A WordPress Exchange On Twitter

~ beetleypete

I saw an advertisement on Twitter. WordPress want to recruit more ‘Happiness Engineers’, for Customer Service.

We are growing! Check out our open, fully distributed roles across engineering, design, Happiness (customer service), marketing (and more!). Get all of the details on how to apply here: bit.ly/38guhDF

So I replied.

“Happiness? Give us back the Classic Editor, and I will be happy! Listen to your customers and bloggers!”
8:15 PM · Apr 1, 2021Twitter Web App
Then they replied.

WordPress.com
@wordpressdotcom

Replying to

@beetleypete
If you really want to use something like the classic editor, we recommend sticking with the classic block: wordpress.com/support/wordpr We also have some extensive documentation available at

I answered.

“It’s not the Classic Editor though, is it? Just let us have have the option. What’s the problem? You know it’s possible. So many users absolutely hate Block Editor, and cannot work it out. Look after your users and paying customers. (like me) Do the right thing for once.”

Nothing since then. Not surprised.

67 thoughts on “A WordPress Exchange On Twitter”

  2. Way to go, Pete. I’m so glad you spoke up. I just can’t imagine using the Block Editor. I hate it, like most of us do. We will all have to find another blogging community if the classic editor is really pulled away. I’m still the glass-half-full that someone at the top will ‘get it’.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I have no doubt that WP will NOT retain the Classic Option. If anything, I believe they will make the Block Editor more complicated, as it seems they are heading down the ‘Professional Publishing’ route. I will hang on for now, then try to use the ‘Classic Block’ later. If that goes, I may just become a ‘bystander’.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. I honestly don’t think they want the ‘hobby bloggers’ on their platform any longer. I have no doubt that the Block Editor is only the first of many changes designed to switch WordPress over to a completely ‘Professional’ format.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Like

      Reply

  5. I think the main point is that in most areas of life, we are given choices. What should I order off the menu? What cable channels do I want? What type of music do I want to listen to? WordPress and other large companies have to expect blowback when they determine what they’re giving us instead of giving us options.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. I always fight, John. Whatever the odds, I keep fighting and complaining. I may well go from WordPress in time, (as in soon) but I refuse to go quietly! 🙂
      Best wishes, my friend.
      Pete.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  8. It seems there are for’s and against…I like the classic editor because I have always used it but I did have to learn it initially…I have written posts on the block editor and it’s pretty straight forward and I’m no techie…I just don’t like the way images come out but then I haven’t spent time on that and maybe by the time I have no choice they will have made it easier…Happy Easter, Pete xx

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Carol. I really resent the way they forced it on us. There was no need for that, I’m certain. I hate the BE so much, if they remove all other options completely, I might just stop blogging altogether. I do not want to have to learn new stuff at my age, especially when I completely disagree that it is ‘necessary’ to do so for WP profits. If I could meet someone from WP, I would punch them until I was too worn out to punch anymore.
      Have a nice Easter, Carol. I have a feeling that I am on my way out of here.
      Best wishes, Pete. x

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. That would be such a shame, Pete…but the world is all about profit which ever way we turn we can’t get away from that…I just think it is as easy as we want it to be and for those who want more its there…They have to as a company go forward its the name of the game…I don’t like how they are doing it but it is what it is unfortunately I’m determined to not let it stress me out anymore 🙂 x

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

  10. WP seems to be saying use the block or go elsewhere. Is there an elsewhere we can go to to blog? If there is those of us who think WP is pushing something on to us that we don’t want we can change or at least threaten to.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. You could try Wix, Squarespace, or Blogger. But most are in the process of becoming more ‘Professional’, which to me means ‘complicated’. I have spent so long becoming part of a community of bloggers on WP, I would sooner stop blogging altogether than start again.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Like

      Reply

  11. In defense of WP: by now, Pete, you know that I am in favour of the new editor, because it gives me LOTS more options to format my blog posts. AND: I still have the choice of the old editor. It is just ONE click away. So, the WordPress people are right: they do give you the choice.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. They give me the choice of ‘Classic Block’, Pit. That doesn’t work in the same way though. I really do believe it would be so simple for them to have left the old option. If you like the new one, that’s great. I am not attacking bloggers who use it, and understand it.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. I know, Pete, that you’re not attacking bloggers who use the new editor. I’ve never even for a second thought that. And I agree: the “classic block” is slightly different from the old classic editor, but only slightly.
        It’s not simple at all, btw, to keep two different editors. It takes lots and lots of man-hours to always adapt the editors to changes e.g. in every single version of every single operating system and/or in every single browser. Every change there needs to be reflected in the WP software. I certainly is possible, but it would be an immense task.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

        1. On the Business Plan, which is expensive, there is the option to use the ‘Classic Plugin’, and disable the Block Editor. So it seems that WP can keep two different versions going in some way, if we are prepared to pay top dollar for the privilege. 🙂
          Best wishes, Pete.

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply

          1. I know there is, Pete. I used it and I wish I would never have done so, because that automatically moved my blog to a subdomain, which in itself implied changes I didn’t want, but now am stuck with. I was warned that I would be transferred to a subdomain, but not of the changes implied, and especially not of the fact the I would NOT be able to go back to my original domain, not even by de-installing that plug-in. Not without losing ALL my content.
            At present, there certainly is the classic editor, but for how long? I think WP is transferring people to the new one in preparation – as they announced – of no longer providing the classic one. I certainly agree with you that this should NOT simply be IMPOSED on the users without warning.

            Liked by 1 person

            Reply

              1. What makes it worse – in retrospect – that I’m now happy with the new editor and thus would not have had to install that plug-in at all. Could kick myself in the ****! 😀

                Liked by 1 person

                Reply

  12. After 2+ years of mighty pushback from WP community over Blocks, I would imagine they are all but immune to such cries for this – I am in groups with professionals who use WP to build self-hosted sites and have done so for years – designers and developers who are on cutting edge of tech, functionality, design trends, etc. Just recently have some of them said, “Okay, blocks coming along nicely enough I’m starting to see it’s potential…..” – – but loud and long pushback both here and among the professional community for a long, long time – 😀

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

      1. Maybe – From my perspective? They provide an open-resource and free option – They have so many ‘competitors’ popping up in the past 3-4 years that promise, “Website in 5 minutes’ and well – – decision by decision, based off keeping their mission, goals, company going AND ‘keeping up’ with those who came afterward – – well – the path to unhappiness and friction for user done with intent, is, to me, so often taken, one micro step at a time until one wakes up one day, and says, “How the hell did I end up here?” – – LOL – – that said, in my world? Classic editor is staged for end of life in 2023 – and yet, lately? I can see how they included a way to shut off the ‘distraction free writer’ screen in the self-hosted option – NOW? I just want it to ‘remember’ my option on that – going forward – – sadly, I use locked down browser, that deletes all cookies/etc., every time I shut it down, and well, maybe them, maybe how I”m using, but still! One more ‘beloved’ made easily available by those who don’t like the ‘hey! I just want to drag/drop make my millions in 2.5 seconds’ crowd – 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

        1. Your technical skills are far beyond mine, TamrahJo. I am just a ‘hobby blogger’, working at the very limits of what I understand about computers. I conclude that WP no longer wants people like me on their platform, and I suspect it won’t be too long before I fold up my tent and head into the blogging sunset.
          Best wishes, Pete.

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply

          1. I get it – I don’t consider myself ‘advanced’ or skilled, but I HEAR you!!! That said? For me? For all it’s pain, angst, struggle? If you want to hobby blog, AND ENJOY the community you connect with here? Man Up, Pete – You CAN DO IT! Because in my experience? On the ‘Technical side of things” regarding the history of blogging and social media platforms – what they provide, the community one connects with, the change that happens in individuals as they gain their international Bloggy Pal community? For all it’s growing pains and ‘no likey this!’ fronts? I still recommend WordPress – over and over and over – even when I’m on free plan, revisit a very old post someone has commented on, to read, to ensure I don’t need to update how I felt about it then/reply coherently – LOL – and see and ad for toe fungus medication – EWWW! The Picture is shock/awe/fear and I no likey! But still? Until I have time to ensure I don’t make it harder here, for those who wanted to follow me, without me ever asking them to! I just, once I do, I wish to do it best as I can, and have time to troubleshoot, send, “ahem! This is a problem” free troubleshooting for them emails – AND or post, “ta-da!” here’s what I did to upgrade and all systems seem a go” help post for others here – – why? Because, for me? Here? My bloggy pals are my community – through thick and thin – through angst, loss, stress, anger – and through the joys that we are each blessed with too – and here? it feels more real and if I ever travel? I can, at this point, travel from my home to the east coast, fly to Ireland, England, Scotland and other points from there forward, and try to meet up at a public place with bloggy pals I’ve interacted with for ages – – seriously – my family only 1300 miles away from me visit my home state and never try to set up meeting for a convo – which only goes to show – maybe my WP bloggy family doesn’t know me well enough yet, or FB/Life in the fast lane doesn’t really build family/community that survives personal interaction – Here? I feel it does – even when I speak my mind, struggle, walk the dark side of me – 😀

            Liked by 1 person

            Reply

  15. More woes on the way. They are introducing a new thing called the “Full site editor”. Notice it is called site editor, not editor, or blog editor.

    I came across a Podcast transcript, and this is what they had to say about the classic editor.
    ——————————————————————————————–
    So I’ve got one logistics question, which I’m happy to take. And then one is kind of a big picture question that I also got from Twitter.

    “What about the classic editor block; what is going to happen to that? And when will we know?” So ages and ages ago, before COVID? I think so. Probably maybe a couple of years ago, Matt said that the classic editor plugin would be supported through the end of 2021. And that is still the case; there will be active support on that through the end of 2021. After that, it will not be actively supported anymore. It won’t be removed from any place that you can get access to right now. In a “this is the end of its lifecycle” sort of way, we just won’t have anyone who is currently committed to maintaining that plugin anymore.

    So that’s what’s happening at the end of the year. And yeah, at the end of 2021. The big question that we have is, “why is full site editing being so rushed?” I think this is a bit of a loaded question.
    ———————————————————————————————-

    Best learn at least the basics of that horrid block editor. -Ron

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Ron. I’m not remotely surprised by that news, to be honest.
      I can use the block editor for simple text posts, and have done so many times. But I struggle when it comes to adding anything like links and images. I have to keep looking at the various tips I previously bookmarked, and that just takes all the fun out of it for me.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  17. Well done for taking them on, but I can’t say I’m surprised at their response. In the immortal words of Corporal Jones, ‘they don’t like it up them’ 😉

    I think I mentioned that I left a comment on one of their posts on Tuesday evening, telling them how much I hate the Block Editor and their other changes. I’ve just checked: my comment is still ‘awaiting moderation.’ Funnily enough, more recent comments have been approved…

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. They don’t enjoy being challenged, Clive. That’s for sure. But with over 40 million users of their blog, we would need at least 10 million ‘rebels’ to make any real difference to their attitude.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. I know, but sadly they aren’t the first company to trample all over their users, and won’t be the last. My small voice won’t count for much anyway – I still have a free site!

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

  19. I have used the classic editor and I didn’t switch to block editor immediately. I tried it once and I thought eeek and went back to classic.; and forgot about the block editor. Then a blogger friend wrote about the block editor and how he had switched. So I thought I would too. I found that the block editor had improved leaps and bounds.

    I know a lot of folks don’t like it the block editor at all. But, I think if WordPress don’t move forward ( by forward i mean the block editors), then it will be a serious business issues for them. Because, I think their competitors like Wix and Squarespace work in this block method. And all business internet software companies are also moving to this type of coding(or methodology).

    Now that I am using the block editor I love it. I keep trying to find the up and down arrow in my Microsoft Word Software because I love that feature of the block editor so much. I forget we don’t have such facilities in the MS Word. – LOL

    I know WP are working hard at it and are breaking somethings as the add new things, but they then fix it soonish. But, what we get back in my humble opinion is the ability to make much better websites. And I think it is important that WP keep evolving because if they don’t and the competition takeover, it leaves us in not such a good place.

    Apologies to be so positive about the block editor. I know WP have a long way to go to make it better.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Thanks for presenting your positive impression of the BE. I suspect you are more computer-savvy than I am. I don’t even use MS Word, as I have the simpler ‘Open Office’ application instead. For many of us who find using computers difficult, getting to grips with the BE is not enjoyable, as well as being exceptionally difficult. It stops blogging being fun, for those of us that just don’t understand it.

      I have a friend who has never been able to learn to drive. Those of us who find it easy to drive cannot understand why she cannot ‘get it’. But she cannot. Her experience is much like mine with new technology. I just don’t ‘get it’ .

      I agree that WP needs to move on, to stay in the game, and keep the business customers happy. But what of those of us who pay for plans? We are customers too, are we not? I see no good reason why WP cannot retain the Classic Editor by the simple click of a button for those of us that prefer to use it. Then they can do whatever else they like for those that want more ‘innovations’ and ‘improvements’.

      Failing that, people like me are destined to disappear from blogging forever.

      Best wishes, Pete.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. No not at all – you are not destined to disappear from blogging. My mum at 74 learnt how to do data entry on Sage accounting package – where she volunteers.

        if you can use the classic editor. you can use the BE. You can .

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

      2. Ps , I get the driving example. I totally do.

        But I am always hopeful. I am simple about things. If we can learn the classic editor, which at one point in time we couldn’t get it. Eventually we learnt it. Same with BE. I didn’t and don’t get all of the block editor , or blogging, and I am still clueless 5 years in, my categories and tags are a mess. So much is wrong with my blog. And I don’t get web technologies at all and it drives me mad at times. I just take the learning as it comes and don’t beat myself up too much and I gentle with my learning wp. Because sometimes I feel like a right idiot! And cringe at my stupidity 🙃. Just being real here.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

  20. “HTML stands for Hyper Text Markup Language. HTML is the standard markup language for creating Web pages. HTML describes the structure of a Web page. HTML consists of a series of elements. HTML elements tell the browser how to display the content.”

    https://www.w3schools.com/html/html_intro.asp

    The classic block editor is not much use. Can’t justify the text.

    I see they have a lot of jobs fir the IT nerds and what look like “marketing” jobs. Some of those job titles are an enigma to me.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  21. “Happiness Engineers”? For Gawd’s sake! I’ve just realised that I have been using the Classic Block, rather than the Classic Editor [in that case, perhaps I never have? Not sure], and it is a bit clunky, but at least I can justify the text on both sides, which is the way I like to present my posts: I just have to tweak the html at the beginning of each paragraph, which has become routine by now. I hope you succeed in getting the Classic Editor back, though! Cheers, Jon.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Got it back today, Jon. See my latest post.
      I don’t even know what HTML is, and would have no idea how to ‘justify’ any text. I am completely hopeless with computers, hence my burning desire to retain the only thing I know how to use, the Classic Editor.
      Best wishes, Pete.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

All comments welcome

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.