April 21, 2012

I give up!

Well, I still cross my fingers that it won't be more than temporary, but...

For those of you who are themselves Blogger users, I don't know what your own opinion about their new interface is. "Introducing the completely new, streamlined blogging experience that makes it easier for you to find what you need and focus on writing great blog posts." What a promise. As of me - call me stupid if you fancy it - mastering it is beyond my capacities, so I simply prefer to give up.

That's months already since they introduced this crap. I never asked for it then, but I got it anyway, and out of curiosity I tried it. Unusable. You may think differently - good for you - but because of the design of my blogs (similar presentation for every post, multiple links between the said posts, etc.), I constantly need to open multiple "edit" pages and navigate between them to update them, copy links, etc. Not possible anymore: from the "posts" page, no more right click is possible, so basically, you write or edit one post at a time - unmanageable. Adding pictures? A mess. Positioning and resizing of these pictures? I still didn't find how to easily do it. And so on...

Let's be honest... Actually there was one improvement: the new interface uses Microsoft-like keyboard shortcuts, as Ctrl+I to have the selected text in italic, or Ctrl+B for bold. Let's all clap our hands to show how grateful we are to the geniuses who brought us such a revolution in blogging. That's this kind of stuff which makes you deserve to have your mug on a post stamp one day.

Fortunately, there was still an option allowing you to return to the old interface. What a relief! Alas, as what happens everytime a major site has decided to adopt a "new look" that's supposed to be SO much better than the old one, they always make the change gradual and voluntary in appearance, before letting no other choice than the one they've made for you in advance. So, starting today and either you like it or not, it's the new interface for every Blogger user, period.

Instead of this post, you were supposed to read the whole story of the Hudson Jet on Scale Model Fan's related blog, Automobiles of the World. The text is ready, the pictures are uploaded. Up to yesterday, it should have been a ten-minute affair to put all this online. After something as fifty minutes, and not able to get anything close from the result I wanted, I've thrown the towel. Frankly, I don't return from a day at work with any willingness to struggle with this thing, though it is presented by the great minds at Blogger as a sizeable step toward increased simplicity. So, it's bye-bye to all, and my warmest thanks for having visited this blog, or still visiting it in the future. We'll see each other again when Blogger will either recover from their momentary madness (yes, momentary, for ironically I used to praise its ease of use), or on another site than this one. In the meantime, I'll occasionally pay a visit to answer any possible comment, but that'll be all.

8 comments:

Gaucho Man said...

hola Lorenzo!
I note your problems and agree with you,most of these improvements (not only in blogs) are a mess.
My philosophy is "not to touch, not to change anything", specially if it is working now.
Right of now, in some blogs I can only comment from my wife's computer. Both her computer and mine have the same version of windows, same windows explorer and same configuration,
but one works and the other does not. Mistery, moreover for the person who does not understand anything like me.
Anyway, I wish you good luck, may be with a new computer, or a new explorer, or installing windows again...
Do not leave us, I really used to enjoy your writing and will miss your collection.
See you later, my friend!

lorenzo721 said...

Hello Gaucho!

Thank you for your long and nice comment Gaucho Man. Don't worry, I'll stay around, checking my friends' blogs and ready to return at the first opportunity. Actually I figured out several ways to circumvent the difficulties brought by the new interface, but all are time-consuming when I already have too few of it, and furthermore, why should I make all of these efforts to adjust to a new interface that is supposed to be so much simpler? Anyway, again don't worry, I still have many things to show and say, so I'll be back one way or another.

Kind regards,
Lorenzo.

lorenzo721 said...

Edit:
I've finally been able to revert once again to the old interface. I could consider that the issue is resolved, but the insistence of Blogger to impose their new interface on its users, plus the threatening notice that "Blogger is getting a new look in April. Upgrade Now." still makes me wonder what could happen before the end of the month. If the old interface is still useable by May, then I'll continue adding posts to my blogs. At any rate, I don't know how long we have before being left with no other choice than the new interface.

lorenzo721 said...

A new update.

A few days after I posted my previous comment, Blogger changed its note from "Blogger is getting a new look in April. Upgrade Now." to the previous "The old Blogger interface will be removed this month. Upgrade Now." Nothing happened during that month, but this notice has been replaced by an even vaguer "The old Blogger interface will be removed in the coming months. Upgrade Now." Could Blogger itself notice something is wrong? My hope is that they're using this delay to perfect their new dashboard, if the plan is to leave their users with no choice sometime in the future.

AccroCitroën said...

hey Lorenzo, dont give up man.
I am new to blogger (2months now) and still figuring out how this all works, I have had 3000 visitors since and I still don't understand how I can easily track like-minded blogs.
I collect Citroën only, come check it out if you want (http://miniaturescitroenscalemodels.blogspot.be/)

I like the bit of history you write down with every model.

cheers,

accrocitroën

lorenzo721 said...

Thanks a lot for your nice comments AccroCitroën! Don't worry, I'm still regularly checking how Blogger evolves, waiting for the right time to return. I still have a lot of posts to write: still no DS, no 2CV, no Traction Avant :lol: ! And long live to your blog (I just had a look at it)!

Regards,
Lorenzo.

JDMike's Diecast Site said...

oohhhh 2 years gone Sir Laurent? Mine was 4 years, and I'm back sort of hehe!! just collecting 1/64 American cars strictly :-) Hope to see you around Sir! :-)

lorenzo721 said...

...and it took me all this time to open my account and publish your comment. Only 1/64? What about your line of rally cars? Sure it would be a pleasure to see you again one of these days!