Just got an email from Adobe that the next version of Creative Suite, called “CS4″ appropriately enough, is going to be announced on September 23, 2008. Sign up for the Adobe CS4 Announcement and receive instructions on how to view the webcast. Let the speculating begin!

Adobe CS4

Short post. Just successfully installed the Thesis 1.1 update to capture the urgent security fixes. This one was a no-brainer. After unzipping the files locally, I launched the FileZilla ftp client (I like the way it behaves almost like to Windows Explorer). I then compared the files locally to the files here on the site. Chris Pearson has set up his file structure so intuitively that it took me only two minutes to compare all the files and update where appropriate. Thanks Chris!

Phew…

I’m new to WordPress and my host only offered an installation script for WordPress v2.5.1 by default. I have limited experience with PHP so I went with the automated install, but I wanted to upgrade WordPress to v2.6.2 to keep current with the latest security updates.

I started by reading the basic, three-step upgrade instructions on the WordPress website. I read through them completely and when I got to the part where something might go wrong (troubleshooting), I just skipped on over to the extended upgrade instructions. At the top of that page, they suggest using the WordPress Automatic Upgrade plugin. I read through the detailed instructions and thought there were numerous places I might screw up something. I started feeling that I might have to invest several hours in the upgrade process.

So I headed over to Techie Buzz and read over the WordPress Automatic Upgrade plugin page. It says it can upgrade your WordPress installation in a couple of minutes. I like the idea that it automates everything and I figured that it can’t do anything worse than me, so I decided to give it a shot.

I downloaded the latest version of WAU and followed the ftp installation instructions. It installs like other WordPress plugins. After I activated the plugin, it notified me that there was an even newer version. After updating to the latest, latest version, I started the WordPress upgrade process.

It starts by checking to make sure that it is compatible with your server configuration – a nice touch. It then backs up all of your files and tells you to download them locally. It then starts the update process and only gives you success messages. You click ‘next’ to step through the upgrade process.

After everything upgraded, it says you have to run the database upgrade process in a new window. I upgraded the database and then it asked me to log in. I went back to the WAU screen and clicked ‘next’ to reactivate other plugins. It asked me to log in – oop! I switched back to the other window, logged in, switched back to WAU, clicked the back button, and then clicked ‘next’ again. Phew. It said everything had been upgraded successfully.

It literally took around five minutes for the entire upgrade process. If you need to upgrade your WordPress instalation, consider using the WordPress Automatic Upgrade plugin. I’m really glad I did.

I’m sending this from my iPhone as the first test post using the Wordpress application (more on that in another post).

But Esquire Magazine has an even better first – the October 2008 issue is the first magazine ever to use an electronic cover. They used the E-Ink technology, the same that powers the Amazon Kindle book reader, with two screens used in this issue. Since I’m tapping this out on my iPhone and I can’t include links or pictures, I’m going to end my post here. I’ll include a full tear-down report of the Esquire cover in a future post. Maybe I’ll include video, too.

I have been a fan of Brian Clark and his Copyblogger website for over a year and have learned a lot from the articles. If you do any writing at all, offline or online, you’ll find lots of useful articles there. I personally look forward to just about every email I receive from them.

Back around July, Brian started promoting a new theme that was developed by the same guy that created the Copyblogger site layout, Chris Pearson. Both Chris and Brian (like I know them personally, heh) worked on several profitable projects together. The new theme that Brian started promoting is simply known as Thesis (I get a commission if you buy from this link).

On the surface, it looks like a few other free or low cost WordPress themes. Behind the scenes, it is much more powerful and very well designed. Almost everything can be managed from within the WordPress dashboard. I like the fact that it was designed from the start to be SEO friendly. It’s easy to implement your Google Analytics script and Feedburner links without having to touch single line of code. It looks very clean out of the box, too. You can read the full Thesis feature set if you’re interested.

The final decision was made after meeting and talking to JL Watkins at a local copywriters meeting. JL is an Emmy award winning local videographer, news reporter and tech journalist for WYFF, the local NBC affiliate. When I mentioned I was setting up a WordPress blog and was looking for a theme, it was an interesting coincidence that JL mentioned “Thesis” at the same time I was asking him about it. The day after I met JL, he announced his resignation from WYFF and his plans to follow his wife to Houston, Texas, to be the news director of KIAH. Such is life. I guess I chased him off. Just kidding.

Reading several positive reviews on Thesis closed the deal. Decision made. Thesis is live!

It’s a little plain right now. I’m still tweaking things.

OK, I’ve successfully installed WordPress. Now I’m looking for an apropriate theme and a few plugins while I get this set up the way I want.

Please stand by…