When I woke up this morning and opened up WordPress in my browser, this is what I found.
So I immediately invoked the Classic block and started writing. It looked familiar and I thought to myself, hey, this ain’t as bad as I thought it would be.
I started writing my first post using the Classic block of the Block Editor and things were progressing, although it was taking me longer to do what I wanted to do, from creating links to imbedding images. Then this happened.
WTF WordPress? You’re forcing me to use the Block editor and when I try to use the Classic block, I encounter an error and my draft has disappeared. Really?
So I started over and, after a half an hour of composing something that should have taken maybe five minutes, I got another “block has encountered an error” error message. Are you fucking kidding me?
I shut down my iPhone and reopened my blog using the “wp-admin” extension and then clicked on “Add New” under “Posts,” and arrived here.
Different from the normal Classic editor in the browser, but familiar enough to proceed. And proceed I did.
Now, after taking way more than hour to write a post that would have taken me ten minutes to write yesterday, I’m giving serious consideration to cutting down on the frequency of posting, dropping some of my prompts, or even shutting down “This, That, and the Other.” If this is what it takes to keep my blog going, it just may not be worth it. The thrill is gone.
This, That, and the Other 
🙂 Calm down, Fandango. You will eventually get the hang of using the Block Editor.
You knew that WordPress had plans of discontinuing the old editor and that this day would come — the day when you would have to use the Block Editor.
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True, Renard, but have you tried to use the. Block editor on an iPhone, which is where I blog from? It’s awful and barely usable. I have tried it and, in a word, it sucks.
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🙂 No, Fandango. I have not tried to use the Block Editor on an iPhone.
Why?
Because I do not own one!
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Well, perhaps if I were blogging from a laptop with a 17” screen, I’d feel differently, but on a relatively small screen on an iPhone (or any smartphone), it just doesn’t work. But the Classic editor worked just fine on a small screen.
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🙂 Fandango, I have been following this comments thread of yours and I noticed that some of your fellow bloggers have intentions of going back to Blogger — a blogging platform that keeps things relatively simple.
So, does this mean that you will be tempted to return to Typepad?
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I don’t know, Renard. I’ll give the block editor a try. And I’ve discovered that, at least for now, the Classic editor (or a version of it prior to the most recent Classic editor) can still be accessed via the WP-admin link. But I may reconsider Blogger or TypePad (or Medium) if I get too frustrated with WordPress.
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They (WordPress) had committed — or so I’d been told — to keeping the Classic editor around through 2021. I didn’t think that meant a “Classic block” within the Block editor. And, I did make an effort to use it, but got an error that essentially made everything I had written to that point disappear. Hey, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! I think if you tried the Block editor on a smartphone, you’d understand why I’m not a happy camper, Renard.
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I’ve been accessing the classic editor from https://myblogname.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post-new.php?set-editor=classic. I bookmarked this page, calling it ‘new post’ in my bookmarks so that when I use that bookmark I get a nice blank page for a new post. I will never use the block editor. If I no longer have access to this ‘set-editor=classic page then I’ll just go back to Blogger. I’ve got nothing invested in WP or blogging in general despite having had a blog since 2005.
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I’m same. I will go back to Blogger.
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I use the classic and have since the other came out. Don’t tell me they are trying to force it again!
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Yes, they are. 😡
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Oh. I use the app.
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I had the same shock, though my post for tomorrow was almost ready to go. But I’ve been expecting it.
Change is hard, but we’ll get through it. Don’t despair.
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I went to the Dashboard and went to the Plugin category and found the classic editor plugin. It says it extends the screen, but all I know is my classic editor screen is back and I don’t see the block style. I think if you search for Classic Editor Plugin you’ll get more info. I found it on accident. But if you install it, you’ll be back to the format we like!
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Does it work on an iPhone?
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I have Android and the app is the same old app I have always had.
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The plug in does work on my phone. I just checked and it’s active.
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I just checked about the plugin and it’s there, but I’d have to upgrade to the Business plan (at $272/year) to install it. I already pay extra for the Personal plan and I’m not sure it’s worth the additional cost for something that was available on the upgraded plan I’m paying for already up until yesterday.
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I forgot about that, I ‘ve had the business plan for a few years. You know, I was in a writing group that used blogger and then it was switched over to WordPress and it was complicated and took awhile to get used to. So it wouldn’t hurt to stick with it. I worked the new format and left those posts in draft or I deleted them. Even though I thought I was doing ok I had the plugin option and went to it. Funny thing is, only found the plug in when I was looking for the Halloween countdown plugin so they didn’t exactly promote that.
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This is a bummer. I have disabled the block editor option on my iPhone WP app. I blog solely from my app and can do it without the block editor, touch wood.
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I notice that the Classic editor is still on the WP iOS app, but I wonder how much longer they’re going to keep it there. I bet an update in the near future will replace the current editor in the iOS app with the Block editor. But it’s good to know that, for the time being, the Classic version is still there.
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I am hoping that they don’t take it away.
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I avoided the new editor for a few months but now I love it.
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Do you use it from your smartphone or from a laptop?
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PC and Tablet
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I’ve heard a few people use the word “slower” in this context. I wouldn’t know, having only ever used one editor.
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Oh dear. I may go back to writing on Word so it doesn’t get lost in the process, then copy and paste it into block.
But, like you, I use iOS WP app and there’s less functionality than either Classic or desktop Block. Images and videos look big and ugly and text wrap doesn’t work. Nor does the shortcode.
I started a Blogger blog a few months back – and I used to be on that before WP. There isn’t an purpose developed app for iOS as it’s Google, they like android, unfortunately. I did it through the Google app, copy and paste from my WP posts.
I expect soon blogging will be too much hassle and I’ll either give up or do FB.
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I’ve just looked at my blog and it was set to Block Editor in settings (WP iOS app for iPad). I switched this mode off and, on creating a new post, it gives me the old editor. Seems to be okay (for now).
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I’ll continue to give WordPress a go as long as I can still use the Classic editor, either through the wp-admin dashboard or on the iOS app for the iPhone. If neither is available, I may create a blog on Blogger or just quit blogging altogether.
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I have a Blogger blog, I like it but didn’t get a sense of community behind it. You’ll have to blog there and link here. 🙂
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Thanks for giving me the advance warning. When I faced the new editor this morning, I at least had some expectations–that I would quickly figure it out and stick to my one-hour write and publish practice. But instead I’m reading all the comments here (thank you for providing this forum!) and hoping one of them might lead me to the still waters. And I’m working on a Mac, so I’m sure it’s much easier, but still WP is deleting my texts and formatting and saying, oops! Argh.
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🤦🏼♂️
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I seem to have gotten all the key components of the new editor down, but I am using a laptop not an iPhone. I can’t say I like it better, but I have gotten used to it and can complete blogs in the same amount of time I used to now. If you decide to move to another platform, please link me the address.
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