Update 10/2/2012: The Update Notifier plugin hasn't been updated since 9/20/2010. I've switched to WP Updates Notifier, a fork of Update Notifier that's being actively maintained. The Update Notifier plugin sends email notifications for updates to WordPress, and, optionally, updates to plugins and themes (the components that would normally notify you on the Updates page […]
Web Design All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies by Sue Jenkins My rating: 3 of 5 stars A simple, visual reference for beginning web designers. Five books in one, covering many areas related to web design, including planning, designing, graphics, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, web standards, testing, hosting, and search engine optimization. In her examples, the author […]
I used the Export and Import tools in WordPress to move this site to new web hosts, twice. In the process, many of the images were broken. They didn't appear in the page, and I could see that the links all pointed to file names ending in 1, such as picture1.jpg, picture1.png, and picture1.gif. My […]
Learn why you shouldn't use the common advice of substituting numbers or special characters for letters in passwords.
Teach Yourself VISUALLY Web Design (Teach Yourself VISUALLY by Rob Huddleston My rating: 2 of 5 stars Absolute novices may benefit from this book's introduction to HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, and SQL, but it's so elementary that it's useless for anyone with any web design experience. Only the essentials of each technology are covered, so […]
These are 10 free, popular WordPress plugins that I've found useful for most WordPress sites. I presented this list at the Kalamazoo/West Michigan WordPress Users Group on Dec 9, 2010. Please add your feedback and favorite WordPress plugins in the comments! Akismet Chap Secure Login Contact Form 7 FD Feedburner Plugin Google Custom Search Plugin […]
WordPress For Dummies by Lisa Sabin-Wilson My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is the best WordPress book I’ve read so far; it’s great for beginners and intermediate WordPress designers. Lisa Sabin-Wilson, a well-known WordPress authority with firsthand experience, starts with the basics and builds up in each chapter. Beyond the essentials, there’s an appropriate […]
Website Owner's Manual by Paul Boag My rating: 3 of 5 stars This book instructs website owners in using their website(s) to engage customers and build their brand. I’ve read several technical web design books lately, but wanted to read this one to see things from the site owner’s perspective, in preparation for working with […]
Sams Teach Yourself WordPress in 10 Minutes by Chuck Tomasi My rating: 2 of 5 stars Don't let the title fool you, because you won't learn WordPress in 10 minutes! Each of the 13 lessons takes 10 minutes, and at the end, you won't be able to say you taught yourself WordPress because it barely […]
Teach Yourself Visually WordPress by Janet Majure My rating: 2 of 5 stars This book is for absolute beginners looking for the most basic essentials of WordPress. If you've graduated from beginner to amateur or above, there's not much for you here. I also wasn't a fan of the cartoony robot pictures infesting the book. […]
Smashing WordPress by Thord Hedengren My rating: 3 of 5 stars This book is for the experienced WordPress designer, not the beginner. Although it does touch on some WordPress essentials, it's mostly a how-to guide for creating WordPress themes and plugins, and generally bending WordPress to your will. The book is laid out well, with […]
Design and Launch an Online Web Design Business by Jason Rich My rating: 3 of 5 stars My long-term goal is for OptimWise to become a web design firm, creating and promoting websites for small businesses. I've been looking for the best books about succeeding in the web design business. I wasn't very impressed by […]
