Transcript the Power Point Presentation

The Quick Geek
Fast Track with Wordpress
Judy Wilson / site shack web design
____________________________
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all rights reserved
www.thequickgeek.com
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Wordpress is . . .
Blogging Software
A Web Site Publishing Platform
A Content Management
System (CMS)
WordPress is an open source
(cost-free + developers can contribute to it -plugins, widgets, themes)
blog publishing and
“content management system (CMS)”
using HTML + CSS + PHP and MySQL.
I get that a blog is a Web site where
you post your opinions or recipes or
musings
but . . .
How is Wordpress a
Content Management
System?
And what is a
Content Management System,
anyway?
Ok,
some backstory.
In the old days in the world of Web site building, Web sites were built so that each page
was its own self-contained document. Users needed to know HTML to maintain
(update, change) the site.
This worked (not very well) and there continued to be a clearly defined need for nontechnical end users to have the ability to update their own Web sites -- i.e., to have the
ability to add/modify/delete content (copy and images).
In response, different companies formed (not to mention individuals) to provide a
solution, namely a means of building a Web site “application” that would allow a user to
manage or maintain his or her content. (Blogs were/are a sort of limited type of CMS.)
By approx. 2004 - 2005, many CMS/blog platforms had grown and matured to the
extent that they offered a stable and robust Web site creation solution for professional
developers and end users. This is what happened with Wordpress, which began in 2003
as a simple platform for blogging.
The first version of Wordpress (ver 0.70) to be available
for download was on May 27, 2003.
There have been 52 releases in all.
The current version is 3.4.2.
Each version brings increased stability,
security and cool bells and whistles.
If you have a Wordpress site, your current version
should be updated when the new version is released.
So . . .
back to CMS
•A Web Content Management System (WCMS) is a software system that provides
website authoring, collaboration, and administration tools designed to allow users with
little knowledge of web programming languages or markup languages to create and
manage website content with relative ease. A robust WCMS provides the foundation for
collaboration, offering users the ability to manage documents and output for multiple
author editing and participation.
Most systems use a database to store page content, metadata, and other information
assets (i.e. pictures, videos, audio files etc.) that might be needed by the system (aka the
Web site).
A presentation layer displays the content to website visitors based on a set of templates
or in the case of Wordpress, a “theme.”
A WCMS allows non-technical users to make changes to a Web site with little training. A
WCMS typically requires a systems administrator and/or a web developer to set up and
add features, but it is primarily a website maintenance tool for non-technical staff.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_content_management_system
Hmm. Do I have to be
a techie to use Wordpress?
Wordpress makes it too easy.
But you might get a warm techie glow.
wordpress.com
vs
wordpress.org
wordpress.com
•
•
•
•
It’s free and much easier to set up
Everything is taken care of: setup, upgrades,
spam, backups, security, etc.
Your blog is on hundreds of servers, so it’s
highly unlikely it will go down due to traffic
You will have to pay to use your own domain
name.
http://en.wordpress.com/features/
wordpress.org
•
•
•
•
Ability to upload themes, including “custom
themes”
Ability to upload plugins
Complete control to change code and make
(or have made for you) custom modifications
You’re responsible for stopping spam
http://wordpress.org/about/features/
http://en.support.wordpress.com/com-vs-org/
I’m guessing Wordpress
is pretty popular?
http://en.wordpress.com/stats/
IMO
The Many Virtues of Wordpress
Ease of Use
Smart, intuitive design (visual and programmatic)
Works almost perfectly out of the box
Incredibly flexible
Scales up and scales down
Vast developer community
Strong developer commitment
Amazingly well documented
Friendly to non-tech users
Free
Ok.
I want a Wordpress site.
And I want to host it myself.
Where do I begin?
Self Hosting
YOU WILL NEED:
• To choose a domain name (a whole other topic :)
• To select a domain registrar (not GoDaddy IMO)
• To find a Web host (preferably Linux)
Domain name registrar
‣ A domain name for 1 year usually = $8.00 - 25.00
‣ Suggested domain name registrars
• http://www.dotster.com (optionally you may add hosting)
• http://www.register.com (optionally you may add hosting)
• www.bluehost.com (optionally you may add hosting)
Web Host
‣ The host account (usually about $120 - 240.00
annually)
‣ Suggested web hosts
• http://webservices.thesba.com (Small Business
Authority) - includes domain registration, uses
Windows platform
• http://mediatemple.net/wordpress-webhosting.php
(Media Temple) - includes domain registration, uses
Linux platform
Is it ok if my host and domain
registrar are at the same account?
‣
Pro: It makes setup easier. No need to know anything about “DNS.”
‣
Con: If you have a falling out with your web host, you can switch hosts without
losing or having a hassle transferring your domain name to a new web host. Likewise
if your registrar gives you problems, you still have access to your web host.
Web Host cont.
‣ Your host account should include
• Control Panel (where you can change your password,
add a database, etc.)
• FTP (file transfer protocol) account
• Ability to create a database (not as difficult as it sounds)
• BTW. Wordpress is platform agnostic (it will run on
Windows or Linux)
Huh? What's FTP?
‣
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is a means of moving Web site files from your computer
to the Web host’s server (which is connected to the Internet).
‣
How do I get an FTP?
•
You will need to download and install a FTP program
•
(Mac > Transmit or Filezilla and Windows > Filezilla)
•
You'll also need an un/zip program. Mac unzips automatically. There are many for
Windows. I like http://www.7-zip.org (7-Zip), which is free and works great.
• NOTE that your web host account will include
•
FTP account
But you will need to add (i.e. setup or create)
-
A database
Your Web host will provide lots of assistance in setting up your
Wordpress site, including the database.
Find a host with phone support if possible -- otherwise there
should be good tutorials available.
A word about one-click installs. Use a bit of caution with
these. They are ok to use, but some hosts will also bundle
hundreds (!) of extra themes. Make sure your one-click will
not do this. The more themes, the better your chances of
being hacked. Some themes are coded in such a way that they
can be easily exploited by hackers.You will also need to
confirm that various security features are in place after install.
Getting Started: Useful Tips
• Set your domain name to auto-renew or pay for multiple years.
• After you search for your domain name, buy it..
• You get what you pay for: cheap ($3.95 a month e.g.) host accounts typically live on
servers already stuffed with hundreds or thousands of other accounts, leading to slow
downloads, increased vulnerability, long waits on customer service and so on.
• Beware the “You Needs” (private registration, free trial offers, additional security that
costs $ etc).
• Check your shopping cart before you pay.
Security Considerations
•
Use salt in your wp-config.php file:
•
•
https://api.wordpress.org/secret-key/1.1/salt/
Don't use "admin" as your user name.
• Use long (at least 8-12 characters) random, non-sequential passwords or
have the host auto-generate your password.
•
Don't use a wp_ prefix for your tables.
• Get into the habit of changing your password(s) and salts every 3 months.
• KNOW IF/HOW/WHERE TO BACKUP and RESTORE YOUR DATABASE.
Get out some paper and a pen.
1. Write down in an address book or someplace
similar (not a random piece of paper):
•FTP user name
•FTP password (sometimes you can set this; other
times this is something the host will provide)
•Database name - snowshoesdb
•Database host name - mysql.snowshoe.com
•Database username - judyxma
•Database password - X98#31bypJ(&lg
Finally. Time to Install.
• wordpress.org