Specific complaints about the block editor

  • Unknown's avatar
    eija · Member ·

    In one of the threads someone said they need to know specific issues why we hate the new block editor. Well, here it comes:

    1. A HUGE issue is, that it’s so complicated that a 30-minute teaching video is necessary for a person to be able to use it properly.

    It’s like it’s been made for the tech-savvy nerds, not normal, simple people without any passions towards computers. I’m pretty much one of the nerds, but still, when it comes to blogging, it must be as easy as writing on a paper with a pencil. There still is a generation of people (also bloggers) who feels very insecure with technical stuff – and even in the younger generations there will always be those people, too. Now you’re tossing this huge bunch of people in the trash and blocking (pun intended :P ) them outside the blogging world.

    2. Blocks are the issue.

    When I type, I don’t want to worry about what block I need to have and can I just press enter for the next paragraph or should I find the next block for that. Then I want to drag a photo in it, choose its size and that’s it.

    Yes, I haven’t watched the 30 min video, and won’t. And I haven’t cleared my cache (and won’t) to have the monster working in the first place, but so far it seems that at least the classic editor block does not work if you type all paragraphs in one block and also try to fit in a couple of pics. It just gets choked.

    Also, when I suddenly want to move a couple of paragraphs in a different place in my text, I want to copy-cut-paste them in one bunch. Not block by block, in pieces…

    What we need is a simple editor, where we can easily type text, add some pics and then publish. It should be so easy that even my grandmom could use it without any tutorials.

    If you keep it simple, it should not be buggy, either…

    And since we’re probably dealing with wysiwyg, then it’s necessary to be able to see the html-side, too. Easily. Not like it’s now, that you need to hunt the button with cats and dogs around the page and tabs and still get something weird instead of plain simple text and code.

    3. Blocks are un-intuitive and non-userfriendly.

    When you add a block, it doesn’t show anywhere. When you have added several blocks and text or stuff in them, you don’t see what’s in what block. They seem to be just like in the old editor, all one after another – until you try to do something to them and all hell breaks loose again.

    If you decide to stick to your stupidity and keep the blocks, that means I’m gone, like many others, too. But if so, at least for the rest poor people remaining, show them thin lines around the blocks, and maybe the block name in the corner. That would make at least some sense into it.

    4. Images. How about an option for custom size? Where’s the option for choosing where the image is linked to, and if or not it opens in the same window or _blank? And zillion other things, regarding images. Oh my, this one you sure did mess up big time.

    5. The new sidebar on the post-writing page.

    Well, it’s just so utterly confusing. What’s for the tabs and all? Stupid. Messy. Unintuitive.

    What’s necessary there, is
    – option to save a draft
    – option to publish (maybe for private, too, for some people)
    – categories
    – tags
    – comments on/off

    And that’s pretty much all of it. Everything else is going on the fancy side and isn’t really necessary. Imho.

    There you go, for starters. Specific enough? I’m still very sceptic anyone of the staff really is interested about this.

    The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)

  • supernovia · Staff ·

    Hi @eija, thanks for the feedback.

    1) We have a video here (at the end of the page) that’s just over two minutes long. If you’re willing, please take a look at that one. It covers basic typing and block insertion.

    For these others: it sounds like you’re not seeing what I’m seeing. I don’t know if it’s a browser bug, or that you haven’t used blocks for a while, but all of these features you’re requesting are here. So I’ll share what I see.

    2) You should be able to just type and press enter and type more to add your next paragraph. You can paste an image, or you can add an image block and drag and drop an image onto it. Can you clarify what you mean though re: putting all of your paragraphs into a single block? The editor is designed to have each paragraph be its own block.

    3)

    When you add a block, it doesn’t show anywhere. When you have added several blocks and text or stuff in them, you don’t see what’s in what block. They seem to be just like in the old editor, all one after another – until you try to do something to them and all hell breaks loose again.

    I don’t think I’ve seen what you’re describing here. We do have block navigation, if that’s what you mean. That’s covered in the 2 minute video. But I’m not sure what you mean re: trying to do something to them. Do you happen to have an example of where that’s happened? A link to a page or post would be really helpful.

    4. For images, again what you’re describing does not match what I see with the image block. You should be able to drag the handles for the image to make it bigger or smaller. Use the block toolbar to add a link:
    https://wordpress.com/support/wordpress-editor/blocks/image-block/#block-toolbar

    Is that not what you’re seeing with the image block?

    5. The Save Draft option is in the upper right. Other post settings like privacy, comments, etc. are all in the Post tab (or Page tab). Are you seeing those?

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