Using Windows Live Writer for Blogging

Some of you may have noticed my blog posts have actually increased as of late. Why? I used to use Blogger's online editor and the trouble I had with it really pushed me away from writing posts. I want my posts to look just the way I want, and the editor kept taking liberties with my visual formatting. SO FRUSTRATING!

So I posted the query to Twitter:
"I'm taking a poll: What is your favorite blog editor?"

Since then I've started using, you guessed it, Windows Live Writer.

So far I'm loving it, every post I've made matches the preview. Just like a WYSIWYG should. I've also started playing with the "Plug-ins."

I've recently added Insert Code Plug-in. Awesome! No more images of code for me. Here's a sample of what it does:

Inserting HTML Code (but I'm using XML):

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<configuration>
    <system.serviceModel>
        <services>

Inserting C#:

public static void SomeMethod(string someString)
{
  Console.WriteLine(someString);
}

Inserting TSQL:

CREATE PROCEDURE someStoredProcedure
  @someMsg varchar(256) = NULL
AS
BEGIN

I can only imagine what other tools will be coming out in the future. So for right now Windows Live Writer is for me.

Central Ohio Day of .NET - April 19, 2008

It's that time again. Time for us developers to get together and geek out to the latest technology and see who's smarter. ;)

Day of .NET events are a series of mini-conferences organized by developers for developers. The event it FREE to to all.

Visit the event's homepage, and register today.

For those that have attended the Dayton Cincinnati Code Camps  of the past, this year we've included the Columbus .NET user group as well. Because "The Central Ohio Dayton Cincinnati Code Camp" was just to much to say, and CODCCC had just too many C's. The name has been changed to "Central Ohio Day of .NET", or CODODN. Ah, just better.

But seriously, becoming part of the Day of .NET events makes it easier for coders to find us, and helps coders find similar events going on in their areas.

Though the name may be different, it's the same great event. So come, meet new people, share ideas, socialize, and maybe learn something too.