bbPress 1.0
Version 1.0 (codename “Bechet”) of WordPress sister forum software bbPress has finally been released. The biggest achievement in this milestone is associating itself more closely with the WordPress family through familiar WP features we all know and love:
- Single sign-on from WordPress 2.7/2.8 to bbPress is now supported
- Forum posts can now receive pingbacks and trackbacks
- Themes now support the functions.php file
- The administration panel has been redesigned to look more like the familiar WP dashboard
If you’ve been holding back on using bbPress, there’s no better time to try it than now!
Create your own WordPress Dashboard Widgets
Did you know that you can tweak your WordPress Dashboard with custom Widgets? Take note that this is different from the Widgets feature you can use on your blog. WooCamp has a nice two-step tutorial on it:
- Copy the given code in the blog post
- Modify the given code for specific functionality for your widget
Easy-peasy! Another great way to customize the backend of WordPress-powered sites, especially if you’re using it as a CMS for clients and friends.
WordPress 2.8
Six months after the release of the previous version comes WordPress 2.8 codename “Baker”, with the slogan “cool, smoother, simpler blogging”. Matt writes that the latest version is a nice fit and finish release for WordPress with improvements to themes, widgets, taxonomies, and overall speed
:
- Load pages, particularly styles and scripts, faster
- Browse and install themes from the Theme Directory from the WordPress dashboard (just like plugins)
- Edit theme and plugin code with syntax highlighting using the CodePress editor
- Enjoy more user-friendly Widgets with a revamp of its interface
- Use Screen Options to every page in the dashboard
- And more!
Backup your database and files then hit “update now” in your dashboard. Don’t forget to check out the video above!
Wireframes of the WordPress 2.7 dashboard
One of the biggest things the WordPress development team is working on for the 2.7 release is the admin dashboard. And they’ve released a PDF containing wireframes of that interface.
WordPress 2.7 is a work in progress. These wireframes attempt to document the current state of or plans for the application. In some cases, elements may change as development proceeds, either because of technical issues or to address usability issues. In addition, elements may change during the visual design stage. These wireframes are a guide for development that will be updated as necessary, and are not set in stone.
We’ve seen demos of Crazyhorse before, but the PDF file explains in more depth what to expect in terms of the layout and functionality of the administration interface.
WordPress Admin Dashboard to be updated in 2.7
The admin dashboard is an essential part of what makes WordPress really work, which is why the Automattic team continues to tweak it to ultimate user interface perfection. In the upcoming version 2.7 (nicknamed “Crazyhorse”), WP FUN shares a glimpse of what the new dashboard will look like:
Each of the menu items on the left open and close as needed. Templates contains everything that is in the design tab now. Utilities features the new inbox (which seems to include notifications about WordPress and maybe new comments, but it doesn’t do anything yet) and some of the contents of the manage menu.
The recently-concluded WordCamp also demo-ed Crazyhorse. You can find more pictures here. See the “Riding the Crazyhorse” talk by Liz Danzico of Happy Cog, the company who redesigned the admin interface in WordPress 2.5.
A video courtesy of socialTNT is also embedded below:
Finally, CalinSoft has also posted an in-depth walkthrough of Crazyhorse, though unfortunately it’s in Spanish. (Try Google’s translation here.)
The dashboard is just a critical part of a blogger’s workflow, so it’s a good thing that WordPress is really working hard to continuously improve it.
