MarsEdit 3, it is now up to version 4.) Well, I just couldn’t resist. I went through the process of buying it, connecting it to this and the Sober Catholic blog. This is a test post. If you are reading this then it was successful.
I deleted WordPress Desktop from my Mac; I also deleted it from my Android phone. I thought about keeping it but there’d be no point. If I am going to use my phone to compose a blogpost, then I may as well just login directly to the blog and go from there. I can save posts as drafts and edit them later using Mars Edit as the drafts will be pulled down to the Mac by Mars Edit.
So, that is that. I even briefly thought about leaving WordPress altogether in favor of some other blogging platform, but that is extreme, unnecessary, and hopefully the WordPress blogging devs aren’t as incompetent as the app devs. I rue the day when there is an update to the WordPress software itself that ‘breaks it,’ especially when so many sites utilize it.
Are you a creative Catholic? "The Catholicpunk Manifesto" is my new book exhorting Catholics to apply their faith to change the culture for the better!
Know someone, perhaps yourself, who might like Catholic devotionals for alcoholics? Please take a look at my books! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)