Windows Live Writer Beta 1 Ships!

Windows Live Writer (Beta 1) has shipped. The word has been spreading over the last few hours, but the initial rumor started way back in Mid July, just after we had an internal dogfood making the rounds at Microsoft.

Windows Live Writer is a desktop application that makes it easier to compose compelling blog posts using just about any blog service (Spaces, Typepad, Wordpress, MovableType, LiveJournal, Blogger, just to name a few).

It has all the basics that you'd expect (great editting, spell checking, etc...), but includes some real goodies, like:

Simple Setup - its incredibly straightforward to configure Writer for publishing to your weblog. Just point Writer at your webpage and it'll figure it out. If Writer can't figure it out- you can always go manual. Writer supports just about any of the blog platforms, so it'll probably work with your weblog!
WYSIWYG Authoring - we download your blog's template so you can edit your post and see exactly what it will look like, before you post it!
Photo Publishing - we automate the whole image publishing process- just insert an image into your post and we'll take care of the rest.
Map Publishing - blogging about a place? Why not insert a map so people can see what you're talking about. You can insert a Windows Live Local map (including Birdseye) using Writer.
SDK - Windows Live Writer includes an SDK that allows you to create insertable content. The content can be simple html content (an insert tag plugin that generic links with a rel attribute) or rich (an inline video player that gracefully degrades based up on the capabilities of the client that is viewing the page). If you can write .Net code, you can extend Writer- download the SDK
Lots more...

If you want to give Writer a try, download it here.

Suffice it to say that its a great day when you finally ship software that has been under development for a while. There is a combination of excitement, relief, and hope (hope that you've really done something that will make customers happy). I'm feeling all of those, and will be trolling the net for a while looking for reactions. (There is an MSN group set up if you want to converse with me and others on the Writer team directly!).

In the meantime, here is a roundup of coverage of Windows Live Writer:

Windows Live Writer?

Microsoft to Introduce Windows Live Writer

Digg this! (Windows Live Writer Digg Story)

Windows Live Writer (Inside Live)

Windows Live Writer (JJ Allaire)

Using Windows Live Writer

Windows Live Writer (Coolz0r)

Windows Live changes the way you write your blog (LiveSide)

Interview with JJ Allaire (Liveside)

Windows Live Writer now public

Microsoft Releases New Blogging Tool