Windows Live Writer

Windows Live Writer, often referred to as WLW, was a desktop blog publishing application developed by Microsoft. It was part of the Windows Live suite of services and applications, which aimed to enhance the user experience in various digital tasks, including blogging.

History

Windows Live Writer was initially released as a public beta in August 2006 under the name Windows Live Writer. It was developed to provide an easy-to-use interface for users to create, edit, and publish blog posts directly from their desktop to various blogging platforms. Here are some key historical points:

• It was originally a part of the Windows Live Toolbar for Internet Explorer, but later became a standalone application.
• Microsoft officially released the first version of WLW on December 13, 2006.
• Over time, it supported a wide array of blogging platforms like WordPress, Blogger, TypePad, LiveJournal, and more, through various plugins and updates.
• WLW was discontinued in January 2017, with its last update being in 2012[1].

Features

Windows Live Writer included several features that made it popular among bloggers:

• Offline Editing: Users could write and edit posts offline, syncing when an internet connection was available.
• Rich Text Editing: The application offered a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor for formatting text, adding images, and embedding media.
• Plugin Support: It had a plugin architecture that allowed developers to extend its functionality, including support for additional blogging services.
• Image Upload: WLW provided tools for uploading images directly to the blog server, resizing them, and adding captions.
• Spell Check: An integrated spell checker was available to help maintain post quality.

Context

Windows Live Writer was part of Microsoft's broader strategy to integrate blogging into their suite of online services. During its time, WLW was praised for:

• Its user-friendly interface which made blogging accessible to people not necessarily tech-savvy.
• Its compatibility with multiple blogging platforms, reducing the need for platform-specific knowledge.
• The ability to publish posts to different blogs simultaneously or manage multiple blogs from one interface.

However, with the rise of web-based blogging tools and the shift towards cloud-based applications, Microsoft decided to retire WLW in favor of focusing on other services like Microsoft Word's blog publishing features and OneNote.

Legacy

Even after its discontinuation, Windows Live Writer left a legacy in the blogging world. Its open-source successor, Open Live Writer, was created to continue providing the features that users loved, although it is not officially supported by Microsoft.