May 28th, 2008 | Book Progress | 2 Comments
Since the big changes in the admin panel in WordPress 2.5 and newer, I had to make quite a number of modification in the previously done chapters to reflect the new admin interface. Yes, I am among those that don’t like everything in the new adminstration panel… but I think we have to live with it for a while.
First I had to rewrite the description and functionality of the admin panels, according to the new changes, like the Media Library, the gallery, the location of different features and so on. Sometimes the most difficult thing is to remain neutral, not to comment how I feel about certain “not so wise” changes that were introduced in this version. Anyway, it is as it as and I have to describe what the new user will see and not to confuse them with references to older versions.
Luckily, I didn’t make too many screenshots of the admin panel in the previous WordPress releases. What I had was more for testing purposes: to see how will they fit into the page and how legible they would be. I also had chapters that I showed to computer users that were not familiar at all with WP, and those chapters also had screenshots. I have used the feedback given by my “test readers” to improve the content and to make sure that the text doesn’t come across as some kind of insider jargon - which might be a real danger if you spend a lot of time among WP users. I wanted to get feedback whether the book would deliver what my intention was: to lead an average computer user to understand what blogging with WordPress means.
Tags: book documentation new version screenshots wordpress
Nov 26th, 2007 | Book Progress | No Comments
Even if I didn’t post here for quite a while - the work on the book is going on. I have changed my method of working on it: for a while I tried to go and write everything in the order as it will be presented in the book, starting with chapter one and then the next and the next… But I figured, sometimes it goes faster if I write different chapters and parts on the same day when I become aware of a possible issue that should be addressed in the book. Many times browsing the net or getting a question or comments starts an idea. I used to put these ideas in notes thinking I would write them later when we arrive to that point in the process. Now I think it is more efficient if I start to write at least a draft clarifying that issue, so when it comes to that point in the book I will have to make just the final touch on the text. There, probably, will be a bit more work to arrange everything in the right order but definitely it speeds up the writing process.
Anyway, knowing that some future bloggers don’t want to wait until the book comes out I thought I could refer them to the service offered on my design site: the Start Blogging! package, which is an excellent solution for those not interested to learn the technicaldetails of running a blog. If you are impatient about starting your blog… you may want to check that out!
Tags: beginners blog building start blogging wordpress
Jul 19th, 2007 | Book Progress | 8 Comments
The other day I was talking with a friend about the book’s progress. When I mentioned spending time on the WordPress forums he couldn’t understand why I am doing it. I have tried to explain that it helps me but seemingly I couldn’t convince him. Too bad at that time I didn’t have such a clear example like this thread yesterday. Just a sample of a few questions when the new user wants to change (switch) the theme on a WordPress blog installed for her by someone else. (If you don’t know: themes are the exterior, front-end “clothing” of a blog…)
Where is the wp-content/themes directory? How do I find it? Create it? Access it?
If I’ve downloaded an FTP and also have an FTP on my host, how do I get them to make the themes be accessible onto the admin of my wp site?
How do I connect the FTP to the host? And which one?…
In several posts I have tried to clarify some basic notions. So I wrote simple instructions like:
With the FTP program/client (when installed on your computer) you connect your computer and the host computer. FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. The name should say all: you will be transferring the unzipped files from your computer to the host server. The wp-content/themes/ folder is there (otherwise you wouldn’t see your blog).
Start here:
http://codex.wordpress.org/FTP_Clients
The first thing you should do:
install that FTP program that you downloaded.
FTP Fugu - that’s the program’software that should be installed on your computer. Most of these gizmos have an automatic installer, you just have to start the process.
(Also, .zip files are just compressed version of all the files of a program, so the package is not that huge when downloading…}
It’s been a while since I last used Mac, but I remember there is something on it that you can see the files and folders on your computer. You should always save/store the downloaded and unzipped program files - and theme files for that matter - in their own subfolders in a logical system/structure.
Now what any FTP program does: it has two parallel windows:
- one showing the files and folders on your computer
- the other one (when connected to the server) showing the files and folders there
From here is quite logical: you can up- and download = move files in both directions.
That’s the whole idea.
Too bad I couldn’t attach an image to my explanation but I can do it now :) I wouldn’t say this a complete chapter for the book. But it gives you a very clear idea what kind of topics are a must when the target audience is the absolutely non-web-savy future bloggers. They are my potential readers (and buyers, of course). I also have the advantage of coming from a non-technical background, therefore I understand perfectly how difficult is at the beginning to grasp these ideas. Here is my promise: there will definitely be a chapter about FTP and how it works.
Tags: beginners blog building forums FTP inspiration
Jun 4th, 2007 | Blog Building | 8 Comments
The “retreat” in Montreal is over, now I am back in the Prairies. During all the mess of packing, travelling, unpacking and getting settled at home I didn’t check the contact mail. Today, to my greatest surprize, I discovered several email messages sent through the contact form on this site, all asking for WordPress support.
I need to clarify this about WordPress related support: quite often I am posting to the WordPress Support Forums, helping users for free. Sometimes I post a lot, other times, if busy with other projects, maybe less. All the free support I can offer to WordPress users is done through the forum. (The rare exceptions are when I ask somebody in the forum to contact me privately with their login info to take a look at their blog or site admin panel. Sensitive information cannot be posted in a public forum and, if a problem seems to be too difficult to be solved by “remote”, sometimes I offer help outside of the forums…)
However, this is not a WordPress support blog. While I appreciate your trust for contacting me for help, please be aware of the existence of my web design site specialized in WordPress - Prairie Design. However, if you contact me for support on that site, that’s not free: I am for hire. You are welcome to send me a message from there and see if we can agree. On this site, however, I’d prefer to be contacted with issues regarding the topic - my upcoming WordPress book.
Thanks for the understanding.
P.S. I’ll try to reply to the messages sent till today, but I will ignore any support related email in the future.
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May 31st, 2007 | Book Progress | 5 Comments
…sometimes. As much as I would like to be a full-time WordPress book writer, there are real life obligations that delay the work on the WordPress manual. Even if it’s not widely known I have an off-line business in financial services. That field is a highly regulated one - meaning you need all kind of provincial licenses (in Canada) to be able to work. Yes, I know, it’s crazy that for 30 million people you need a different license for every province but that’s how it is. Now renewing the license requires a certain number of CE (continuing education) credits, and just before the deadline I realized I was short of the necessary credits. Thanks God for the online services, I succeeded to take some courses and to pass the tests. Now I am fine for a year…
I am back on working on my WordPress tutorial. While I am working on it I still keep an eye on the WP Forums - to see what kind of questions are asked. A few posts in the recent days reminded me that not only completely novice users have difficulties to grasp the basic working of the WordPress script but also users who come from a more traditional web background. If somebody has dealt only with static html pages (like using MS FrontPage) it is not easy to get the idea of dynamic database driven sites or the structure of the WP themes.
So, I was wondering… should I include something (a chapter?) for future WP users who are familiar with the “classic” web and HTML but are inexperienced with PHP and MySQL based sites?
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