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What You May Not Know About WordPress
The changes WordPress has made to installation and upgrade processes, along with advice on code changes and themes below.
In this article, Linda offers some advice for WordPress users who want to focus on WordPress as a content management system and who want to host that platform on a server. You'll learn about the changes WordPress has made to installation and upgrade processes, along with advice on code changes and themes below.
Uploading WordPress
You have several options in uploading WordPress to a server. If your host has WordPress included as an option for upload in a control panel, that is the easiest route to take. Simply follow the instructions to upload WordPress and you're done – almost:
1.When you are finished uploading WordPress to your server through an upload option, in most cases you will receive a password to enter the site. Copy and paste that password onto a notepad or write it down in case you encounter a glitch when you sign in for the first time.
2.When you sign in for the first time, the first thing you need to do is to change that password. Currently, WordPress provides the ability to change that password immediately through a notification blurb that shows near the top of the page. You can click on that link to go straight to your user page's password window. NOTE: It is wise to change that password frequently – at minimum, once per month for security reasons.
3.Finally, look at the top of the page when you are logged into WordPress. You may see, "WordPress 2.8.6 [or some other version] is available! Please update now [this last sentence will contain a link]." If you see this warning, don't upload anything else until you upgrade to that new version.
4.To upgrade to a new version of WordPress, you do not need to upload that version manually. Instead, click on the "Please update now" link and you'll see the following information:
The information above may present a squirming can of worms for
those individuals who are unfamiliar with WordPress. However, the task is
simple if you have not uploaded templates, files or content. Simply click on
the "Upgrade Automatically" button and WordPress will upgrade without hassle.
If, however, you were so anxious to get started that you uploaded themes, files and content, you will need to backup your database and files before you upgrade. More about that issue below.
Other Upload Issues
While I could offer a tutorial on how to upload WordPress manually, the WordPress Codex already has a tutorial that is easy to understand. While some of the tasks within this tutorial seem unnecessary (such as writing down passwords), don't skip a beat. The reason those tasks are included is that issues in the past have created a need to supply those instructions.
If you follow the instructions in that WordPress Codex tutorial, you should have a WordPress site, including a basic template, showing on your server within minutes. NOTE: If you planned for a multi-user site, you might think about WordPress MU. However, this series of articles will focus only on the traditional WordPress option, which allows for multiple users to act as subscribers, contributors, authors, editors and administrators.
Linda Goin
Linda Goin carries an A.A. in graphic design, a B.F.A. in visual communications with a minor in business and marketing and an M.A. in American History with a minor in the Reformation. While the latter degree doesn't seem to fit with the first two educational experiences, Linda used her 25-year design expertise on archaeological digs and in the study of material culture. Now she uses her education and experiences in social media experiments.
Accolades for her work include fifteen first-place Colorado Press Association awards, numerous fine art and graphic design awards, and interviews about content development with The Wall St. Journal, Chicago Tribune, Psychology Today, and L.A. Times.