Cockeyed Optimist

I’m writing this post on MarsEdit, an off-line blog editor for the Macintosh, that I have been using for most of my posting and articles, since very shortly after I started this blog.

I posted about it first back on July 3rd, and today I downloaded an updated version, which has been improved and has extra functionality.

It can be downloaded from Red Sweater, and costs US$24.95 — my upgrade cost me $9.95.

I use WordPress for my blog, but MarsEdit is also compatible with: Blogger, TypePad, Movable Type, LiveJournal, Drupal, and Vox.

Capabilities of MarsEdit

This is what it does, and does well:

• Lets you write a post on your computer, whether or not you are on-line (some functions need you to be connected to the internet).
• Of course, you can preview your post.
• And you can save your draft at any time, to be continued later.
• You can keep your last few posts (you can choose how many) on your desktop, and if they need corrections or additions you can do them in MarsEdit.
• The MarsEdit editor is similar to that on WordPress blogs, but you can also use other editors, like BBEdit, instead.
• It provides a number of HTML formatting commends, in a ‘Markup’ dropdown menu, so you can emphasize or italicize or use blockquote or various levels of heading, simply by selecting the word or words and choosing the menu item.
• You can apply options, such ‘Open’ or ‘Closed’ for comments, or whether TrackBacks are allowed
• You can apply your categories (like ‘Hints and tips’ for this post) that are already predefined on your blog.
• You can insert graphics into your current post. MarsEdit provides the necessary code to display them (example below).
• You can upload those graphics (or files) from your desktop into the uploads folder of your blog (need to be on line for this).
• You can create macros, for favourite chunks of text, or other repetitive tasks.
• You can scan your collection of uploaded graphics and files, so if you want to reuse any of them you don’t have to upload them again.
• And you can use AppleScript to add extra features.
• You can install a ‘Bookmarklet’ (called ‘Post with MarsEdit’) on the bookmarks bar of your browser, so you can bring it up immediately (but “Why do this?”, you may ask “if you are online already, you could just edit and post on your blog” — well it avoids having to log on, and gives you some of MarsEdit’s functions that you don’t have from your blog).
• Finally (maybe this goes without saying), you can upload your post, without having to log in to your blog.

How MarsEdit does Graphics

This is an example of a graphic I have previously uploaded:

And here is the code that MarsEdit wrapped round it:

<img src="http://www.cockeyedoptimist.com.au/
wp-content/uploads/2007/08/1928-chevrolet-national-roadster.jpg"
alt="1928_Chevrolet_National_Roadster.jpg" border="0" width="192" height="126">

I just received another batch of pictures from Katherine, my wife.

I’m afraid it has to be a bit of a guessing game, since I won’t know where they’re all from till she gets back to Brisbane in a couple of weeks.

Some are from Prague, some from Poland, and some from Lithuania.

There will be a prize for the person who identifies the greatest number!

Slide show

Saturday September 1st was the first day of Spring here in Brisbane (and in the rest of Australia, too, I guess - don’t know about the whole of the Southern Hemisphere).

It didn’t come in with a bang, though; hardly a blip on the slow trend toward warmer days, no showers, nothing much at all, I suppose.

But I shall start putting sunblock on when I play tennis, and nag my son about this when he goes riding his BMX bike.

Bit of a pointless post, really, when all said and done. Sorry to waste your bandwidth!

Have a nice day, anyway.