Do you really need Sun Weblog Publisher

Surprisingly, suddenly all applications on the desktop seem to be adding a blog extension. That's because Sun Microsystem's Sun Weblog Publisher (SWP) utility provides StarOffice and OpenOffice.org. SWP is quite easy to install and use, but the transition from Writer text editor to markup language on blog website is not very smooth. And the option to upload posts (entries) is much more limited than what people think.

You can download Sun Weblog Publisher from the Sun Global Specials Store for $ 10. This utility runs on GNU / Linux, Solaris and Windows with two English and German versions

In copyright regulations for end users, SWP allocates extended privileges for use on workstations or networks but is limited to not only prohibiting free copying and editing, but also benchmarking. to test utility features as well as compare and use software in nuclear conditions.

To run SWP you need Java Runtime Enviroment and either StarOffice 8 Update 4 or OpenOffice.org 2.04 (or newer). You also need one of the blogging programs that SWP supports such as Blogger, Roller, WordPress, Atom or any program that supports MetaWeblog API.

Since SWP is written as an add-on, you want to install it, just go to Tools -> Extension Manager in StarOffice or Tools -> Package Manager in OpenOffice.org and the package description in the window that opens. After the next Office startup, you will see a Webblog menu added between Tools and Window with a floating palette for weblog options.

After installing Publisher, you need to configure it to suit your needs via Webblog -> Settings . Settings support any number of blogs, each number is defined by the software it uses, the URL and username . If you choose, SWP can also remember your password. But adding a blog takes a few minutes, enough time for you to wonder if SWP is 'dumb'! During that time, SWP not only established a connection to the blog but also downloaded a list of information and tags on the blog you can use later.

Write and format

You can use SWP to edit a new blog entry in the Writer editor. You can also go to Webblog => Edit to edit or read a post again. When editing a new post, you will have some problems because SWP will have to search on your list of possible options.

When you are ready to post, go to Webblog => Send to Webblog . The dialog window opens, you can choose a blog for post type, title, tag (or catagory in SWP) to upload the post. Strangely, the type of article is limited to only one option for an entry, but most bloggers are at risk when they see a program that is "miserable".

You can also choose to upload a new entry, upload it once or like a draft and keep it private. If you choose to upload the article as a draft, you cannot open it in the default Web browser. This is an unfortunate omission which is uncomfortable for users because normally everyone is anxious to check the format of the paragraph (especially when first using SWP) and uploading login requests .

If you do not choose SWP to save your password, you may have to wait about 30 seconds for the software to reach the website. But due to entries in marked-up text files, the uploading process is faster, even with articles larger than 1000 words.

Whether in editing or editing, the biggest improvement of SWP is that you can use the familiar interface of OpenOffice or StarOffice without having to start learning how to use a new interface like that of TinyMCE. However, this improvement is less beneficial than it is said. Basic formats like bold and italics are usually kept if uploading from SWP to a blog site, but not working with WordPress. The table is even worse. To upload a table to a blog takes a lot of time, but half of the content is only for individual cells. You cannot upload photos either.

Art lines or text will upload successfully if you remember to group all elements after editing. However, it retains the background for the objects, so if you decide to use SWP, you should consider designing a template with the same background as the blog so that the artistic lines can fit there.

As you know, StarOffice.org and StarOffice are well known for their limited HTML editors and guidelines for cleaning up the source code. I was a bit nervous when I saw the div tags in the test upload to WordPress, but I was relieved that they were not the cause of the display problems for the posts being posted.

It can be said that SWP is quite useful when writing blogs in a simple format. There is nothing more than text style and you should check the results after uploading because it is not perfect as expected - a step should be taken to remove some of the software's utilities.

Use or not?

Is SWP worth installing? The price is reasonable but for a commercial extension like SWP it seems to go against the idea of ​​encouraging more users to use the main software. Assuming you have no reason to object to the extensions, the answer still depends largely on the comfort of the different interfaces and the format you need.

On the other hand, if you already know about Writer and enjoy it, using SWP is also a worthwhile option to learn more about the new interface that your blog's software offers. And most blogging interfaces are simple, comfortable and convenient for users, so they don't have to think twice before starting to write something. Many programs do not require any markup.

Similarly, if SWP offers more advanced formats than many other blog interfaces (theoretically, in fact, it is not always possible) then the question is how many people need it. there.

SWP may have found its own market a few years ago, when the blogging interface was less advanced. But now it is in the awkward position, providing the utility that is either no longer needed, or there are already dozens of other programs available. Many advanced functions may never need to be used. Fortunately, removing it is as easy as installing it.