Good thing I have a lot of time on my hands.
My computer had been hinting at its eventual demise for a while. I chose to ignore it. Then, two days ago, it finally decided to give it up. I guess 9 years of service, which included a major operating system update, was about all I could expect.
The bad news (if the blue screen of death wasn’t bad enough) is that, nowadays, getting a replacement quickly isn’t going to happen. I’m not sure where all the components are coming from, but I’ve been told not to expect anything before the first of July. The good news is that I have a laptop that I can use in the interim. My document and photo files are (fingers crossed) backed up on an external hard dive and sprinkled around on various cloud services.
Although I like to think of myself as pretty flexible (I like to think of myself as much younger and fitter too), this new state of affairs is making me nervous. I was perfectly happy with my old desktop. It was set up in a – to me, anyway – logical fashion. When I get the replacement, I’ll have to find someone to transfer everything over and hope that any changes will be minor.
And, speaking of changes…
Another change that I haven’t embraced is WordPress’s new Gutenberg block editing system. Many bloggers have already made the switch. Not me. Just like the death rattles from my computer, I’ve chosen to ignore the multiple and increasingly less subtle urgings from WordPress. The Classic Editor has worked perfectly fine for years.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Oh, wait…
So, here I am, on my laptop, trying out the new editor. If you aren’t a blogger or if you use a different blogging platform, this may not seem like a big deal. But think back to the 90s, when you may have made the transition from WordPerfect to Word. Both were word processing applications, but they were very different. Although I’m sure I struggled a bit when my company made the switch to Word, I worked through it and have never looked back. I’m hoping for a similar result.
If you are reading this, the change was a success!
Retirementally Challenged 
Well, I just tried to “like” your post, but the computer gods wouldn’t let me. Fortunately, because I get your blog emailed to me, I can forget all that nonsense and just comment by responding via email. Don’t know how (or why) that works, but it does.
My husband and I have the “change” conversation rather frequently. I don’t think it is because we are inflexible (well, I know ONE of us isn’t—still not sure about him), but it is because we have adopted so many changes that produce no immediately evident benefit, we are damn tired of devoting additional time and energy to the new, when the old worked just fine, thank you.
I’m with you regarding the wordpress changes. I am unable to preview a post in the “new” version. Have to flip back to the old. But like you, I have PLENTY of time these days!
You might want to try it again. I understand that the block editor was a mess at the beginning (I’m glad that I put it off) but is much more intuitive now. I was able to preview my post, no problem. I don’t do a lot of fancy stuff on my blog so it actually wasn’t too difficult. I may even get brave and try some of the other wiz-bang features.
Congratulations Janis! All of this so relatable, and yes we will adapt. Frankly, I was quite grumpy with the new editing system, but am working through it….thanks to my tech savvy niece who also uses WordPress.
Oh, how I wish we had a techie in the family! I watched a couple of tutorials then took the plunge. It was easier than I thought it would be (but I didn’t try anything too fancy).
Wooo….I’m having an uncannily similar experience with an 11 year old mac desktop (which also had a new OS in an attempt to extend its life a few years ago)…the signs of demise are there but it’s likely a matter of the most inconvenient time…and ditto the new wordpress editor…haven’t tried it yet….they seem to change it like knickers and I’m still at ain’t broke/don’t fix it stage…
Just make sure everything on your computer is backed up just in case. I’d hate to lose my documents and photos so I’m praying that there are there… somewhere. My understanding is that the new editor is much better than it started out to be. I actually found it pretty intuitive. There are lots of tutorials out there that walk you through. They have been saying that the old editor will go away at some point so I figured that I should at least give it a go.
Hmmm….think ur right….better get on to both of those while I’ve got the time…
I haven’t used the new editor either. Like you, I’m happy using the original. One of the emails from WordPress suggested it would still be there, but the version in between wouldn’t be. If I suddenly disappear, well, I was obviously wrong about that!
Oh, my! Don’t disappear! It isn’t as confusing as I thought it would be… which is saying a lot. When you get some time, you might want to check it out. For those of us with pretty straightforward blogs, the classic editor was just fine. I guess the block editor has a lot of features for those who have more professional blogs (monetized, etc.). I, for one, will keep mine clean and simple.
I’m sure it’s fine, and I also read that you can simply choose a classic editor block. I might do that. I use a lot of galleries and I like the mosaic way they display at the moment. The block editor seems – well – more blocky!
I can totally relate. My employer gave me a Macbook for my 25 year gift so I gave my newish Windows laptop to my husband to replace his dying computer. What an adjustment getting used to the Apple operating system. I don’t care for it but am too cheap to replace a perfectly good machine.
Wow! That was quite a gift! We have Apple phones and tablets but I have no interested in learning a new operating system (upgrading to Windows 10 was a challenge enough). Hopefully, you’ll learn to love your Mac like so many people do.
Just like the Block editor’s outcome, most changes in life aren’t that bad. It’s more about our resistance to change than change itself. It’s about our fear of change than change itself. I keep telling these statements to myself whenever the fear of change cripples me.
You are absolutely right! It’s the fear more than the change itself. I’m sure I’ll learn to love my new computer and, I’m happy to report, the new editor wasn’t as hard to work with as I feared. I may not become the type of person who welcomes all change but I have learned, as I get older, that change can open doors to new adventures and ways of doing things.
Good for you! You must be more flexible, younger, and fitter than I … I keep clicking the button to stick with the classic editor! The good news is that I usually adapt just fine once I make the decision to do so!
I kept clicking that button too. Then I saw a notice that WP would change over to block on June 1st and I figured the time was here. I guess they are backing off on that date now, but I have a lot of time on my hands, so why not? Anyway, it seemed pretty straightforward and, based on the comments, nothing strange happened (yet). My plan is to keep with it until it becomes second nature.
Hi, Janis – I’m sorry to hear about your desktop computer. That is a real drag.
I’m not usually slow to adopt change, but when I am, I resist kicking and screaming. This is the scenario with Guttenberg and me. When I first heard about it two years ago, my intial thought was to dive right in and give it a try. A friend of mine (who works for WP) suggested that I wait a bit until some of the ‘bugs’ were addressed. Gulp, that gave me pause.
Several months ago, another blogger sang Guttenberg’s praises. I was just about convinced to give it a try when another blogger read my comment and privately emailed me suggesting that I wait until a few more things got fixed.
Then I developed my phobia of Guttenberg and was determined to avoid it like the plague (especially when the blogger who was praising it said that it took him one month of practice sessions before he was able to go live with a Guttenberg post). One month of practice? That seriously does not fit well with my minimalist blogging style. :C
When I recently received the WP message about all WP sites being automatically converted to Guttenberg on June 1, I seriously thought that this might be the end of my blogging career. But then I read this delightful post from WP themselves and realized that I can choose to use the ‘Classic Editor Block’ or even just switch back to the Classic Editor. So that, my friend, is what I plan to do. Feel free to call me scaredy cat. https://wordpress.com/blog/2020/05/18/say-hello-to-the-wordpress-block-editor/
I think they must have made a lot of improvements since the initial debut because the whole process seemed awfully easy (I surprised myself). You know I’m not a techie, right? I literally watched a few videos and put together my post in a few minutes (I always write it in Word first, so maybe that helps). I’m not sure what would take a month of practice (now I’m scared… did I miss something?). My plan is to keep at it. I’ll let you know if I run into any issues (and please let me know if you see anything wonky).
Definitely nothing wonky on this end. This post looks very clean and attractive. Still, I will likely keep my head in the sand a little longer. :C
Hi Janis, Malcolm’s laptop died about two months ago. It took over one month to get a replacement. We assumed it was due to high demand since every school child in America is now learning on a laptop, along with all those folks working from home. When he finally did get it, he took it over to our favorite tech shop and they transferred his files without a hitch. I’m sure your situation will be the same.
You may not ever love the block format, but you won’t mind it once you have used it for a while. Straight-forward blogs like ours really did not need the change, but I get that it is better for professionals who make a living with their blogs. Several months ago, I was inspired to try it by Hugh over at https://hughsviewsandnews.com/. He has a lot of very good illustrated posts to walk you through the steps. Just click the Gutterberg tab at the top of his home page. He is also very good about answering questions, even basic ones like mine, without making you feel silly. Play around on a blank page for a few days and you will get the hang of it. This post looks great btw.
I love Hugh’s blog and all of his wonderful blogging tips! I’m pretty sure I looked at his block editor tips before, but I’ll check it out again to see if I missed anything.
I sure hope my computer transition goes as smoothly as Malcolm’s. I wasn’t surprised at all that there was such a long lead time. In fact, I was thrilled that I was able to order one at all since I imagine many of the components come from Asia. And, thank goodness the computer tech shop is open… I would never be able to do it myself.
Well here I am, waiting until I am absolutely forced to try something new. Accidentally signed up for gutenberg a couple years ago and it was a nightmare. I was so glad to figure out how to get back to classic. Hopefully some of the bugs are worked out now.
I think that you’ll find many of the bugs have been worked out. I was very nervous to try it my first time, but it really was pretty intuitive (and I’m not the most techie person).
Yay!!!!!!! We’re in a pandemic. Life has been turned upside down. I can’t handle anymore change. I love you, Classic Editor!!
Haha! I’m kind of surprised that I was willing to make the plunge. I guess I figured… what’s one more challenge?
Sorry about your desktop, Janis. I went through that with my laptop and lost everything, with the exception of what I had saved on my thumb drive. It happened after a Windows update, so I was furious. I’ve been using the same WP since I came on board in 2012, so I’m just continuing as is. My guy in charge of my website said I don’t need to worry…so I’m trusting him.
That is a huge fear. I can’t imagine losing everything but I know it happens. I’m going to take my old computer and new computer to a guy I trust and have him preform his magic. My fingers, toes, arms, legs, and eyes will be crossed. With everyone commenting that they haven’t tried the block editor, I’m getting a bit worried. I know I can change back if I want but, unless I missed something (totally possible), it seemed fine.
I think you’ll be fine.
Hi Janis – I hope your new computer arrives on time and exceeds your expectations. I’m glad you found the block editor intuitive. I don’t know what spreads the fear about the block editor. When I switched from Blogger to WordPress a year ago, I played with both classic and block editors. I knew there was plan to phase out the classic editor so I started using the block editor right away. I’ve had very good experience with it so far.
Thank you for saying this! I was getting a bit worried about making the change. After watching a few videos, I didn’t have a problem at all working with it. Plus, there does seem to be a few features that might be fun to try. I think maybe WP released it too soon and it had a lot of bugs at the beginning. I find that it usually is a good idea to wait until they are worked out, and it appears they have been. I’m glad to know that you are using it and are happy.
You did it, Janis! Your first Gutenberg post. It takes a while of getting used to. The text and typing are intuitive enough, but I wasn’t happy with adding photos and photo galleries, so for that, I still use the classic editor. If you struggle with something, there is always an option to click “classic editor” or “classic” within your block icons. Good luck!
And, while you’re embracing change, why not stick with a laptop as your main computer? I do everything on that – writing, blogging, work, photo storing and editing, folder organizing, … Plus, I do keep a back-up of it all. Just a thought, and it makes life much easier! 🙂
Interesting about the photos. Since I only had one, I just plopped it in. I liked how I was able to change the size easily. Next time I might try a gallery. I don’t think I’ll stick with the laptop (it’s a Surface Pro so really not an official laptop) since I like my desktop. I have my own office, so it works well. If I was mostly on the road like you, or didn’t have my own office, I would definitely switch. I know, I’m a dinosaur.
There’s nothing like a good desktop computer. I love mine, even though my laptop is good for portability.
Yep, if you have the room, a desktop is so much more user friendly , I think. I got my Surface Pro for travel, and I’m glad I have it, but I’m a desktop kinda gal.
Count me among the dinosaurs, too. Alan and I share a desktop, which is set up in our office on a big old roll top desk, and I find it so comfortable to work there. Alan was doing a quite a bit of computer work about a week ago, and I took the laptop (that we use mostly for traveling) out to a rocking chair on the front porch. It got the job done, but it made me think that I hope we never have to give up the desktop. Congrats on successfully accomplishing your WP update!
Ack! You share your desktop? I’m not sure our marriage could survive that. I know I’ll be OK with my little (and, it is little) laptop for a while, but I’m counting the days until I have a desktop again.
I tried the new editor way back in the beginning. It was either switch back or throw my computer out the window. I don’t know what I will do. I may give it a try if I have to. I hate wasting time and brain cells learning something new when the old one worked just fine. You are my hero now!
That was my feeling too… why switch? I guess I was looking for a challenge this time. I think if you tried again (maybe after watching a few videos) you might have a different opinion. I think WP has made a lot of improvements.
I sure hope so. As I remember I have a lot of problems including pictures.
Best wishes for the change-over to the new editor. I switched over only yesterday with great hesitation.
Oh, good to know! How do you like it? Any issues? I was so pleasantly surprised but maybe I’m just kidding myself.
I still like old editor better. Oh well, we have to get used to the new version.
I share your pain Janis. I once did a Service Pack updated and the desktop wigged out and crashed. I called in Geek Squad and they could not put Humpty back together again. I went to the Block Editor in April 2019, but not because I was bold and brave, but because we had ordered Windows 10 laptops, desktops and server, plus new accounting software for the first time since 2003. Ugh. I don’t like transition so I decided to “get it over with” as it was rumored the Block Editor was going to in the short term … one year later, we still have not gone to Windows 10. My laptop is plugged in taking up space, but we are still on Windows 7. I like Windows 7 and am NOT looking forward to Windows 10. I remember going from Word Perfect to Word – I hated it! Most annoying was the automatic lettering/numbering and I started using table-box charts for everything I did to bypass that annoying auto-numbering, whether you took it off or not. They have been tweaking the Block Editor a lot the last year I have been using it. Hopefully it is 100% once everyone has climbed aboard!
Oh my, you have had a lot of challenges! I thought Windows 10 would be a big deal but I guess I am used to it now. Thank goodness for the googles since I have to get help figuring things out now and then. I don’t have to use it for business so what I do is pretty simple.
I am so glad I put off trying the block editor. I apparently missed a lot of the bugs the early adopters were experiencing.
I’ll likely be in the same boat as you Janis; by taking so long to get into Windows 10, perhaps all the bugs are gone for that platform too, just like the block editor.
I don’t do a lot of elaborate things in my job and the computer guy said “don’t sweat it” so I’ll try not to have too much angst over it. The accounting program is a different story, as nothing will be transferred over – I have to create a new database as Timeslips said our software was too old to migrate over.
So, yes – you can be glad you waited to go to the block editor. They have been tweaking it a lot over the past few months. Sometimes I”ll be drafting a post, and it is changed a little while I am working on it.
I haven’t tried the block editor yet either. I am waiting until the very last minute. Maybe the sun will blow up between now and then and I would have spent valuable hours trying to figure out block editor when I could have been doing something much more enjoyable.
A few months ago, I would have said that the chances of the sun blowing up were pretty slim. Now, who knows? :O Actually, the block editor didn’t take me much longer to use. I had to noodle a few things out but it seemed to work pretty well. But, I’m glad I waited as long as I did. I heard the initial versions were awful.
RiP to your computer and your old editor, Janis! I try to be an early adopter for new things like Gutenberg because the inevitable happens at the same time as you experienced! I think you will enjoy the editor especially with your images. Have fun with it an enjoy your new computer when you get it!
Good to know that you are using it and enjoy it. This post had just a single image so I’m anxious to try it with more. Since most all of my images are locked away on my hard drive, that may have to wait until I get my new wiz-bang computer and get things transferred over.
I’m still holding out on switching to the new WordPress editor format. The old one suits me just fine, but I guess I’d better be prepared for the day they say, “Now or never.” It just feels like there’s enough disruption in life right now. I hope adapting to your new computer goes as easily as switching to Gutenberg did for you, Janis.
I agree about the disruption. For some reason, though, since I was dealing with the computer disruption on top of everything else, I figured I’d add another one. Even though I’ve seen WP warnings that there would be a big switcharoo on June 1, I’ve also read that they won’t force everyone to make the change then. Who knows. I’m definitely not an early adopter, trying it out now seemed like a reasonable challenge. Fortunately, it turned out OK… so far.
Nine years, was a good run for your computer. What a coincidence, I have one just like it I think. The front looks identical to yours. My is an HP P7-1414, I think it turned nine this year. It’s still going, but I have replaced many parts on it.
You’ll get used to the editor. Things like pictures presented in a gallery are pretty easy if needed. Best of luck with a newer computer.
I hope you are able to get more years of use out of your computer. I read somewhere that they consider 4-5 years as the average lifespan. Doesn’t seem like very long. I guess we both beat the odds. Although I had been thinking about it for a while, your little tutorial prompted me to try the new editor out. I also looked at a few videos that WP put out and decided to take the plunge. I’m anxious to try the image gallery.
I’m so glad you were successful. Nine years seems like a remarkably long time to keep a computer. I always put off getting a new one until the old one is unbearable. I don’t think I’ve ever used one more than five years.
I remember going from WordPerfect to Word. I had customized WordPerfect with shortcuts, and overnight they were useless. I vowed to use only standard ones after that.
I think the change from WordPerfect to Work broke a lot of hearts. Now, I can’t remember much about it. I hope it will be the same for the new editor. I think my computer may have had some more years in it, but the change to Windows 10 was tough on it. My new one is supposed to be faster and more robust. We’ll see…
My fingers are crossed that your new computer will dazzle you without frustration.
I’ve gotten used to the new editor, and I like it. I hope the transition will be smooth and comfortable for you. Let us know!
Your post looks good, so ai guess you figured it out. I haven’t used the new editor yet, I keep clicking the “classic editor” button. Going to have to try new one one of these days.
Give it a try! As long as you don’t do anything fancy, it seems pretty intuitive (as long as you watch a few tutorials first). I imagine all of us will be forced to change at some point so I figured, now that they supposedly have the bugs worked out, it was time to be brave.
Maybe next time I post. 😊
Janis, I had to smile when I started reading as Les, and I have both changed computers. Well, Les being a tech nerd, built his computer from scratch and I inherited his laptop which has far more memory than mine. As far as the system on WordPress goes, I usually embrace change, though not this one!! Blardy hell, what a nightmare trying to change old posts. Luckily I have stayed reasonably calm, and my computer hasn’t been thrown out the window. Good luck with getting your computer up and running.
It must be nice to have a techie in your household. I “built” my new one on the Dell site, but it was pretty a matter of clicking on options. So, you changed your old posts??? Why did you do that? Is that something I need to do?? Now I’m nervous.
Les is self taught techie, who loves computers and he knows what exact components he needed to have. He has three screens and does dabble in the sharemarket, hence the 3 screens. I am having to reinstall the photos back onto my posts. When I got WP to transfer my posts they didn’t transfer all the photos.
Oh, so that had nothing to do with the new editor, right? You changed blogging platforms, right?
It had nothing to so with the new editor, you can breathe now Janis 🙂
I have just found out that Grammarly does not work in blocks. Apparently, “they” are working on this. In the meantime, I will have to edit via the WP Admin area or stay with hopefully stay with the old version until they sort it out.
I normally write my posts in Word first, then copy and paste. I don’t know about Grammarly working in the new editor or not (it seems to have stopped working on my computer anyway… maybe they want money? 🙂 ), but I did see some spelling mark-ups. Hopefully “they” will get that working for you.
Well done to you. I still get a little baffled by the new editor, especially in relation to adding pictures. But onward, right?
Adding pictures seemed pretty straightforward (either by browsing to a file on my computer or drag and drop) but I just added one this time. I did like how you are able to change the size of the image easily (not just small, medium or large). This post was pretty simple but I imagine that I will be equally baffled if/when I try something more challenging.
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
I have that t-shirt and I am president of the local chapter, trust me!
When I first read the news about the demise of the classic editor, my initial reaction was, “Sounds like my blogging days are over.” But I actually take heart from reading your post and the other comments. I expect I’ll adapt and continue to contribute. But I will probably grumble about it, because, well, I’m the president of the local “if it ain’t broke” club and it’s my duty to grumble!
Hope all goes well with the new computer.
I imagine bloggers who have more complicated pages with charts, graphs, videos, order sheets, etc. are happy that WP has made these options available. Those of us who write a few paragraphs and add an image or two were happy enough to let sleeping dogs lie (which I think is a subsidiary of your “if it ain’t broke” club). Some grumbling was heard but, for the most part, the transition went fairly smoothly.
A working computer is kind of like a vehicle. You turn it on and assume it will work, but when it doesn’t it is quite a shock. Hope everything transfers over successfully. I haven’t switched and won’t until I am forced to. Life is just one big change right now and I’m not embracing any that I don’t need to. I’m definitely not a techie and have no one around to ask so it’s always a project that usually involves multiple hours and related stress. I have my blog and a volunteer blog I manage so I’ll hope for an easy solution when the date rolls around.
Right! I had seen signs that my computer was struggling, but when it kept freezing up, I knew it was time. The blue screen of death was it’s final breath. May it rest in peace. Good luck to you whenever you decide to make the change. I figure the longer you wait, the more bugs will be worked out.
Well done Janis for embracing the new editor. As I’m reading and commenting on your post, I’m also pulling my hair out as I’m struggling with it. I’m trying to view and edit a draft post and it won’t even open 😖 in for a long day I think 🤔
Wow, really? That seemed pretty easy (I think the preview button was in the top right corner). Since I’m no techie, I wonder if I missed something when I hear that others are having problems. I had to make a few changes after I did the initial cut and paste from Word, and it was easy to go back and forth between the editing screen and the preview. They even make it simple to test view your post from different devices (what it looks like on a computer, tablet, or phone). I hope you get it all worked out.
Thank you Janis, I swapped over while in the middle of working on a post, which probably was a bad thing to do 🤦♀️ I will try it out when I have nothing else going on, but realise time is running out, I’ll have to get on with it Aghhhh! 😂 glad you were ok with it 👏
Technology is a wonderful thing until it isn’t. It looks like you have it under control. Good luck!
It’s amazing – and a bit scary – how much we rely on technology. My fingers are crossed that the transition will be smooth and all of my files are safe.
I’ve read so much bad press about the new editor, yet I was an early adopter (are you surprised I would dive right in? 😉) and haven’t had any issues greater than the ones I tended to have with the Classic version. Lucky? I don’t know.
I suspect I have a higher tolerance for change than the average person. I’m firmly entrenched in the nothing-is-perfect category and tend to accept the quirks along with the good in most everything … although admittedly that attitude tends to disappear when I’m in traffic 😏
Getting a new computer though strikes terror in my heart. That rarely goes as smoothly as I think it should and I’m usually filled with angst during the transition. You have my condolences in losing a trusted piece of technology. Hope the process is as painless as possible.
Good to know that you are in the “no worries” camp. Did you have to go back and re-do your old posts like Suzanne mentioned? I assumed that my old posts done in the classic editor and all of my images are safe and sound (and available?). One thing that I did notice was that the old editor provided a list of often used tags that I could easily select and use again. I didn’t see that in the new editor.
I didn’t notice any problems with previous posts. The ones I checked all looked fine to me. Nor did I notice anything different about the tags … although now that you mention it, they are predictive based on what you type rather than just a laundry list.
Still hanging on the to classic version over here but I suspect that won’t be for long! Hope the transition to your new computer goes well. I know it can be a huge learning curve but I have no doubt you will rise to the challenge!
I appreciate your confidence… I wish I shared it 🙂 I’m actually looking forward to having a fast computer with a lot of memory. What I’m not looking forward to is the transfer of files… I’ll be biting my nails that it goes well.
Technology is either wonderful or terrible. There’s so much churn in the computer world, it’s challenging, disruptive, and expensive to keep up. For some reason, the camera on my not very old laptop isn’t working but I’ve found my iPad works great for Zoom meetings. When I can finally get to my computer guys, I will let them resolve the issue. Replacing is never fun even when you’re getting something new and improved (?). As far as Gutenberg, I was a novice blogger when it came out and I’ve had no trouble using it. I think you’ll eventually like it.
Another Gutenberg user… good to know. I plan to stick with it until I’m completely comfortable. I’m actually looking forward to trying some of the newfangled applications. I usually use my iPad for Zoom calls too. It works well and is easily portable if I need to move around.
Janis, I had not heard “word perfect” in years. I remember when we shifted to the memory ball typewriters to the Lanier word processing machines. Good luck with the changes. Keith
I guess once we’ve reached a certain age, we’ve been through a lot of changes, right? I know some people jump right in with both feet, but I tend to hang back and worry a bit. In the case of the new editor, my reluctance may have paid off. Bugs have been fixed and there are lots of helpful tutorials.
I’m pleased to see you writing here. I worry when regular bloggers disappear, especially during these weird times. I have no use for Gutenberg either. I’d like to think that in the end WP will offer the option of both editors. I dream, I suppose.
No need to worry about me! Although I haven’t been on a weekly blogging schedule, I try to get one out every two weeks or so.
I think you may be in luck for a while anyway. It seems that WP has had enough feedback from those who aren’t thrilled with the changes so they will remain flexible for a while. I think the original release was so awful and full of problems, that people are very wary. I figured that I’d try it on this post and see how it worked. So far, so good and I think I’ll stick with it, but I understand why others may not.
I love my desktop computer system. I have a laptop but I haven’t fired it up in so long it’ll probably be an hour before it finishes updating before I can even use it! Sigh.
I haven’t switched to the new editor either. I haven’t even looked at it! I’m gonna be screwed when they change I just know it. Maybe I should go have a peek at it.
I hope you new computer arrives on time!
I hadn’t looked at the new editor before either. I had heard such negative reviews, I figured that it was a hot mess. Fortunately , it turned out OK. Since I was worried that WP would pull the plug one day, I thought I’d (for once) get ahead of the curve. Watch a few tutorials… it’s not scary at all.
I feel your pain on the loss of your computer in these times but glad to hear that you have access to your photos and files. I was slow to make the switch to Gutenberg, but once I did, I never looked back. Liesbet sent me an article from Hughs Views that was really helpful. Now the classic editor seems incredibly kluge.
Good to know that your photo-rich postings do well with Gutenberg. I just had the one silly little image on my debut post so I wasn’t sure I gave the editor a good test. Hugh does a great job explaining things. I saw that article a while ago, but I’m going back to see what I missed.
Unfortunately, I don’t currently have access to my photos and files, and I’m praying that I’ll be able to transfer everything over when I get my new machine. As much as I use my computer, it remains a big mysterious box to me.
I’m glad to know you found the new block editor relatively easy to use! I’m going to try it, but not because I want to. I was perfectly happy with the old way, and don’t understand why WordPress insists on changing things just because they can. I also get tired of all the emails about how to increase my business and expand my customer base…I have neither! Plus, I’m thinking with all the other changes in our lives right now, do they really need to spring this on us as well? But like all the other changes in our lives right now, I have not choice on this one either! Ha!
I imagine that they are going with the “innovate or die” philosophy. I appreciate new and improved, but find that “new” isn’t always “improved.” Anyway, they didn’t ask me so here we are. The good news is that it seems pretty straight forward, so I’m not too worried. I think they received enough negative feedback with the forced change that they won’t cut everyone off on a certain date. When you get some time, give it a try. You might be pleasantly surprised like I was. If not, it looks like you can revert back to the classic editor.
Hi Janis, I was reviewing my comments from yesterday and it looks like my comment disappeared. This seems to happen periodically and why I keep a file of my comments in my notes. I will try again. The positive is I now have had a chance to read everyone else’s comments 🙂
Hi Janis, You remind me how I always hope the Cloud services are actually saving information. Supposedly our Time Capsule is still working. I have some hard drives of photos in a safe. Yet, nothing is 100%. I also have not moved over to the new block editing system. I knew the cheese was moving, yet I did not know exactly when and of course, I was putting it off. I plan to do the tutorials and hopefully I can preview. I also have heard where some of the initial bugs have been remedied.
Like you say “clean and simple.”
My issues have been trying to back up WordPress. I have had recommendations from blogging friends and tutorials. I end up with a bizarre computer coding type of back up. For now, I will focus on adjusting to the new block editor. Then, a more streamlined backup of WP.
I’m so sorry your original comment was lost… I hate when that happens (and it usually happens after I’ve written an especially long reply). Smart of you to keep a copy!
I love your reference to the cheese moving! I guess we should be happy that, unlike what happened to the mice, we were given lots of warnings about the cheese being moved. I kept ignoring the warnings but then I saw a June 1 deadline so I thought I should get going. My procrastinating tendencies don’t always work out for me, but I guess they did in this case. I didn’t come across any bugs or problems… knock on wood this will continue.
I’ve also read about the need to back up our blog content. I figured that, since my blog is hosted by WP, I didn’t need to worry. Then Hugh wrote a long post about it and it appears that it’s a good idea. Have I done it? Nope. Please let us know if you get that done and how it worked for you.
Janis, Like you say, I think it was better to wait for some of the bugs to get ironed out. I will let you know if I find any new information on backing up WP. I have received advice from Hugh, Natalie (the explorer), Deb (WB), online and Youtube. I am still not confident I know what I am doing. One of my results looked like some computer coding in a downloaded folder. I may be overthinking this. I will devote some concentrated time on this. I look forward to connecting with you Janis, soon, on many levels. xx
I used the block editor for a recent post. Put in some columns and used drop caps, etc, etc. After it was published, some of my readers pointed out that they read blog posts on the WordPress Reader or other feed readers. Most of the block editor formatting gets stripped out!
As has been explained by some of your other readers, the First Editor is the one that is being deleted. The second Editor (the Classic Editor) is the one that most of us are used to. It is still going to be supported.
Honestly, I have no idea which editor I was using (first or Classic). I’m curious, did the people who told you that the formatting was stripped out indicate that everything looked OK nonetheless? I like to keep everything pretty clean on my posts (probably due to my graphic design background) so I hope I won’t run into any problems. I’m sorry you had that issue but it’s good to know that if I decide to do anything fancy, I should test it out first. Are you still using the block editor or did you decide to go back?
This is what happens in a feed: I had put two photos (photo block) into 2 columns. That became two much bigger photos in one column with the descriptions below (and not very well spaced.) A colored separator line got stripped out. The image that I applied a circular frame to became a normal photo, but a lot larger. Drop caps were stripped out. That is all I tried, but I think if you stuck with Headings, body, photos sized the way you want, and bold face, everything would look the same in the feed.
I went back to the Classic Editor. All the tools I need are right there. It isn’t complicated and it just does what it needs to do!
Even though there is never a good time for your computer to crash, at least you have some extra free time now with the stay-at-home restrictions. Good luck with the new desktop!
I’m not crazy about the unexpected expense but, I gotta say, I’m excited about getting a updated wiz-bang machine. If I can get everything transferred over, I’ll be a happy camper.
Janis, a computer crashing is never a welcome event. I have zero patience with technology problems. One of the things I loved about my workplace before I retired was having access to IT specialists. It’s kind of odd that I get so frustrated with technology seeing as how I was an early adopter of computers and of having a presence in the online world. I took my first online course in about 1988 and actually was involved in doing software development back in the 80’s and early 90’s, and teaching about educational technology in the 2000’s. But, nevertheless, whenever something goes wrong technologically, I: 1. Yell at the computer; 2. Avoid fixing the issue by finding a work-around; or 3. Call Rob. (Among his many other talents, he’s a whiz at troubleshooting Apple computer problems.) Enjoy your new faster computer!
Jude
My husband and I often remark about how much we miss having so many experts at our disposal. No matter if we had a question about computers, cooking, travel, finance, etc., we could usually find someone who had put a lot of thought into a specific area (we worked with a lot of smart people). Although we have the googles, it’s just not the same. Not worth coming out of retirement for, but still…
Nine years of usage is fantastic! As my late mother would have said, “it doesn’t owe you anything.” I actually use my laptop as a desktop in a way: I have a standard keyboard hooked up to it on my desk because I don’t like the native keyboard on a laptop.
Ah, welcome to the Gutenberg experience. It’s been a struggle, but I’m finally getting used to it after several months of usage. I do like some features of the “blocks,” the main one being that you can move them up/down if you decide a paragraph might work better in a different location. What I don’t like, though, is a lack of spell checker, plus it handles graphics in (to me anyway) a non-intuitive way — fortunately you can still use the photos library, though they also offer you the opportunity to upload straight to a post too. Oh, and speaking of photos, setting them to open in a new tab for the reader is quite a learning curve to say the least. Good luck. It’s a hair-raising experience learning it! – Marty
Admittedly this post was pretty basic and I expect that, as I try other block functions, I’ll be flummoxed. I like a bit of a challenge… but just enough so I don’t feel like an idiot and am proud of my achievement in the end. We’ll see… I thought I saw the red squiggly underline indicating a misspelled word, but maybe I’m wrong. Even though I write my posts in Word first, I don’t always catch all the errors before cutting and pasting it into WP. So, it sounds like if you upload your image straight into your post, it doesn’t go into your library? I’m not sure what you mean about setting images to open in a new tab. Hmmmm. So much to learn. Fortunately I’ve found myself with some extra time on my hands 🙂
Janis: The red underline was thankfully your browser doing the spell-check for you, which is wonderful. But what I loved about the classic editor, is that it has its own built-in spell check which I appreciated as a figurative, second set of eyes. They excluded it in Gutenberg in favor of the browser’s functionality. It’s a minor complaint, but I liked having some redundancy for my tendency to misspell so much.
Re: uploads of pics. You can upload a picture directly into the block if you wish, and not go through the library. Or, you can upload it directly to the library and then put it into the block, as you did in the classic editor. I prefer using the library because the caption field is easier to populate in the library than in the block itself. Also, because I like to provide a reference to the sites from whom I, ahem, steal images, I can also do this easier within the library.
Re: setting images to open in a new tab. Sorry for confusing. What I mean is that I like to make pictures “clickable” for the reader. In other words, most of my pictures can be opened outside of the post itself (in a new browser tab) so that a reader can see it better. It was so easy to do this in the classic browser, and they’ve unfortunately made it very difficult in Gutenberg. But I’ve thankfully figured it out. Just give me a shout if you ever are curious…
Thank you for this great information! I have no idea if my images are clickable so, if that function has changed, I was unaware. Seems weird that Gutenberg doesn’t offer spell check. I’m spelling-challenged too so I need all the help I can get. Even thought I create my original post in Word, and often have my husband proof, I still miss stuff.
I’ve been reading a lot of complaints about the new block editor, but I haven’t had major issues with it. In fact, I find it easier to layout and move things around. Of course, I was away from blogging for a long time and I don’t really remember the classic editor, so I can’t compare.
I think that’s the key: if we are used to one thing, change can be intimidating. If we approach the change as a newbie, it’s just something to learn… no big deal. I’m glad to know that you haven’t had any issues and that you actually like it. That give me hope my transition To the new editor will remain smooth.
I could totally feel for you, Janis, because I’m not good with technological changes. Once I get comfortable, that’s it for me. So, I’ve also been ignoring the new block editing system for fear all will go south if I do. I’ve had this blog since 2011 and it’s worked well enough. I once did an update on my iPhone and had major issues, so…
Anyway, sorry about your desktop. Ours is getting up in age, too, and instead of a new desktop (don’t even know what they sell nowadays), our son suggests a new laptop with a docking system, so we’d still have the keyboard and the feel of a desktop. This is mainly for my husband since I do use my laptop. He hasn’t ventured that deeply because he’s not on the computer as much as I am with writing and blogging.
Glad the update was successful. If I choose to take the plunge, I hope it won’t hurt.
Take care, Lauren
I remember having a docking station at an old job that required a lot of travel (laptop for the road, desktop in the office). It worked well.
I wish WP hadn’t called their new editor a “block” editor. That word made me nervous because it sound complicated. Since I cut and paste my posts from Word into WP, I just pasted multiple paragraphs into a block section. But, my posts don’t have much beyond text and a few images so maybe that’s easier. Anyway, good luck if you decide to try it out.
Janis, I’m petrified that next week I will need to use the new block editor! I’ve been avoiding it, but it’s now inevitable. I despise learning curves that are forced on me. We shall see how painful this is.
I was worried too but it really was no big deal. Watch a few videos/tutorials and maybe do a practice post. If you really, really don’t want to make the switch, I think WP is allowing bloggers to keep the old editor for a while longer. Good luck!
Hi Janis! I’m finally HERE! 🙂 Just got my Monday notice of your post and saw the big change in your life. Isn’t it traumatic when our computer goes to computer heaven and we are left with the after-math? I’m hoping along with you that everything is backed up so you won’t miss anything. Although if it takes to July to get a new one, maybe all that old stuff isn’t that important??? And yes, I’m one of those still stuck in Classic editor. I tried the new one when they first put it out and like so many others went running back to Classic. So far I’m not being forced to switch with a self-hosted site. I’m hoping it stays that way for the foreseeable future but in this day and age NOTHING is guaranteed. Meanwhile, I hope your laptop works out just fine. ~Kathy
Hi Kathy! I have a few blogs on weekly notice so no worries here 🙂 I understand what you mean about old stuff maybe not being so important, but I have so many photos from our trips. Going through them every now and then – and even using them on my blog here and there – makes me happy. I do have to go through them (and my various documents) more diligently and toss the ones I don’t want, though. I’m a little surprised that you haven’t gone to the block editor yet. I think of you as an early adopter. The good news for both of us is that, because we waited, most of the bugs have been worked out. So far, so good for my laptop. I am so happy that I had it to fall back on!
I found not only your post but the comments from all of your followers so interesting. WordPress’s new Gutenberg block editing system is worrisome to me as well. I’m starting my 10th year of blogging and am not looking forward to this change. It was good that many of you seem to be adjusting to the change…hopefully I’ll be able to do the same. Good luck in getting your new computer, I think you will probably feel the same about it as this change with WP.
So many of us who have fairly simple, straightforward layouts on our blogs are baffled at why WP decided to make the change. I honestly don’t see any advantage (I can change the color of a word within a sentence… yay?) that I need or want. Anyway if I’ve learned anything in my 60+ years, it is that my opinion rarely stops changes from happening. I’ll keep at it, though, and hopefully the learning curve will be short.
I’m glad the change was a success… Mine hasn’t switched over… yet!
I think WP initially intended to do a hard switchover but got too much push back. I think you are safe until sometime in 2022. Since I know I would feel the same way about the change in 2022, I figured that I’d get the pain over with now.
I, too, have been ignoring the block editor. But, if the new system makes it easier to wrap text around images the way I want it to, that will make the change worthwhile. I’ve been working soley from a laptop for about 16 years. I know ergonomically, it’s not good to have the screen so low, but that seems about the only drawback. I use external drives to make sure there’s space enough. Good on you to have had everything properly backed up before the blue screen struck!
My fingers remain crossed that everything is properly backed up. I remember having problems with wrapped text in the old editor so I just gave up trying. It’s very possible the block editor will allow you to do that… good luck!
Congratulations on finding an interim workaround for posting while you wait for a new computer. That’s a long time to wait for it until July! And congratulations on posting in the new editor. Way to embrace changes. You’ve inspired me to give it a try soon!
I’m hoping that I’ll get my new computer before July but who knows with everything being disrupted. In the meantime, I have my little laptop and it seems to be working fine. My next post will have more pictures so I’m a little nervous. I guess I can always go back to the old editor, but I don’t want to acknowledge defeat (I’m stubborn that way 🙂 ).
I hope you get your new one before then too! I suspect you’ll persevere and delight us all regardless of what editor you use! 🙂
Janis I hear ya … it’s tough when our trusted electronics crash on us and/or when we have to relearn how to use a new system. A week ago my phone died and I definitely was not a happy camper. How will I WhatsApp friends and family now?? After all we live in a small village with no ATM and certainly no phone shops. The nearest, a good 30 minutes away doesn’t have iPhones. I took a gamble on amazon.com.mexico and ordered an iPhone for $400! Definitely a big expense for me haha as I’ve always used second hand phones (which may be why they kept breaking). Lo and behold in four days a new phone was delivered to our house in Zipolite Oaxaca !
Peta
Yikes! Fortunately, I have yet to have a technical malfunction while traveling. It sounds like things worked out well for you, though. Isn’t amazing (and a little scary) how Amazon’s tentacles reach just about everywhere?
You are a model and example! I HATE it when they upgrade stuff and make it harder — i.e., more bells and whistles for those who like bells and whistles, but more weird stuff to learn for those of us who are just doing the basics. So far I’ve been lucky, I guess. I do as you do — write on Word, then cut and paste — so maybe that’s why it hasn’t been traumatic. But my poor government worked for the government, and they changed everything all the time — it drove him insane….
Sometimes it seems that companies do make changes just so they can justify their existence. I don’t know any “professional” bloggers so maybe the bells and whistles are a huge upgrade for them. I just did my second post with the block editor and it seemed to go well. If I run into problems in the future, I’m happy to return to the old editor (at least until that option is no longer available to us).