Every Monday, Paula Light, with her The Monday Peeve prompt, gives us an opportunity to vent or rant about something that pisses us off. And today I’m really pissed off. As a matter of fact, I’m standing at the precipice of ending my WordPress blog.
As most of you know, I blog using my iPhone and the WordPress iOS app for the iPhone. The block editor on the the iPhone is next to impossible to use because there is just not enough real estate on a relatively small smartphone screen to make it feasible to use. But the good news is that the WordPress iOS app has the option to create and edit our posts using the classic editor.
However, when I went to the App Store app this morning to see what updates were available for all of my apps, I saw that there is an updated version of the iOS app, version 16.9, that is available. And then I read with horror that “The classic editor will soon be unavailable for creating new posts.” WHAT?
I have been sticking with WordPress since last August when it “decommissioned” the classic editor and tried to force us to use the block editor. I love blogging and WordPress is the best blog hosting site available, so I wanted to continue to blog on WordPress. Besides, the “wp-admin” site still supported the classic editor for new posts and to edit draft posts. And the iOS app for my iPhone still offered its version of the classic editor option for creating and editing posts.
As of today, if I go to my laptop, I still have the classic editor option via “wp-admin,” although a number of my fellow bloggers have said that it’s no longer available to them, so it’s probably a matter of time (maybe days if not hours) before I, too, lose it.
But if they’re also taking it away from the iOS app, that’s the last straw for me. I give up. Trying to create posts on the iPhone using the block editor, and even the so-called “classic block” within the block editor on the iPhone is just not worth it anymore.
So if this is the way it’s going to be, I am either leaving WordPress altogether, or I’m going to cut back on blogging considerably. I won’t stop reading and commenting on your posts, but I probably won’t be posting much on my own. I’m sorry, because all of you, the community of bloggers I’ve come to know, are important to me. I consider you to be my friends. But I’m just not going to put myself through this block editor nonsense that WordPress is foisting upon us.
If it does come down to discontinuing my blog, I’ll let you all know.
This, That, and the Other 
The iPhone I was handed down is 7+? so I haven’t received any notices because it’s probably not compatible. One reason I never wanted an iPhone in the first place. . .my phone and iPad both are bugging me to install the new to me 14.4.1 update but I haven’t. I turned off the auto update feature. Isn’t this the one you said screwed up your phone a while ago?
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPad
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It was not so much Apple’s iOS update that screwed things up as it was the WordPress iOS app version 16.0 update that screwed it up. That was five months ago and it’s still not fixed. 😡
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Don’t go!
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I won’t go unless I can no longer create and edit posts using the classic editor in the WordPress iOS app. Once that happens, I’ll likely stop posting anything new.
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As of this morning I have 22 updates ready to pounce on my iPad. Yeeks😳
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Ugh.
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😥
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Is there another blogging platform you could use?
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I’ve tried Blogger and Medium. I wasn’t too impressed by either. But I suppose, if I decide to blog elsewhere, I’ll go to Blogger.
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Blogger is good. I think I set one up but haven’t used it to publish anything
I just wanted to noodle around so I couLD keep up on at least one other platform
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I fully agree with how you feel, the block editor is really cumbersome and fiddly for the likes of me who just want to write and post the odd snap. I hope you don’t go, Ive enjoyed your prompts immensely and i think you can say that you’ve had a hand in my development as a writer (that could be either good or bad!) I myself have not been writing as much; could be to do with the pandemic, could be to do with the stresses and strains of moving house and could be in part due to the platform. I hope you don’t go, but fully understand your reasons.
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I would prefer not to go, but the block editor on the WordPress app for iOS is a deal breaker.
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Well let us know. Its sad
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🤔 Leaving WordPress would be a bad idea because a lot of people rely on you for your unique style of prompts.
At first, the Block Editor would appear intimidating. However, you will get the hang of it.
I made up my mind to learn how to use the Block Editor when it was in beta and I have no regrets about doing so.
When WordPress removed the Classic Editor, it did not affect my productivity in the area of blogging because I learned how to use the Block Editor.
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If I used a laptop for blogging, I am sure I could learn how to master the block editor. But on a smartphone, Renard, the screen is too small to effectively use the block editor and almost all of my blogging is done on my iPhone. I tried using it and it was a really bad experience on the iPhone.
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Hey Fandango, like Renard – l would say if you can become used to the block editor l would try , BUt also, l am only speaking from a desktop point of view as l don’t own a smartphone … but can l ask ‘why’ do you create blog posts on such a small screen anyway? Is it it just the convenience of using a mobile phoneas in mobility or something else?
I am getting used to the Block Editor, l still have my complaints but functionality wise it is ‘for me’ just a case of getting used to its quirky ways. If you are only going to produce a few posts daily anyway … why not use the laptop to crreate and the phone to comment/
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I prefer the flexibility and the mobility I get from a smartphone. My laptop is in my home office which is toward the back of my house and I don’t like being confined to that room or sitting at a desk. I did enough of that before I retired. I know it’s a laptop and I could move it elsewhere, but it’s a hassle to have to unplug the external monitor, the backup hard drive, the ethernet connection, etc. And I resent what WordPress has done by forcing us to use what I consider to be a cumbersome editor that is geared more to professional and commercial bloggers than to hobby bloggers like me…and like most of the people whose blogs I follow and who follow my blog.
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Hey Fandango, l would say in all honesty that the block editor is not any better for professional or business orientated bloggers either. One of the issues as was explained to me back in 2019 by support staff was that the way WP was moving forward with the block editor there would be huge problems with browsers that couldn’t support it and that would mean that the classic editor would have to be stopped. But users would have a goodly period to source out alternative options. I was still using the classic editor until 2 weeks prior to the June 2020 launch.
I have an ecommerce blog and the block editor has caused numerous awkward issues for me also, so much so that my style in the last few months has had to change to adapt to the new editor and features l was able to rely upon no longer work. So, if any consolation – business owners are not having any an easier journey and considering those plans are higher fees, it is just as insulting as it is to all other bloggers.
I understand your resentment though … l did and still do resent with an ardent passion the Reader because l believe it harms blogging dedication … but that is just my view. As it was explained … it always comes to personal views and alternate options and that is what is missing here – once the Classic is retired there is no alternative for users.
The block editor was probably created by a developer who seemingly believed and still does that his/her/their product is the only way forward for the future of all blogging and there is a good chance they have never had a blog of any nature for longer than the trial period of changing the editors over so may not have any personal involvement in a blog’s soul and or social heart and community spirit.
There are many complaints aimed at the block editor … the complaints are legion and not just from people who don’t like change but many other users as well. WP have simply answered with ‘mostly it is a case sadly of get used to it or find a way of living with it or ……. Tough luck.
They always maintained that the Classic Editors would be phased out. It’s a shame because l think once that is truly final, and the old editor is finally retired WP will see more people leave and maybe in the droves. From my experience of other enterprises that have made massive changes like this, sadly they’ll not care for any leavers – because they are making more money from new users and the latter will come in and simply adapt quicker than many of us older users. But what l have also learned and l believe WP may be counting on this … is that many people who leave will eventually also return and l have seen cases of that alone in the months since June 2020 where people have come back for the social element.
I hope you can find an answer to this my friend, like many others l would hate to see you go. BUT, if you did, l would understand – there have been many reasons that l have looked at leaving in the last year alone myself … not so much the new editor which is plain annoying, but the Reader is something l actually ‘hate’ and l discussed with friends a few months ago that that is something that could make me go and still might in the future.
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I am not someone who resists change, but in the case of the block editor, I think it was change for the sake of change. I’m just a hobby blogger. I usually have one image at the top of my posts and the rest is text. I don’t do anything fancy.” On my blog, so the simplicity of the classic editor was perfect for my kind of blogging. I don’t need it want all if the bells and whistles of the block editor.
As to staying or going, I’ve always held that if or when blogging were to become more of a chore than a pleasure, I’d give it up. I’m very close to reaching that point.
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I agree with that sentiment – and you have always said it …When blogging becomes a chore, you’ll go. All l would counter with is this … at your own concession you have said you have many friends here albeit ‘virtual’ still friendships – but if you go, don’t delete, not for the first 6 – 8 weeks – just in case you have a change of heart and you want to come back, but don’t want to face the prospect of starting a blog over.
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If I go, I won’t delete my blog. It will still be here and I may even occasionally post something, but not often, much less multiple times a day, as I do now.
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Aguycalledbloke, I’m curious why exactly you hate the Reader?
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Hey Hetty,
Because l have, always have. Don’t use it, don’t like it. I think it is a backdoor to untidy. I understand why bloggers use it – so called convenience the very shape of today’s world is ‘convenience’ but that doesn’t mean l have to like that kind of feed and l don’t – not all blog readers actually do.
However, everyone has the option to use the Reader or visit the site direct – it’s their choice. My choice is to not use the Reader and only visit blogs direct.
The personal level is that when people go to great pains and time to create a post format and layout and the Reader comes along and bang wallop smash breaks all format, takes away visual creative instantly.
Yes sure, there are those that instantly hit back and say the creativity is in the content …. yeah, maybe but again all of us have preferences and when l look at creativity l look at the whole package. The Reader destroys an element of a blogger’s heartbeat in the blog and their creative soul.
But that is my opinion and is not everyone’s and l accept that … my point was ‘ we adapt’ and we live with what we don’t like as best as we can.
There is a way around this of having it so that a blogger can redirect their readers from the Reader to the blog direct and yet for some reason since the arrival of the block editor that function doesn’t work any more … so the block editor’s arrival has caused many of us to dislike aspects of it anyway. But we work with what we have.
Hope that helps.
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Ohhhh I see… Excellent point. It’s crossed my mind that I wasn’t getting the full experience of someone’s blog but the significance of that was sadly lost on me. I almost exclusively use the Reader because WordPress is basically my entire social life so it helps me keep up with everyone. I feel so bad now ☹️. I deliberately have a very boring format for mine just because of the Reader, but it sadly never clicked. So much personality gets lost in translation. I’m going to make the effort to check out people’s actual blogs now.
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Hey Hetty, don’t feel guilty 🙂
Your reasons for the sociality aspect is a perfectly valid point 🙂
I am just a very visual person and stimulated by colour and contrast which is why l prefer to visit the blogs direct 🙂
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Oh gosh. So sorry for all of us.
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Apple have been bastards since day one if anyone wants to use anything that’s not theirs. I saw that years ago and stayed well away from them.
Would be sorry to see you go even though I am a johhny-come-lately to your blog.
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Thanks. I’ll stick around as long as I can still use the classic editor, but once that’s gone, I’ll be gone, too.
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I am lucky I started using blocks when I was working six years ago so I find them easy on the PC, getting a handle on the tablet and phone. Only frustration on small devices is trying to find photos in the media file
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I used the classic editor option via “wp-admin” to write two posts today on my desktop.
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Yes, I still have that on my laptop, but I don’t know for how much longer.
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If you stopped blogging, it’ll be a great loss to our community. But I totally get how this editor can be so difficult and time consuming to use.
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Oh please don’t let them defeat you, you’ve come waaaaaaaay too far
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When blogging becomes more of a chore than a pleasure, it’s time to move on. I’ll stay until I can no longer.
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Well, that is definitely disappointing to read. We learned a long time ago WordPress does not care about the non-advertising blogger. I certainly would hate to lose you in this community and hope it does not come to that. Blogger seems so difficult to comment and follow. I know the issue is with your phone. Do you have access to an iPad?
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I don’t have an iPad. But I don’t like the idea of an app forcing the device one must have to make the app work. As to Blogger, you’re right, it is less community-oriented that WordPress is.
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I agree. I felt like if push came to shove I could learn the block editor, but it is frustrating to think this will again be thrust upon us. If all I had was a phone on which to compose, however, I think I would throw up my hands in defeat. I understand and it seems such an unnecessary requirement.
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I hate change. I really enjoy your blogs and would miss your posts.
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Thanks. I hate unnecessary change — change for the sake of change.
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Oh fandango! I am so sorry. Please dont leave wp. I’d really, really miss you if you did go. Please try to hang in and try to work with the block editor, if you can, although I know its very annoying, sending a big hug! xoxo ❤
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New post on The WordPress.com Blog
Publish and Update WordPress Posts Directly From Ulysses
by Donna F Cavalier
If you use Ulysses for Mac, iPad, and iPhone, you already know that this Apple Design Award-winning writing app offers a focused, pleasant writing experience. You might also know that Ulysses publishes to WordPress with just a few clicks or taps. If so, you’ll be happy to hear that the newest version improves the already-smooth integration between WordPress and Ulysses.
For anyone who might be unfamiliar with the writing tool, Ulysses provides a distraction-free Markdown editor that is customizable to fit your style. Its powerful features help you organize your writing projects and be more productive. When you are satisfied with the content you’ve written, Ulysses can export the text into several formats. Most importantly, it is easy to publish your creation directly to your WordPress.com or self-hosted WordPress site.
Let’s take a closer look at how publishing from Ulysses to WordPress works. First, you will need to connect Ulysses to your WordPress account. If you are a WordPress.com user, you will simply input your user name and password. WordPress self-host users will also supply the URL of the WordPress site. Once the connection is made, Ulysses will also sync with your other devices. You’ll now be able to turn any text you write in Ulysses into WordPress blog posts via the app’s export feature.
Ulysses is unique because it automatically transfers not only images and text but also other settings and characteristics. Some of its smart features include:
Your text’s first heading will become your post’s title.
Keywords you attached in Ulysses will become tags or categories if they match your blog’s tags or categories.
If there’s an image attached to your text, it will become your post’s featured image.
If there’s a note attached to your text, it will become your post’s excerpt.
You can, of course, edit any of these smart settings during publishing. Furthermore, you can set your post’s slug and choose to publish instantly, schedule for later, or upload as a draft. This video walks you through the process.
And now for the big news — with the latest Ulysses version, you can also update previously published posts directly within the app, which adds even more convenience to your publishing workflow. Consider this common scenario:
Sometimes when blogging, a typo or other issue escapes our notice, and we only spot it when looking at the published post or the post’s preview. Until now, Ulysses users needed to switch to WordPress to edit or publish the post a second time. With the latest version, that process is unnecessary. Editing text in Ulysses now enables you to update the corresponding WordPress blog post right within the app. During the publishing workflow, Ulysses will highlight the changes you’re about to make.
Ulysses’ newest version improves its time-saving integration with WordPress, making publishing and revising WordPress posts even more convenient than before.
Here’s a fun bonus! To celebrate this latest integration update, Ulysses is giving away five (5) free one-year licenses! To win, simply comment below, letting us know that you’d love to try the Ulysses app. Remember: this is an Apple product, so it only works with Mac, iPad, and iPhone. The first 5 people who ask for it in the comments will win. We’ll send the name and email address you supply when you comment to Ulysses and they’ll contact you with the details on how to claim your one-year license.
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Sorry for the long comment. Saw this in my email folder and thought I pass it along
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Yeah, I saw that and I even went to the App Store and downloaded Ulysses to my iPhone. I wasn’t impressed. I linked it to my WordPress account and wrote a test post on it. I added a photo, used some italic and bold fonts as well as the normal font, and then published it as a draft. The end result: None of the formatting showed, the picture I included wasn’t in the draft post, and the bold and italics were missing. Plus, after a two week trial period, Ulysses costs $49 a year. I was hoping this would be a solution, but it was very disappointing.
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Thanks for passing it along. I tried it. 👎
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I love reading your posts and will miss them terribly if you must stop, but I understand. I am happy you will still be in some contact by still reading and commenting. Hang in there my friend!
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If you prefer to edit on iPhone there are quite a few apps that let you post to WordPress. Try searching for “Wordpress” for those. My favorites are iA writer and Ulysses. There are free ones also like iBlogger, etc.
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Thanks, I will take a look.
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