Windows Live Writer and Old Blogging Websites

Hello everyone! Everyone knows about Windows Live, from Messenger to the Movie Maker, but what about Windows Live Writer?

On 2007, the first Windows Live Writer came with the Live Essentials pack. The version I downloaded was from 2009, which allowed optional downloads so I didn't corrupt the Escargot WLM revival. I was bored on the internet as usual when I came across this. I forgot what I was even doing originally before, honestly... 

I spent more than three hours setting up blogs (-most of that time was spent customizing but pretend it wasn't-) to see if this software even still worked. And surprisingly... It still does! :D

It uses a XML-RPC protocol to transfer accounts, which is very useful. I was thinking that it would be only for Windows Live and redirect me to some dead website, but I'm happy to be wrong! :]

Here's proof on my LiveJournal which I created specifically for this.

Livejournal ; What I wrote on Open Live Writer, unfortunately emoticons don't work right I later found that LiveJournal themselves are the reason the pictures don't work without an FTP client. :/

As fun as this was, seconds later when I was searching about Windows Live Writer I came across Open Live Writer. They look very similar, but obviously Open Live Writer is more updated. I decided to make a couple comparsions just out of curiousity. This is essentially a comparsion between WLW versions '09 and '12, since OLW is just a more accessible, open source client of the latter.

No Windows Live Space, Blogger is on the main page whilst Wordpress is removed from the example of other blog services, and a privacy policy disclaimer.

Blog support for Community Server is removed, replaced with supposedly Telligent Community/8.0+, OverBlog added.

More slick and less cramped design, different icons and options are rearranged.

Now, with the existence of Open Live Writer, is it better to not go through the trouble of Windows Live Writer? Unless you're a masochist NEET who's chronically nostalgic like me, I'd say use the former.

Some of these sites don't exist anymore or have modernized to the point where it's originality is completely gone. For example: Wordpress. I tried, tried, and tried to configure wordpress but it was so. fucking. agonizing. Crazy thing is I remember Wordpress being beginner friendly. I know change is inevitable, but did they have to change it to the point where everything on their sight is irrecognizable? Rant aside I might just be mentally challenged but who really gaf, point is it ain't the same.

HOURS LATER...

I''VE GOT IT WORKING WHILE I WAS EDITING THIS POST!! TURNS OUT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO USE YOUR EMAIL AS THE USERNAME!! I'M ACTUALLY RESTARDED!!! :D

Boring, mediocre theme but I'm not going to waste anymore time on Wordpress today. Until I find out a way I can bypass premium edit the HTML so it doesn't look soulless without any hassle I'm probably not going use it.

On a better note, some of these sites were a blast from the past. Don't fix what isn't broken. Typepad got the memo.

A little too much, actually... They still have MySpace and AIM up! D: None of the external sign in methods work unfortunately.

I feel like I'm back in 2k14 with this layout... Only for it to redirect me to a modern alternative site when I try to sign up. Giving me the blingee treatment, I see. Nevermind about the "not fixing broken things" phrase, I guess. X-X
Another thing is that most of these are non-free blog sites. This probably isn't a problem to someone who's NOT broke and unemployed, but I'm not gonna spend $500 a year to yap, MoveableType.

So far in my journey, I could only get LiveJournal to work on either software. Blogger seemed like it was close to working, only for Google to block access. I was about to give up until I came across a nightly build of OLW someone posted on GitHub due to having the same issue. And low and behold...

It worked! I was even able to download the theme! Images aren't showing, but I think that's my blogspot theme and not something on OLW's end. There is also a "Static Site Generator" on the nightly build that allows Git repos. I might try that out one day.

I also found out that DreamWidth works with OLW! I've never posted on there (I've had an account on there for almost two years now...), better late than never, I guess. ^^

So there you have it! Three confirmed free, working sites! (At least on OLW). Tried getting OverBlog, a french-based journaling website, to work but I had no clue what to put as the remote protocol and OLM kept throwing errors at me.

Nonetheless, I had a lot of fun making this blog. Old profile themeing websites like Pimp My Profile, Themes2wp, BTemplates, were very helpful in my journey of personalizing everything. Seeing those sites still up and accessible made me really happy. Everything was right where they left it all those years ago. Stuck in time; maybe it's better that way.

I haven't tried any of the paid/closed sites for reasons stated earlier. If anyone with access to those sites, I suggest giving it a try! 

I might make a seperate blog listing all the supported journal websites for both WLW or OLW, but that'll be for another day. It's pretty neat to see decade old software still working after so long. :]