You may recall that back on August 21st I wrote a whiny post about how upset I was that WordPress was forcing us to use its clunky block editor by essentially decommissioning the classic editor. In that post, I announced that, after the end of August, I was going to take a bit of a hiatus from blogging.
So now that August is over, am I actually going to take a hiatus from blogging? After all, I’m still quite pissed off at WordPress for retiring the classic editor. Because I use an iPhone for my blog, and because the block editor is not exactly optimized to use on an iPhone, I have to jump through proverbial hoops in order to create posts, whereas with the classic editor, it was a piece of cake.
I’ve discovered that the WordPress app for iOS for the iPhone does still have — although I don’t know for how much longer — a version of the classic editor. I call it “classic lite” because it’s missing some key functionality that I typically used on wordpress.com on the Safari browser on my iPhone before that version of the classic editor got the ax.
So what I have to do now is create a draft of my post on the “classic lite” editor on the iOS app and take it as far as I can before I save it. Then, if I need to fine tune it further, I, go to wordpress.com on the Safari (or Chrome) browser, log on to “fivedotoh.com/wp-admin,” and use that version of the classic editor to polish up the draft post as necessary in order to get it just the way I want it. The “/wp-admin” classic editor is better than the block editor, but it’s still more challenging to use on an iPhone than the classic editor that WordPress recently retired.
Bottom line is that it’s taking significantly longer for me to compose, preview, edit, and publish my posts because it now requires two different versions of the classic editor instead of just one, as it did before all this shit went down a few weeks ago. Even so, I’ve decided that I’m not taking a hiatus from my blog. I’m going to slog through it. I will do my best to continue with my prompts until it just becomes too onerous to go on.
Thank you all for your kinds words, support, and encouragement throughout what I call my ordeal. Maybe WordPress will deign to revive its classic editor for those many of us — especially those of us who primarily use our smartphones for blogging — who are not happy about being forced to use that damn block editor.
It’s like Facebook forcing iis dreadful new look on people. ☹
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I haven’t logged into Facebook for a long time. Maybe I’ll go take a look and see what they’ve done to it.
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I never switched from the classic editor, but because I am part of the Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie team and they have switched, I have to use the block editor once every two weeks and it sucks the big one. Before you switch to a new Blogging Platform, let me know and I will join you where ever you end up.
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Gah! What a palaver to make a post that is. I’m pleased that you are going to continue giving us wonderful prompts those. I look forward to seeing where you take me and my characters next.
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I’m in much the same position, but I need to write. I don’t know if I have it in me to start over. I’ve got 11,000 posts in this blog and who knows how many pictures? I know I need to do less. Maybe a lot less. I hate that WP is putting me through this & I’ll never forgive them. But — I’ve got so many friends and life is fraught with a kind of emptiness that is hard to deal with until something happens to relieve it. I do know I have to get through the “now” before I will feel free to make a valid choice. I’m too mentally messed up to choose.
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I pretty much feel the same way. I’ve only got around 5,000 posts, but I love blogging and I love the community of other bloggers here on WordPress. Like you, I’m really pissed that WordPress is doing this to us.
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It sounds like blogging for you has become more hard work than fun so kudos to you for carrying on despite the problems. I know that if I were forced to blog on a phone because that was the only way I could do it with the editor I wanted to use it would be like torture to me.Nobody should have to use a device they don’t wish to use to continue blogging. Glad you are staying.
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Thanks. I agree that the way an app is designed should be able to be used effectively across multiple devices, but I guess the folks at WordPress don’t necessarily agree.
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I don’t know why they shove those blocks down our throats. With this many people not wanting the change, why insist? At least give people an option…
So frustrating.
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I would think they’d give people the option, but I guess they don’t want to maintain and support two different blogging paradigms.
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Well I think that’s a stupid idea if that’s what the end users want, to have two options. 🙄😎
But yes I get that.
In my feed I keep getting articles about “embrace the blocks”. 😳 I don’t wanna. But I suspect there is no choice.
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Please stay and share this agony with us! What are friends for after all!
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Right. No one wants to suffer alone!
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Yup!
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I’m so glad you’re staying for now. I have an older blog (like, started this blog originally in 2011), so this may be the reason I haven’t been forced into the block editor on iOS. I’m pretty much forced into it on PC though, although I’ve found a way around that too. It’s all pretty annoying.
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Very annoying, but I’ll stick it out as long as I can.
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That’s good news! Who would we do the Fandango with if you left us? 🙂
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Maybe you could find someone who would agree to dance the flamenco 💃 with you! 😉
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Glad you’re staying. I signed on this morning and I’m still in classic, but for how long I don’t know. Hubby is working on the problem ……………………
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I wish your hubby luck. But some people love the block editor. Maybe you’ll be one of them.
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I tired it and got in a muddle so reverted back to classic. That doesn’t seem to have been changed yet.
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My iPad did a new update and even my android phone. I’m not jinxing anything I hope, when I say I’m still using classic.🧐🤔🥴🤓
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I can use “classic lite” on the iOS app, but it falls short of the classic editor that I used to use at WordPress.com on my iPhone’s browser.
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The block editor has still not made an appearance on my WordPress, so I am yet to find out what is going on with it.
But….please stay. If anyone can figure it out you can!
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If you’re lucky, the block editor will never find its way to your blog, Mel.
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Glad you found a work around. I don’t know if it’s to late to do what I did. I bookmarked a template of classic editor in Safari and use that to create a post. Seems to work
Here’s mine
https://piecesofstarlight.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post-new.php
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I do use that wp-admin classic editor, but it’s a bit more cumbersome to use on an iPhone that the version of the classic editor that they just decommissioned.
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I know they made it too simple on the iPhone now. Not enough choices. 😕
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👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻✊🏻
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Thats great news, its getting slowly easier to use, or maybe i’m getting used to the block editor, but from where i’m standing its still a lot of hassle to get my head round, so much so that i’ve stopped drinking, I keep aways from sugary snacks and have joined a monastery, maybe this will help! Keep on keeping on Mr Fandango.
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I like your “whatever it takes” attitude. 😂
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I enjoy what I do and don’t want to have the thought of “oh bloody hell, the block system” whenever I try to write something. I will beat this thing!!
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It sounds a bit complicated to put together a post. I appreciate your efforts
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It sounds like a lot of trouble and extra work, ugh! Thank you for doing the extra work and staying around, I hope the fun and friends factor stays above the pain of the extra steps.
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I hope so too, Irene.
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Sorry yo hear all the hoops you have to jump through to get a post done. I however, am very glad you are going to stay for now. It just wouldn’t be the same without you!
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