When I published my last couple of blog posts, I noticed that WordPress had made a HUGE change. For anyone who currently has a WordPress blog, I’m sure you already know what I’m talking about. But for those of you who don’t use WordPress, here’s what changed:
THE TEXT EDITOR!
Here’s a snapshot of the good, old “Classic Editor.” It was so similar to Word, I hardly had any learning curve at all when I first started blogging on WordPress. I took for granted that I hardly had to think about it as I used it.
According to WordPress, the Gutenberg Editor is new and improved. Oh. . . and more intuitive for WordPress users. Not.
Also, can anyone explain why, if it’s new and improved, they decided to call it “Gutenberg?” Here’s what it looks like. You tell me if it looks intuitive.
My internal old person starting screaming:
- Why’d they have to go and mess with something that was working just fine the way it was?
- I’ll show them. I’ll just Google “How do I go back to the Classic Editor?”
- Damn Millennials.
Then, I took a deep breath. “You can do this,” I told myself, as I furiously typed “how to use gutenberg editor wordpress,” on YouTube.
Amazing what one can learn from YouTube!
(Come to think of it, is that something an old person would say?)
Jan Morrill Writes 
Reblogged this on Jan Morrill, Author & Speaker.
LikeLike
Blogger has also recently made changes that I’m not crazy about. Just when I think I have technology figured out, they change it. 😐
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dee Dee, I guess I’ll re-think another solution I had to this challenge–switch back to Blogger, where I started my blogging days. But, it sounds like they also had the brilliant idea to keep up with the times. 🙂
LikeLike
Would a true old person use YouTube? 🙂 When WP announced some time ago that they were going to switch to the block editor, I decided to bite the bullet and change. I don’t really do anything unusual or innovative on my blog, so I haven’t had too much trouble. I hate that they got rid of the grey rings on the calendar that showed when you had a post scheduled and I double posted a time or two at first. Why get rid of such a useful thing? I also found you can’t center a caption without using a great deal of HTML, another big WHY? So I don’t use captions anymore. Although I know some people have talked to WP “Happiness Editors/Engineers/whatever bogus name” and gotten responses, they never responded to my query about the grey circles or acknowledge they’d heard from me, so I just live with it. Maybe that makes me an old person. Oh, wait, I am and proud of it! 🙂
janet
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good question, Janet! All I can say is, thank goodness for YouTube. I’ve learned how to change a battery in my key fob, fix a toilet, how to oil my sewing machine, how to sew a face mask, how to record a Zoom meeting, and on and on.
As for what’s lacking on the new editor, it appears we can no longer place next beside a photo, like we used to be able to do. I’m hoping that’s just a matter of discovering HOW to do it.
As for being “old,” there are plenty of blessings to this stage in life. But I have to laugh at myself every time I say something that years ago, I thought only “old” people said. 🙂
LikeLike
I was being facetious with that opening comment. YouTube is good for many things in addition to being home to so many weird things made by people who must have way more free/discretionary time than I do!
I get what you mean about things only “old” people said or even did. Yes, there are many blessing at this stage of life, although I think you’re at a younger “old” stage than I. Of course there are blessings at every age if you just take time to realize it. 🙂
Say hi to Steven for me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was blown away by the new editor as well. I only post once a month any more and was caught completely off guard. Someone showed me how to switch back to Classic Editor, but maybe I’ll check out the YouTube video too.
Like you, I find myself doing more things that I used to classify as “old people” actions & habits.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m glad I wasn’t the only one, Russell! I’ll admit, I figured out how to go back to the Classic Editor, too, and was in the process of trying to do that again when I threw my hands up and told myself, “If you’re going to have to figure out how to get back to the Classic Editor every time you try to post something, you might as well figure out how to use Gutenberg!”
By the way, I think talking to oneself is also a sign of old age. 🙂
LikeLike
I tried to share this and comment and that didn’t work. Something an old person did or didn’t do. I collapse into crying fits when trying to follow something new. I’m convinced the newbies are trying to weed us out so we don’t mess up the Internet with our old person nonsense. Thanks Jan for letting me know I’m not alone in this.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Velda, I hope you know what an inspiration you’ve been to so many of us, not only with your writing, but with ALL of the things you figured out how to do ahead of us, then you took the time to teach us. We’ll all just have to struggle through this new technology stuff together. Love you! ❤
LikeLike
Velda,
I’m right there with Jan. You HAVE been a BIG, POSITIVE, influence in my life and that of many others. I don’t think they’re trying to weed us out, they’re just moving forward at a fast pace while we’re trying to tread water and stay afloat. We’ve made it this far and I’m sure we’re not done yet. (Perhaps medium rare?)
LikeLike
I don’t post that often anymore on WP either and was not pleased to see these changes that to me are for the worse! Facebook, too! Not happy.
LikeLike