Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Photographic Evidence

I just discovered a great set of tools created by Microsoft. Granted, I'm not a big Microsoft fan, after having worked at WordPerfect and Novell, both of which were run into the ground by the powerful Microsoft machinery. Before I get caught up in a long, depressing digression about Microsoft's thuggish behavior in the 90s, I wanted to compliment them.

The Windows Live products are excellent (and free). In particular, Windows Live Writer is a great blogging tool. I've written blogs using several different tools, and all of them have limitations. MSN Spaces wouldn't let me embed YouTube clips, and Blogger makes it difficult to insert pictures. It basically forces you to include only one picture at the top of a blog entry. Of course, I can add pictures using HTML code, but that's a hassle. Windows Live fixes that.

Here, I'll prove it. Here's a set of photos that Wendy took of Luke and Max after they got fancy new suits. Luke breaks down.

Tantrum1

Both kids are happy at first.

Tantrum3

Mugging for the camera.

Tantrum5

Wendy said, "Look handsome." This is what they came up with.

Tantrum6

Something wasn't quite fair...

Tantrum7

And when something isn't fair...

Tantrum8

Misery!

Tantrum9

"...7...8...9...10"

tantrum10

"Look, just don't toy with my emotions like that. Got it?"

All I had to do was choose Insert > Picture, choose the image, and click OK. That's how it should be. No HTML code, no figuring out pixel sizes.

Thanks, Microsoft. Now please fix Word and send a rebate out to anyone who foolishly bought Vista, and we'll be on speaking terms again.

4 comments:

  1. I didn't realize that copy and paste constituted messing with HTML. That's all I have to do to get my pictures where I want them in blogger. Perhaps you're making it too complicated.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Copy and Paste works? I'll have to try that.

    When inserting imagines in Blogger, the dialog that comes up does have an "insert more pictures" link you can click on to get more Browse buttons. But it's limited to 4 at a time.

    I use Picasa (a free Google image organizer / lightweight editor) to upload my pictures to blogger. Has a button on the bottom called "blog this". Simple and I like Picasa for managing my photos. The "I'm Feeling Lucky" button works for sprucing up 80% of my photos. But it's still limited to 4 images at a shot.

    I'll have to try the MS tool.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Limited to 4 at a time? I haven't had that issue – one of my recent and deeply fascinating fetish boot posts includes ELEVEN photos, and I coulda posted even more but I didn't want to annoy either of my devoted readers. Moving on – those boys of yours – they don't even have to be ASKED to be handsome! What a couple of gorgeous little dudes. Thanks for sharing the pictures.

    ReplyDelete
  4. what's even cooler is how windows live lets you do the green screen stuff. how did you get the bathroom countertop and mirror behind the young men like that?

    i can't believe how big the twins are. what are they about 14 now?

    ReplyDelete