In this week’s edition of Blogging Insights, Dr. Tanya wants to know what we think of the WordPress Gutenberg (aka Block) editor.
She asks:
What is your experience with the Gutenberg editor?
I use my iPhone for blogging and I use the Classic editor. I tried using the Block editor on my iPhone, but I’ve found it very difficult to use because of the relatively small amount of screen “real estate.” Perhaps if I were using a laptop with a regular, full-size screen, my experience with the Block editor would be more positive, but I don’t, so my experience attempting to use it on an iPhone has been quite negative.
Do you prefer it over the previous editor?
No, for the reasons noted in my previous answer.
If you are not satisfied with Gutenberg, what suggestions can you make to WordPress to enhance your blogging experience?
My advice to WordPress is to continue to offer and support the Classic editor as an option for those of us who prefer it over the Block editor. If the day ever comes when WordPress no longer offers the Classic editor, that will be the day I will either find a different platform for my blog or I will just stop blogging.
This, That, and the Other 
I have not come across anyone yet who likes the Gutenberg Editor. I tried it last week, for the first time (on my laptop) and it didn’t long for me to become frustrated with it. The classic editor works great for me and I will continue to use it until WordPress permanently takes it away. I’m still scratching my head over why they thought it necessary to fix something that wasn’t broke.
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That seems to be their motus operandi — fixing things that aren’t broken and breaking things that are working fine.
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I like it. It took a little getting used to, but I like the options is has. I only use my laptop though, so I’m sure that makes a difference.
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I only use my iPhone and I’m sure you’re right that the user experience on the two devices is very different.
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I was perfectly happy with the classic editor but decided to learn to use the block editior because I was fairly sure that eventually I’d have to anyway. Some things take longer to do but I do like that I can write text and then add pictures afterwards and move them where I want easily.
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As you know I hate block editor and like you, I use only a phone. (It’s where my internet is.) So if they get rid, my blogging will stop and I will return to Blogger.
I will only be here as a commenter on blogs I will still be following by that point. If not Blogger, then I have no other alternative and so would finish.
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I think there may be alternatives to WordPress for blogging other than Blogger, but I’d have to do some research. Hopefully WordPress will continue to support the Classic editor and it won’t come to that.
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I know currently I am still using the old dashboard. WP hasn’t yet put me on block that I had to switch.
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Its slowly growing me…very slowly. . perhaps out of necessity
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So far, I haven’t had any issues accessing and using the Classic editor. So far….
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I’ve been using the Block Editor almost exclusively for the last month.
I have two big gripes about it:
1. It’s sluggish. Moving the cursor from one place to another by clicking elswhere often takes an age. When deleting characters, there’s a noticeable pause between each movement, which is highly distracting. Scrolling through the media library is painfully slow — and jumpy.
2. You can’t flow text around images as you can in the classic editor. Instead, you have to use the fumbly ‘Media & Text’ block, which requires that you match the volume of text with the size of the image in order to avoid ugly white space.
Whoever designed this kludgy interface should be shot.
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The “layout grid” box is more flexible for mix and match of text and media, and you can split not only in half, but thirds, etc.
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Block, not box
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Thanks for the information!
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Maybe you should go back to using the Classic editor…unless you’ve found advantages that more than offset your two gripes.
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I’ve discovered no major advantages: just differences. This whole exercise is a typical example of change for the sake of it.
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Apart from the fact that I have an android phone, I agree with you wholeheartedly.
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It’s just not well designed for use on a smartphone.
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I don’t think it is well designed at all.
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I don’t think it is well designed at all.
At least, not for non techies like me.
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There is an option in the app settings where you can disable the block editor. I’ve done that and so I’m never asked to switch to the new editor.
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Yep, I found it. I just hope they don’t eventually drop the Classic editor completely.
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I hope not. Why should they, it’s should be the default setting.
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I used to hate the Gutenberg editor with a passion. But not, I have taught myself to use it and not mess up my posts or my brain
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I see no compelling reason to switch based upon my several attempts to use it. But I’m not a very patient man, so there’s that.
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The big complaint I have is I have not figured out how to add a blank space between verses or stanzas in poetry writing. I put a blank line in there but when I preview or publish it disappears. It is still awkward for me but I am trying to give it a fighting chance.
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I gave up even trying.
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