Theoretically, I should stop editing posts in WordPress’ built-in editor and get used to using an external editor. I’ve never found one, though, that wasn’t more trouble than it was worth, requiring me to go into the WordPress editor and clean up bad coding.

Yeah, I've been using scribefire on and off with shall we say less than optimal results. Have you tried that one?

That's the Firefox one? Yeah, I tried that briefly.

As to the editor, I do all my editing using a tool called "w.bloggar" found here.

Been using it for several years. Free. I basically use WP to help me wrap text around images.

Everything else (links, quotes, fonts, colors, etc. etc.) I use w.bloggar.

Try it out.

Noobs. It ain't proper HTML unless you code it as text, from the ground up, barefoot in the snow, uphill both ways.

Ha @McGehee

I'm a MarsEdit guy (Mac user FTW!) and it's all straight HTML.

James, everyone who uses Windows Live Writer likes it. They lost me at Windows though.

Thanks for the link.

Aaron: I downloaded Windows Live Writer at home and work but never really made the transition. The problem is that I'm so used to WordPress functionality that the transition is difficult. I'll try again to see how it handles tagging and whatnot.

James: I'm quite happy with the WP editor, as long as the WYSIWYG is turned off. There's no coding that I need that isn't covered by the plain vanilla buttons or, if necessary, a little HTML hard coding. And I mean very little.

It's far faster for me to just type the tags than to pull my hands off the keyboard to grab a mouse, but I do type quickly. I guess the fact that I know what's in my CSS file makes a difference, too. And I'll also note that my pages are very flat, with only the rare graphic, so I don't have to mess around with positioning them. The 'insert image' function in WP 2.5 does seem to work well, though.

I've yet to find a really helpful implementation of a WYSIWYG editor in any blog application.

When I work off-line, I'll use either MSWord, WordPad, TypePad, or Open Office Writer, typing in the tags, then cut-and-paste.

Aaron: I downloaded Windows Live Writer at home and work but never really made the transition. The problem is that I'm so used to WordPress functionality that the transition is difficult. I'll try again to see how it handles tagging and whatnot.

I have had great success with Windows Live Writer (even though it's a Microsoft Product - go figure!), especially because it's a WYSIWYG editor. And it works fantastic with multiple blogs.

"complete with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one."

You get five points for the "Alice's Restaurant" reference. Now if you could only work in an "I Don't Want a Pickle" reference.....

Now if you could only work in an "I Don't Want a Pickle" reference.....

I seldom post about motorcycles or short cops carrying large guns, unfortunately.

I've yet to find a really helpful implementation of a WYSIWYG editor in any blog application.

I've generally eschewed WYSIWYG because it requires more clean-up effort than it saves. WordPress 2.5's version, though, is promising. It allows easy toggling between views and it's useful for certain applications. For example, if I'm quoting a paragraph from elsewhere that has bold or italicized text or embedded hyperlinks, the WYSIWYG cut-and-paste will save me substantial time.

I use the markup buttons for link insertions, bold, and whatnot as well. I find that faster than typing in html.

Noobs. It ain't proper HTML unless you code it as text, from the ground up, barefoot in the snow, uphill both ways.

Real bloggers use Vi.

(Mac user FTW!)

My Linux box beats the coolness out of your Mac.

I've generally eschewed WYSIWYG because it requires more clean-up effort than it saves. WordPress 2.5's version, though, is promising.

Can you incorporate something like TinyMCE or FCKEditor into Wordpress? I've never had an issue with the HTML those generate.

There are plugins to allow TinyMCE to work, though if it'll work in 2.6 seems an open question.

According to the Codex, "WordPress is bundled with the open source HTML WYSIWYG editor TinyMCE."

I'm surprised that they don't make dual use of it for the commenting.