Windows Live Writer Beta 3 Released
Windows Live Writer (WLW) Beta 3 was released last week. This is the last beta release before the final release of WLW. Some of the new features and improvements in this release are
- Support’s ‘Insert Video’ natively previously made possible by a plugin
- Publish XHTML style markup
- Use Writer in 28 different languages
- Ability to print posts
- Justify text alignment
- Better image handling and more bugs fixed
Windows Live Writer Portable 2.0 Released
Windows Live Writer is an excellent desktop blog editor. Scott Kingery of TechLifeWeb had made this tool even more attractive by making it portable for those of who rely on our USB drives for mobility.
Why Portable?
Blogging is hard work. It requires a lot of time and energy. Yet, it is fun. I like the portable version so I can just plug my USB flash drive into any computer with or without internet connection and blog with WLW Portable. Once, I have an Internet connection, I can just hit Publish to post my article to my blog.
WLW Portable 2.0
With the release of WLW Beta 3, Scott has released a new version of WLW Portable 2.0. And if you have a U3 flavor of USB drive, you are in luck.
I have used the previous portable version with U3 made possible by a program called ‘Shortcut Creator 4U3’. It can get any of your portable app to your U3 menu.
Installation
Scott has nice and detailed instructions of installing both Windows Live Writer as well as Windows Live Writer Portable here. For those looking for a quick overview, this is how you simple it is:
- Install Windows Live Writer to your computer (don’t have to run it)
- Download and unzip WLWPortable2.zip to your USB drive
- Copy all files from C:\Program Files\ Windows Live\Writer to the new structure in your USB drive – WindowsLiveWriterPortable\App\WindowsLiveWriter
- Uninstall Windows Live Writer from your computer if you don’t need it there
- With U3, you would use the .u3p file to install WLWPortable using U3 menu. Then you’d follow the same steps to copy all the WLW files from your computer to your U3 drive.
I love the flexibility portable apps provide and would like to thank Scott for providing such a great tool to make WLW portable.
Technorati Tags: blogging, blogging tools, portable apps
I’d have to agree with you about WLW. I’ve been using it for almost a week and even though I’m still trying to figure my way around, I feel that it’s a pretty good way to post.
Mark.. there are some things I do miss in it. Things like support for UTW or Simple Tagging plugins.. or the All-in-one SEO plugin support to add meta keywords to post.
I still find the ease with which I can create drafts and work on them anytime anywhere win over the missing bits.
Maybe there are WLW plugins out there that already do this. 🙂
Good points! Between UTW, All-in-One SEO, and In Series, I need my WordPress dashboard.
Plus, I don’t think I would want to blog from my mobile. I’m glad WLW works for some people though!
Yes, Kyle. I don’t travel as much or have a long commute to blog from my mobile either. But, I do find it easy to shuttle between home, work and weekends when I am out and about.
Nice review of the latest version, I’ll update my existing version.
Thanks Nirmal. If you get to download WLW beta 3, would you be able to share the portable version. For some reason the new Windows installer refuses to download the new version for me! 🙁
Thanks for bringing it here. Even the plugins do work with this one.
Seems like WLW is getting popular. I’ll have to try this latest version.
@Vinod.. you are welcome! Yes, it acts just like the installed one except for a few quirks when you plug your flash drive in different computers and the drafts won’t show up right. But, if you did a File -> Open you will find that they are there anyways.
@Shankar.. It sure is! But, I would love to see UTM or Simple Tagging support either natively or by a plugin.
If someone has installed WLW Beta 3 successfully, would you mind sharing it with me. I have had no luck installing it on my Windows XP! 🙁
K,
After a long search, it seems to me we are the only two in the world unable to install WLW3 in our XP machines. Any luck finding a direct download for the portable version?
Cheers from Brazil
Paulo Brabo
writer/illustrator
Paulo, wow! I gave up trying to get the new portable version. With WordPress 2.3 I’m starting to gravitate more towards using the WordPress editor more these days. However, if I can get the portable version to work I might start using that as well. But no luck yet.
And, welcome to ShanKri-la and thanks for taking the time to comment! 🙂
Just posted Version 3 of WLW Portable. Now now Administrator level needed. Works better with Vista! http://www.techlifeweb.com/2008/11/08/windows-live-writer-portable-version-3/
Scott Kingerys last blog post..Bookmarks for November 5th 2008 through November 6th 2008