Gutenberg is the latest blog editor from WordPress.
I have been using WordPress since Matt was probably the only employee, and I have stubbornly held onto the past by using the original, old familiar, editor until about 2 months ago.
Focusing on TechyMike.com again (hey, once a geek always a geek) I decided to take the time to learn the editor WordPress now calls the “Classic Editor” (the newer version of editor than the one I was using) and I did ok with that. Hey, I’m old. Things take time….. 😉
After getting used to “Classic”…..Wordpress surprised me with “Gutenberg”, so I figured, what the hell, I’m on a roll….I’ll give it a try.
Before I continue, watch this first video by “Do You Even Blog”. then go to his YouTube channel and watch all his tutorials. Very informative and fun to watch. Wait….hey, now I know how to do….
With “Gutenberg”, the first thing I did was write a blog that I wanted to schedule at a later date (I do that ALL the time).
“Gutenberg” did not work. Arrrgghhhh.
I wrote a feedback note and promptly went back to “Classic”, where I stayed for awhile.
Trying “Gutenberg” again after a month or so, I found that the scheduling had been fixed, but, I now had an issue with saving drafts. THAT has now been fixed (I actually worked with someone from WordPress on that issue) and I am using “Gutenberg” on all three of my blogs! (TracyReaderDad.com and ForCarol.com being the other two)
Is it perfect? Nope. But I see improvements on a daily basis, and one day, the world will change for the better, just like the original Gutenberg. Well…..maybe not. But it’s a goal…..:-)
As I type this, I see that my main remaining complaint about it being super busy with things popping up all the time as I typed can be fixed by doing this:
Click on the three dots in the top right corner (see photo below). Click on “Spotlight” mode so only one block at a time is the center of attention. With that done, you can still see the other tools above that block (green). That can be distracting.
To move the tools up to the top, click the “Top Toolbar” option (see below). Then you can see the tools just on the top. Much less “noisy” and distracting as you are typing. Whew.
Cool. Wow!
Conclusion
I can do nearly everything with “Gutenberg” that I could do with the original editor. I am learning….
But, the more I use it, the easier it is for me to: Insert HTML code in a block, add pictures, add YouTube video (possible bug: When I do a really short blog and don’t html embed the Youtube video into my blog…..the Twitter result directs the reader to Youtube. If I html embed the video, then Twitter sends the Twitter reader to my web site).
I am still figuring out how to get a picture to be left aligned, or right aligned, with the paragraph I want it to be in. It is a bit tricky.
I will play with more advanced features as I get more and more comfortable with “Gutenberg” like drop caps, color changes, CSS, etc etc.
Overall…..”Gutenberg” may once again change the world. Or at least….my world. 🙂
Geek on!
TechyMike: Technology Made Easy 