So why randomly start writing things on the internet again? I’m ever so slightly jealous of people like Marco and Jon, with their actually updated blogs that people read. And I’d like a regularly updated blog that people read, hence I’m writing things again to fulfill one of those criteria ¹.

I’m also finally getting round to publishing on WPShout again, so look out for that soon!

And here ends the rather pointless introduction to things existing on my blog again!

I felt obliged to step in and say something ². If you’ve got any doubts about WordPress security, take a read.

“WordPress itself is not at fault. There are currently no known security vulnerabilities in WordPress 2.9.2. Plugins which interact with the database may be a way in and equally themes could leave you at risk if you’ve downloaded them from shady sitess (ie you’ve not bought a premium theme from the original maker, you’ve got it for $5 from some site — see this post to prove it).

However, popular plugins by well known developers (see if the plugin author has ever contributed to WordPress itself ³) are usually fine to use and thus the blame can normally come back to hosts. One notable member of the WordPress community put it very well:

You can have WP hardened within an inch of its life, but if the box is wide open (and yes, there are really dumb sys admins out there… I have examples) then once someone gets in the y can do what they like, secured software or not.

– Andrea⁴

WordPress installs on GoDaddy were recently hacked and it became fairly clear that it was their fault, not WordPress’. Network Solutions’ WordPress sites recently also came to their knees, again not at the fault of WordPress.

The best advice I can offer is make sure you’ve got a secure host (ask them what they do, see if there have been any previous problems; some great discussion here) and follow some simple WordPress security rules.”

Hope that’s of some help — have I got it right?

At this point you’re sitting there going “yes, isn’t that obvious?” It may be obvious, but that’s half the point: with each tweet you send out, think to yourself: would I want to read this? If it’s something about your cat, probably best you delete it. If it’s some interesting tweet about some interesting article you’ve read then send it off to the interwebs!

There’s more to it than just sending useful content though. You’ve got to be able to do it again and again with consistency. That’ll send your follower numbers through the roof.

Let’s take a case study: Jad Limcaco’s Design Informer. Launched only late last year, the site and @DesignInformer account already has nearly 8000 followers and is consistently recommended by the likes of Smashing Magazine and… me, actually. Why? Because Jad posts some really cool stuff 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Yeah, he schedules it.

But that doesn’t matter. If anything it shows the commitment to providing awesome links regardless of the time of day!

The point I’m trying to make is that there is a key to being successful on Twitter: it’s be useful.

I’ve been listening to this track a lot recently on Spotify — it’s a great track that says so much about the 90s :)

You’ve Got The Music In You by the New Radicals.

They’re both pretty powerful tools and really easy to use too — go and use CSS3 everywhere!

Just adds a little more shinazz to read the article where it was intended to be read, not how Google thinks it should be read.

And heck, I might even be missing out on one of Jad’s awesome art directed posts ;)

Despite my overwhelming desire to try an iPad, I wouldn’t trade living in the UK for earlier access to Apple gadgets.

—David Appleyard, speaking on Twitter.

That’d be easy: a nice design and that bloody WooThemes options page. Trouble is most people don’t know any better so think that the best WordPress can offer is nice designs and the same options page.

We want to do things differently, but still sell themes.

It sounds silly, but I believe that making a better product in the form of ShiftNews (than most magazine themes), we’ve alienated and confused the people who are used to limited options and layouts. We’ve got two sliders. You can put them where you like. People don’t really get that. They all presume the slider goes at the top cause that’s where it goes in all the other themes, right? And two? Why would you want to be able to choose which slider you want? I’ll go and buy one CrapNews from CrapThemes, thanks.

Yes! I want this options page.

I’d be lying if I said I’d actually had that conversation, but you get the idea.

Eeww. It's different. Don't like change.

As I write this, I’m meant to be redoing the options page, btw.

The point I’m trying to make is that if people don’t know any better, they’ll be happy with the compromise they’re used to. Unless we (the people who make the good themes) can educate users, they’re not going to realise that yes, the grass is greener on the other side.

You can have the best theme in the world, but if you don’t advertise it as having great SEO and a bloody massive and pointless options page then a lot of people won’t be interested.

Rant over. I’d love to hear your thoughts.