Windows Live Writer

Windows Live Writer, developed by Microsoft, is a desktop blog-publishing application that is part of the Windows Live range of products. It features WYSIWYG authoring, photo-publishing and map-publishing functionality, and is currently compatible with Windows Live Spaces, SharePoint blogs, Blogger, LiveJournal, TypePad, WordPress, Telligent Community, PBlogs.gr, JournalHome, the MetaWeblog API, the Movable Type API, Blogengine, Squarespace, and all blogs that support RSD (Really Simple Discoverability).

Windows Live Writer introduces the Provider Customization API that enables both rich customization of Windows Live Writer's behavior as well as the opportunity to add new functionality to the product. Currently Windows Live Spaces, WordPress, and TypePad have all taken advantage of this API to expose additional service-specific features within Windows Live Writer.

Windows Live Writer is currently available in 48 different languages.

History
Windows Live Writer is based on Onfolio Writer, a product Microsoft obtained from the acquisition of Onfolio. The final release of version 2008 was released on November 6, 2007. There are numerous changes from previous builds that are obvious on first run in this version, including:
 * New Authoring Capabilities, including inline spell checking, table editing, ability to add categories, page authoring for WordPress and TypePad, support for excerpts and extended entries, improved hyperlinking and image insertion, and a new "Paste Special" function
 * Improved Integration, including SharePoint 2007 support, new APIs enabling custom extensions by weblog providers, automatic synchronization of local and online edits, integration with Windows Live Gallery, and support for "Blogger Labels"
 * New User Interface, including a brand new design and improved accessibility and keyboard support

Windows Live Writer version 2009 was released on December 15, 2008 as part of the Windows Live Essentials suite. On June 24, 2010, a beta version of Windows Live Writer "Wave 4" was released to the public, featuring the new Ribbon user interface. On September 30, 2010, the final version of Windows Live Writer 2011 was released.

Microsoft released Windows Live Writer 2012 as part of its Windows Essentials 2012 suite on August 7, 2012.