My best inspiration: the WordPress forums
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_ClientsThe 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 thereFrom 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.
(On Sep 28th, 2007 at 3:27 pm)
I hope you include making themes as well.
(On Nov 4th, 2007 at 6:03 pm)
Yeah it pays to use instructions like that.
You see, that’s the problem with most “beginner” books, they just aren’t that descriptive. Even professional beginner books for that matter. The Llama book (learning Perl) is, at least by my taste, a perfect example of a bad beginners book, even though it’s awesome now that I get all of it :) .
(On Nov 7th, 2007 at 9:27 am)
How can the WP forums be your best inspiration when you’re so quick to cut down newbies who need a guiding hand? Guess you’re saving your best stuff for your book.
(On Nov 7th, 2007 at 1:06 pm)
I am always helping newbies. However, I can become very mean with them if:
- they are arrogant
- they are demanding
- not willing to do their homework
- not reading the resources offered
If any of the above is true, they simply don’t deserve any help. (And I also ignore those that make remarks about my style :)
(On Nov 24th, 2007 at 7:28 am)
I agree with Just wondering, I see lots of your stuff in the forums, and while you’re helping newbies, you’re turning more off than this ‘helping’ you say you’ve been up to.
(On Dec 4th, 2007 at 8:54 pm)
As a wordpress.com blogger I see many trying to make the transition from free hosted wordpress.com to managing their own wordpress.org installs.
Granted there is a learning curve but, there exists at present a vacuum of information written at the level these bloggers can understand when it comes to making this transition.
I hope you have some newbie bloggers proofread your book prior to it’s editing an publication. If so then you will know how confusing the changeover can be for those who do not understand the jargon.
Thanks, in advance, for listening.
(On Dec 4th, 2007 at 11:02 pm)
Timethief,
Thank you for visiting and for the input. To be honest, I didn’t think till now about those “in transition”. I might dedicate a chapter for them…
Thanks again for the suggestion!
(On Dec 5th, 2007 at 4:47 pm)
You’re welcome. Also if you want a proofreader who can give you some insight into the mindset of a blogger making the wordpress.com to wordpress.org transistion then I’ll volunteer. ;-)