Looks nice, works fine, horrible to use.

  • This plugin is a definitive visual improvement that works decently well…

    Needless to say it’s quite counter-intuitive to use, ever occurring popups, hover effects and highlights are a huge distraction.

    It’s simple when you use simple blocks, if you want to achieve something more robust, mix columns, shortcodes, multiple types of content the whole admin interface is unreadable and extremely counter-intuitive.

    Finally the plugin puts a huge strain on user browser given the fact most of its job is done via JavaScript (not to mention the amount of JavaScript related bugs, that prevent some AJAX based plugins (like ACF PRO) from working correctly).

    While I believe a lot of work has been put into the plugin itself, the whole project hasn’t been well thought and planned. I don’t think there’s anything that can be done with the project apart from putting it into the trash and starting over.

    If the amount of negative response from the users is not enough then it means people responsible for the project are not the right ones.

    Time and time again people and programmers who have been using WordPress have been showing that they don’t care about the artificial restrictions imposed by people behind WordPress.

    The editor will create a new page- and post-building experience that makes writing rich posts effortless, and has “blocks” to make it easy what today might take shortcodes, custom HTML, or “mystery meat” embed discovery. — Matt Mullenweg

    The main quote is a huge example of ignorance (or a lack of interest in third party plugins perhaps?), this plugin is nowhere near already existing page / block based builders.

    As a Senior WordPress developer I don’t think anything good will come out of this.

    With all due respect and humbleness!

    • This topic was modified 5 years, 12 months ago by Rafa? Gicgier. Reason: wording
    • This topic was modified 5 years, 12 months ago by Rafa? Gicgier. Reason: wording + bug info
    • This topic was modified 5 years, 12 months ago by Rafa? Gicgier. Reason: wording
    • This topic was modified 5 years, 12 months ago by Rafa? Gicgier. Reason: wording + some extra info
Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

  • Couldn’t agree with you more. The whole project screams of missed opportunities in many places and its slowness and bugginess is the nail in the coffin. Not for the developers, mind you, but the users like you, me and third party developers sitting on the fence waiting to see what pans out and what the options and alternatives are.

    Given the zeal that this is being pushed a lot of goodwill could have been invested by not making it default, keeping the current editor default with a simple switch in settings and indicating a far longer lead in time. But, alas, a big Ulster says No!!!

    • This reply was modified 5 years, 12 months ago by irishetcher.
    Thread Starter Rafa? Gicgier

    (@gicolek)

    I don’t see any reason to use it even as an optional solution ??

    Moderator Angela Jin

    (@angelasjin)

    Hello @gicolek and @irishetcher! Have you tried using Gutenberg these days? Any improvements?

    @angelasjin

    I would say that there have been many improvements regarding the new block editor since January. It passes as a basic tool for content management and, though we are not meant to say this, a basic free alternative to some of the page builders out there.

    Much of these improvements are being driven by third parties. For example there are several block libraries out there that allow you to take on page layout in a serious manner. For custom post types, the Toolset integration through its suite of plugins is very promising.

    This progress is feeding back into where the core team on the block editor are taking the project, which is good.

    On the other hand there are still some usability issues that really need to be resolved, like locating the block elements in the minimal interface. This needs to be addressed as all it does is vex and alienate users, specially non expert users who won’t have as much patience as veteran users. I would have some concern still where occasionally blocks go bad and no amount of clicking on some of the troubleshooting options will work. That is not acceptable on production software.

    I mentioned in my earlier post missed opportunities. One of these centres on standardisation, an issue that is a legacy one for a long time in WordPress and relates to changing themes/page builders and losing content layout. What would be a killer feature is to have the block editor afford all the infrastructure for layout, albeit in a basic way. Within this provide a mechanism for themes and page builders to hook in their own interfaces and additional features. Change your theme or page builder (or just turn it off) and your content remains intact int roughly the layout you intended, no left over detritus of shortcodes etc.

    To conclude, I would say that Gutenberg is good enough to use now, with some caveats. Retaining the classic editor for an ongoing period, rather than till the end of next year (2020) would have been a wiser move and, not requiring users to have to download a plugin to activate it either.

    Star rating? At the moment 2.5 — 3.

    Thread Starter Rafa? Gicgier

    (@gicolek)

    Hello guys,

    @angelasjin I on the other hand have stopped using Gutenberg completely and am using a Classic Editor combined with some custom Back End instead. Hence I have nothing to add at the moment.

    Needless to say I think I could combine that with Gutenberg Manager and restore Gutenberg for all non-custom designed pages / posts. Hence I think I’ll be able to get back to you with some more valuable info in the near future.

    On the other hand the clients that I work with are mostly accustomed to a Premium Page Builders / Custom Back End Panels – at least in my case (either re-work of a paid theme based on Elementor or Visual Builder or finally a Custom Design (see more below)) – I didn’t have any room for further testing after my initial dissatisfaction with the editor.

    Finally most of my work is based on a Custom Design, hence Custom Back End is my way to go here as it’s much easier to combine it with a Custom Front End of a Theme, not to mention that the designs are pretty complex and tricky.

    Thank you for asking ??

    Sincerely,
    Rafa?

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)
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