Rose City Gardens

WordPress 2.7: Bring it on!

Web Wench — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:08:34 +0000

I’m a couple of weeks behind on this news, but it was news to me! I’ve been sick and out of the loop these past weeks, and only just read the list of features planned for WordPress 2.7, due to be released as soon as the end of 2008. I’ll be keeping a close eye out, and will probably jump in and beta test as I did with the 2.5 release.

From Weblog Tools Collection:

Here is a list of features that will be introduced into WordPress 2.7:

Comments API – This according to me is the most exciting feature, it will allow developers to create offline integration of comments management, where users could use desktop clients to manage comments (moderate, edit, reply, delete, spam, unspam).

Keyboard shortcuts for comment moderation – This feature will help users to quickly moderate comments using keyboard shortucts, so you can expect key combinations like Ctrl + S to spam a comment, Ctrl + A to approve and so on.

Theme Update API – WordPress 2.5 and above have really made plugin management quite easy, you automatically receive notices when a new update to a plugin is available and can upgrade it without having to manually upload it to your FTP server. With this addition WordPress aims to bridge the gap between theme developers and the users for publishing updates to themes.

One Click Plugin Installs – Installing a plugin will be much easier with One click plugin installs. A plugin with similar features called One Click Plugin was the winner of the Plugin Competition last year.

WordPress core updates – This is a feature many users have been waiting for, with core updates you can easily upgrade your WordPress versions. The WordPress Automatic Upgrade plugin performs the same task.

Default Sitemaps – WordPress 2.7 will include a default sitemap creator, which will create Google XML sitemaps for your blog. Google Sitemaps Generator plugin is the best option available right now for creating XML sitemaps.

Admin Panel Comment Replies - This plugin will help administrators to reply to comments using the admin panel. There are several plugins which allow you to do so right now, including WP AJax Edit Comments, Better Comments Manager and Absolute Comments.

Comment Threading – This feature will allow users to reply to other commentators in a threaded manner, where replied comments will display below the actual comment, WordPress already has the ability to scale to accomodate threaded comments, without requiring database changes. Brian’s Threaded Comments is a does the job of allowing users to reply to comments.

Subscribe to Comments – The WordPress team is also planning to include a option to allow commentators to subscribe to follow up comments, but this is marked as a question, so it may not actully make it into WordPress 2.7. The Subscribe to Comments plugin does the job to notify commentators on follow up comments.

Widgets for Dashboard and Write Box – This feature will allow users to re-arrange the widgets on the dashboard and write page to suit their preferences.

Batch Editing of Posts – This feature will allow users to batch edit their posts. Though there is not much information available about this right now, and I could not really find more from my research on the topic.

It’s going to be a fun winter!

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MarsEdit Test Part Two

Web Wench — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 03:33:25 +0000

I like it, I do! But I won’t be using it and here’s why: While it’s very convenient, I would have to go back into the admin control panel anyway - to enter tags, and most importantly - to use All-In-One-SEO for custom titles, meta description, etc. Those who manage many blogs might find this software indispensable [...]

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MarsEdit Test Part One

Web Wench — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:02:33 +0000

This is part one of a test/review of the MarsEdit blog editor. So far so good - I set up two of my blogs with little trouble. So far - I haven’t yet tried to post, and when I’m through typing these words, I shall hit submit and we shall see! More on MarsEdit to come…

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SimplePress Forum Theme Finished

Web Wench — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:23:39 +0000

I still have to pretty up the forms and form buttons, but the new skin for the Garden’s forums is finished - have a look and tell me what you think!

I used Sweetie Web Icons and FamFamFam Silk for most of the icons. When I track down the makers of the group, forum and topic icons and verify that it is okay, I will release the skin, or find GPL or CC icons to complete the release.

In closing, I upgraded to 2.6, painlessly. I hear that those using the automatic upgrade plugin had troubles - I’m glad I didn’t have time to install it!

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New! Live Support with LiveLeader

Web Wench — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 00:04:25 +0000

I found an awesome new service today while I was testing live help applications - it’s called LiveLeader. I installed the free version, which you can view in the left sidebar if I am online. If I’m not online, there won’t be a box. This is the free version - with the paid version that I will probably get, I can have an offline icon, and I can also customize the chat window.

Click to view a list of LiveLeader features - they are far too numerous to list here. Suffice to say that it’s browser-based Ajax, very clean and elegant, with prices ranging from a very reasonable ZERO dollars per month, to $29.95 per month for multiple-domain accounts.

It was very easy to use in WordPress - I just used a text widget to embed the single line of Javascript. I give LiveLeader five flowers!

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New WordPress Theme - Tickled Pink

Web Wench — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 07:32:39 +0000

Tickled Pink is a two-column, fixed width theme with a two-level CSS page menu. It is coded to be very search engine friendly, with proper use of heading tags and sidebar lists. Included is a one column page template.

Coming soon: a matching forum skin for SimplePress forum.

Demo Link
Download

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WordPress Theme Update

Web Wench — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:07:10 +0000

Bug Fix Update for Green Apple Theme

Somebody slap me! I released a theme that was not quite ready. There were a couple of bugs in the CSS, which I fixed, and I also added tiny little arrows in the post navigation bar. The menu was not displaying correctly in Internet Explorer 6 (it’s always IE6!) and that should now be resolved.

My apologies for any inconvenience caused!

Demo link

Download

New Theme for the Gardens

Web Wench — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:24:26 +0000

You can see that our look has changed; this new look is based on the code for Green Apples, with a few minor changes. There are tweaks yet to be made - and in the process of converting the GA skin I found a couple of errors (yes, I made errors. Can you believe it?) So I”ll be releasing another version of Green Apples with the error fixed.

THEN I’ll get back on track with the Tickled Pink skin. I’ll have a busy day in front of me!

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Changes Coming!

Web Wench — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 19:00:27 +0000

Changes to the Garden’s WordPress theme

When I first registered this domain, it was only a placeholder for other sites, and a place where I tested various software. I offered hosting services, but through my other site, BK2K Web Design.

When I decided to use WordPress exclusively for content management, I installed it on this domain, and used a standard fixed with, 2-column skin. I decided that I wanted more space, so I coded the template you see today - ultra simple, 2 columns, and not much else.

I’m about to release the Tickled Pink skin, then go on a 2 week break while I revamp the Gardens. I’m thinking I’ll use the same graphics as I did on the first theme (which are kind of nice if I do say so myself) but keep the 100% width, and go to three columns. Damn, this is going to be a fun July!

Stay tuned for Tickled Pink! Today or tomorrow…there, I’ve committed myself!

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Green Apples WordPress Theme

Web Wench — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 04:25:11 +0000

Green Apples is Rose City Garden’s first theme release. I know I said I was releasing Tickled Pink (and I will), but I’m still working on the forum skin and finished this theme first. ! I think you’ll like it - it behaves well in all the majors, and even in IE6 the menu works with the help of a snippet of Javascript.

Description

This is a very clean and simple three-column, liquid width theme. It is widget ready and has a two-level CSS dropdown top menu bar. The green apples photo in the header is by the very talented Jean Scheijen.

Demo link

Download and Install

Download Green Apples WordPress theme. Unzip and upload the green-apples folder to your wp-content/themes/directory.

License and Terms

This theme is released under the GPL. If you use the Green Apples image for anything else, please credit the photographer.

And…please do something nice for someone. Call your mom!

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