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!
A history of the WordPress interface
Now that the newest redesign to the WordPress interface is available for public consumption, here’s a nice history lesson on what past WP versions used to look like, courtesy of PlanetOzh.
Here’s the earliest write post screen:
WordPress 2.7 Beta 1
The first beta of the much-awaited WordPress 2.7 version is out! Prepare for a completely revamped admin interface and all the new features we’ve been raving about the past few months.
Several things to note: WP 2.7 Beta 1 works best in Firefox and Safari (for now). And the final WP 2.7 release is 2 weeks behind schedule.
The downside is more waiting; the upside is the team isn’t rushing to get it out but to polish it the best way possible. It’s slated for November 10th, and while the developers are still trying their best to get it done by that date, a release candidate should be out by then. End of November seems more like the WP 2.7 final release.
WordPress 2.5 and Crazyhorse admin panel usability report
Jane Wells has posted a report on the usability testing of two WordPress admin panels: the one found in version 2.5 and the newer, rapidly-prototyped Crazyhorse (demo-ed in WordCamps worldwide).
Take note that this Crazyhorse is different from the WP 2.7 interface designs we’ve seen lately, which are a lot more polished. Still, you’ll see from the PDF that the redesign was a welcome change to the users, compared to the 2.5 interface.
I’m impressed at how transparent Automattic is about these things. For the casual WordPress user it may be a bit too much, but for the hardcore fans, it’s great seeing the whole story!
WordPress 2.7 looks pretty!
Since WordPress 2.7 is all about an admin redesign, it’s high time we see what it will really look like. The wait is almost over! The WordPress development team teases us once more with a couple of screens for the new admin panel.
This week at the Automattic team’s semi-annual offsite meeting (offsite since we have no office), the visuals you have been craving were finally created and approved. We hope you like them. Mad props to Matt Thomas and Andy Peatling for their visual talents. You can expect these designs to be extended to the rest of the 2.7 screens and implemented over the coming weeks.
WordPress 2.7 – New Post screen
WordPress 2.7 – Admin Dashboard screen
I’ll be honest: I’m slightly irked that it’s got touches of the Apple look. And I kind of wished they hadn’t resorted to using rounded corners here. But if you’ve been following the saga of WordPress 2.7 admin dashboard redesign long enough, you’ll definitely agree that this design looks like the prettiest yet!
Read more about it here. Expect even more hype about the arrival of WordPress 2.7 within the coming weeks.
