I don't often get excited about new software (or now hardware for that matter). Back in the day when I had more time I was more of a tinkerer, so new hardware, and new software, meant more exciting playtime.  These days I am much more pragmatic about my tools, which means I don't often get excited about new things.  There are some tools though that I do get excited about, especially when I get them at a discount 😜.  This is one of those occasions.

StackSocial had a special the other day.  Every so often they have Mac app bundles.  I don't often bite, but this particular bundle appealed to me.  Part of the bundle was Rapidweaver 8, as well as text-expander (a tool that is often touted by Bonnie Stachowiak on her Teaching in Higher Ed podcast.  I've been using Rapidweaver for a long time now.  I think I started using the software when I got Rapidweaver 3 in 2006 as part of another bundle. I upgraded to RW5 which was the last RW version to support my old MacMini Core 2 Duo (Late 2006), but I had to keep a very specific version of RW5, with very specific versions of plugins running on it since different combinations of these two things started breaking after 2016.  I had only updated my website once in a while before because updating it meant that I needed to bring the MacMini out of retirement, plug it in, and work in a tentative environment.  Well...no longer!  😁.  I installed RW8 on my newer MacMini in the common room and took it for a spin.  As with any upgrade I expected that I will need to change some things.... so here is what works and what doesn't it:

• Plug-ins - they are all 6 years out of date (at least).  The architecture changed, and the old plug-ins do not work with the new RW.  So, my current files don't covert properly. I've gotten demo versions of the plug-ins, so at least I can open my files, but it seems like I'll need some plug-ins.  Which is fine, I see that new features have been added to the things I used.
• Main website:  I was surprised that this was mostly OK.  I could just tweak a few things (once I get the updated plug-ins) and with minor changes get up and running on RW8
• Resume site file: Again mostly OK
• Experimental CV site: no text or content at all.  Agh! This is my "everything and the kitchen sink" site. It's and offline site, and for my own accounting.  There really is not need for it to be a website, but I like the usability of a website over a long word document.  I guess I'll need to rethink this one.