Back in October I wrote about some offline blogging softwares that were compatible with the dasBlog blogger/metaweblog API.  Since then I have found a few more gems and some of the issues have been fixed in previously reviewed softwares. This is an update and a supplment to that article. You should read it for additional info (it still has good info as of this writing).

New tools since this post was created:

Windows Live Writer - Scott Hanselman has a writeup on it. It looks pretty nice.


A list of even more Blogging tools.

Web Based Tools (or as I like to call them, CrossPollinators):

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Flickr - no support for titles or categories :(

digg - doesn't support the API :(

Writely - works great, but no category support (I belive this will be the future of online editing for blogs)

Browsers or Browser helper objects (plugins):

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Flock - yuck yuck yuck, I'll try it again after it gets some upgrades :(

Mozblog - A smart link tool to send content to 1 of several predefined web-interfaces for blog engines, kinda boring.

BlogThis - smart link tool extension for firefox to send a link to your Blogger Account - also included in the Google Toolbar , also kind of boring.

Windows:

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Zoundry (Updated) - Free *I Like It*
Zoundry was one of my favorite editors previously reviewed except that it lacked an HTML view and it was hit and miss when importing posts from your blog server. Well the developers added an HTML view only (its getting closer) but did improve post management. I almost am completely sold on this tool. It supports social tagging as well as content links to info-sites. The full version of this software supports trackback discovery and auto trackback pinging as well as multi-blog posting. Just get a plugin engine in there and add HTML support!

ecto - $17.95
Very nice GUI inteface, supports categories as well as some social tagging.  It doesn't have a WYSIWYG interface nor the ability it isn't easy to FTP files. It does have a really cool feature to send e-mail updates when you publish new items.

IMHO - Free
This software worked really well except that it didn't support any blog management features (edit, delete, etc). It supports categories as well as a decent set of plugins such as code markup support. It supports HTML/WYSIWYG and FTP image support. Id like to see them support some social tags and have some browser integration too (oh it has IE integration). The upcoming version 2.0 looks very promising.

WB Editor - $19.99 *I Like It*
This is one slick editor. It has a great MS Office feel to it. It supports multiple blogs, it has support for pingbacks within the interface, as well as really great WYSIWYG/HTML and spellcheck. And on top of that, it has a plugin engine with several plugins shipping with it. I think this is one of the best I have seen!

CSBLogger - designed for Community Server.net only

Macintosh:

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MarsEdit Or NetNewsWire - I didn't review this

Photon - I didn't review this

Archapeligo - I didn't review this

Java:

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Bloged - Free
I didn't review this as I didn't have the proper runtime installed

After looking at so many different tools, I am starting to compile a wishlist for the 'ultimate' API-blogger.

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WYSIWYG/HTML/XHTML

Preview with your templates (auto-downloads them)

Calendar view

Blog Post Scheduling

Multi-blog posting

E-mail notification to a list

Pingback from the tool

Social tagging

Plugin support for things like code hilighting and music importing

FTP/API file uploading (on publish)

Browser plugins for retreiving importing hilighted content

Archiving tools (for catastrophies and changing blog engines)

Auto-link content to web services or info-sites (answers.com, etc)

Robust custom HTML template/snippet engine

Spellcheck, spellcheck, spellcheck

Drag-drop support for all types of items

Blog management tools (delete bad posts, comments [comment API], etc)

I would even pay 19.95 for it

More Blog posts:


Created 186 weeks, 4 days ago