Microsoft just released a new software package for bloggers. Windows Live Writer is “a desktop application that makes it easier to compose compelling blog posts usingWindows Live Spaces or your current blog service.”
I am currently writing this post via Windows Live Writer and I find it to be very slick. The program is still in Beta, so I am sure there will be bugs that crop up here and there, but so far it’s working flawless. Upon installation, it asked for my blog url, username and password, and it figured out the rest by itself. I am using WordPress for my blog backend, and WLW is compatible with various other blogging services and backends including WordPress, Blogger, TypePad, LiveJournal and others. Also it “supports RSD (Really Simple Discoverability), the Metaweblog API, and the Movable Type API.”
Some of the features of Windows Live Writer are:
- WYSIWYG Authoring
- Photo Publishing
- Map Publishing
- Writer SDK
All in all, it’s a very nicely done little blogging app. I intend to use it to post to my blog from now on, and with any other blogs I might setup in the future. Well done Microsoft!