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";s:7:"attribs";a:1:{s:0:"";a:1:{s:7:"version";s:3:"2.0";}}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:1:{s:0:"";a:1:{s:7:"channel";a:1:{i:0;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:61:"
	
	
	
	




















































";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:1:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:16:"WordPress Planet";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:28:"http://planet.wordpress.org/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:8:"language";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:2:"en";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:47:"WordPress Planet - http://planet.wordpress.org/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"item";a:50:{i:0;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:71:"WPTavern: Anariel Design Launches Naledi, a Block-Based WordPress Theme";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=116777";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:185:"https://wptavern.com/anariel-design-launches-naledi-a-block-based-wordpress-theme?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=anariel-design-launches-naledi-a-block-based-wordpress-theme";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:4562:"<img />Naledi theme homepage.



<p class="has-drop-cap">Over the weekend, Anariel Design co-founder Ana Segota <a href="https://twitter.com/Ana_Segota/status/1393622710845063169">tweeted</a> that she was nearly ready to submit the <a href="https://www.anarieldesign.com/free-full-site-editing-theme-naledi/">company&rsquo;s first block theme</a> into the WordPress directory. There are only <a href="https://wordpress.org/themes/tags/full-site-editing/">five such experimental themes</a> available for download in the repo right now, and I have been patiently awaiting more.</p>



<p>The Naledi theme is in the review queue, but those who want to give it a spin can grab a copy of the <a href="https://themes.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/99469#comment:3">ZIP file from its ticket</a>.  Or, just peruse the <a href="https://www.anarieldesign.com/themedemos/naledi/">theme&rsquo;s demo</a>.</p>



<p>Block, block-based, or FSE themes are built entirely out of blocks, not just the post content. This includes the header, footer, and everything else in between &mdash; literally, everything is a block. Such themes are the future of WordPress and need more user testing.</p>



<p>Like most block themes at the moment, Naledi is not meant for use on a production site. The goal is to build upon the site editor and templating systems in the Gutenberg plugin. The earliest that stable iterations of these FSE sub-components could land in WordPress would be in version 5.9 later this year, but there is no guarantee of that yet.</p>



<p>The WordPress.org Themes Team allows block themes in the directory. However, a team lead must grant permission using the &ldquo;special case&rdquo; system in place. There is still a <a href="https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/5504">six-month-old ticket</a> awaiting closure before anyone can upload block themes without special access.</p>



<p>On the whole, Naledi is a well-rounded theme given the limitations of block templating right now. It has plenty of personality and is a good representation of how themers should be building on top of the system. There are miles to go, but the Gutenberg development team is driving fast.</p>



<p>One of the most revealing items was how little CSS Naledi needed (roughly 20 kb). It is almost entirely built upon the <code>theme.json</code> style system. Most of the code is merely modifications for custom block styles and adjustments to the core blocks.</p>



<p>The theme currently has nine block styles. Most of the concepts are around adding borders. Eventually, these border-related styles may be unnecessary. Border settings are coming to more and more blocks out of the box. Users will be able to directly make border changes on nearly anything, and theme designers can package their old styles as custom patterns instead.</p>



<p>Of the theme&rsquo;s block styles, my favorite is the framed image. I have been on a bit of a <em>frame</em> kick as of late, so I like seeing what others are doing with the idea.</p>



<img />Frame style on the Image block.



<p>Naledi also bundles eight-block patterns. Most include the Columns block, but others incorporate the Media &amp; Text and Cover blocks, such as a full-width page header.</p>



<p>The Testimonials pattern uses the theme&rsquo;s Overlap style for the Columns block. It shifts the left column to the right and the right column in the opposite direction, creating an overlap.</p>



<img />Testimonials block pattern.



<p>There is a similar pattern named Overlapping Images that uses the same technique.</p>



<img />Overlapping Images block pattern.



<p>What Naledi does that I have not seen with many block themes yet is add several custom page templates. It technically registers only two of them via its <code>theme.json</code> configuration. However, six exist in total, and the Gutenberg plugin automatically picks them all up on a per-page level &mdash; <em>not sure if that is a bug or a feature</em>.</p>



<ul><li>About</li><li>Home</li><li>News</li><li>Sidebar</li><li>Testimonials</li><li>Tours</li></ul>



<p>Because Naledi is a block theme, users can make direct changes to any of the templates, putting their own coat of paint over the default or overhauling them entirely.</p>



<img />Naledi theme in the site editor.



<p>As always, it is a welcome sight to see another block theme headed for the official directory. It is by no means perfect &mdash; working in an imperfect system. However, experiments like Naledi give me more hope that we are heading in the right direction.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Mon, 17 May 2021 21:42:27 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14:"Justin Tadlock";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:1;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:52:"WPTavern: Register Now for WordSesh: May 24-28, 2021";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=116134";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:145:"https://wptavern.com/register-now-for-wordsesh-may-24-28-2021?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=register-now-for-wordsesh-may-24-28-2021";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:3940:"<p><a href="https://wordsesh.com/">WordSesh 2021</a>, a free virtual event targeted at WordPress professionals, is less than one week away. Sessions will be broadcast May 24-28, followed by hands-on workshops May 27 &ndash; June 4. The event is hosted by Brian Richards, creator of the WordPress video training website WPSessions. It features an impressive lineup of curated speakers whose presentations will be recorded and published to&nbsp;<a href="https://wpsessions.com/wordsesh/">WPSessions</a>&nbsp;after the live event has ended.</p>



<p>WordSesh&rsquo;s creators pioneered virtual events years ago, when nearly every WordPress conference was still a live, in-person event. Last year WordSesh was broken up into three regional events, but this year it has transitioned back into one global conference that will run at all hours over several time zones. Over the years its production and quality have become more refined. Speakers are compensated for their time and have personal coaching available to them. This year&rsquo;s event will feature a combination of pre-recorded and live content, accompanied by live captioning.</p>



<p>&ldquo;I designed the schedule to still support viewers from all around the world,&rdquo; Richards said. &ldquo;Day 1 (May 24/25) is scheduled for 1-4pm AEST to support the Asia/Pacific region. Day 2 (May 26) runs from 1-4pm CEST for Europe, Middle East, and Africa. Day 3 (May 27) runs from 1-5pm EDT for folks across the Americas.&rdquo;</p>



<p>Richards has sought out experts in each of the topics on the <a href="https://wordsesh.com/#schedule">schedule</a>. The standard sessions will run for 20 minutes, followed by 5-10 minutes of live Q&amp;A. Presenters will be covering block development, headless WordPress, security, accessibility, client services, and other topics of interest to WordPress professionals.</p>



<p>Workshops will begin May 27 and will offer hands-on practice, activities, discussion, and the creation of a finished product. This year&rsquo;s lineup includes six, 3-hour workshops, held over the span of several days:</p>



<ul><li><strong>Let&rsquo;s Hack!</strong> (Stephen Rees-Carter)</li><li><strong>Speed Up Your WordPress Site with These 3 Advanced Techniques</strong><br />(Luke Cavanagh and Mendel Kurland)</li><li><strong>Build your own Block Based Theme</strong> (Daisy Olsen)</li><li><strong>Building Accessible Navigation</strong> (Natalie MacLees)</li><li><strong>My First Headless WordPress Site</strong> (Kellen Mace and Jason Bahl)</li><li><strong>Nail Your Client Onboarding Process</strong> (Jennifer Bourn)</li></ul>



<p>If you have been wanting to learn how to create your own block-based themes or headless WordPress sites, or improve your processes on any of the above topics, these free workshops will be a valuable investment of your time. </p>



<p>One new thing this year is that attendees will be invited to chat via Slack to bring more conversation during and after the live broadcast.</p>



<p>&ldquo;Rather than participating in a single-threaded event chat, which disappears when the broadcast has ended, the Slack channels should allow for more robust conversations,&rdquo; Richards said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re also going to run the speaker Q&amp;A through chat, rather than on screen, for the same reasons. I believe this will give attendees an opportunity to ask better questions and for speakers to provide more detailed answers&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;rather than both groups rushing to ask and answer as quickly as the live Q&amp;A slots allow.&rdquo;</p>



<p>Richards anticipates WordSesh attendance to be 1,500-3,500 people. Attendees will receive a digital swag bag with special discounts from multiple companies in the WordPress space. <a href="https://wordsesh.com/register/">Registration is free</a> and after signing up attendees will get an email reminder with the viewing link one hour before each day of the event.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Mon, 17 May 2021 17:59:34 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:2;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:104:"Gutenberg Times: Template Editor, Theme.json and is a Universal theme possible? – Weekend Edition #169";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:35:"https://gutenbergtimes.com/?p=17824";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:108:"https://gutenbergtimes.com/template-editor-theme-json-and-is-a-universal-theme-possible-weekend-edition-169/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14325:"<p>Howdy, </p>





<p>It&#8217;s not entirely Gutenberg related, but I am so happy that deputies at Global Community Team are <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/community/2021/04/26/discussing-the-path-to-in-person-wordcamps/">discussing conditions under which in-person meetings (WordCamp and Meetup) can start up again.</a> Just the fact, that in-person meetings are  talked about after 14 months &#8220;online only&#8221;, is already progress. It&#8217;ll still take months before the first in-person WordCamp organizers will be able to start planning. Your opinion counts, so don&#8217;t hesitate to <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/community/2021/04/26/discussing-the-path-to-in-person-wordcamps/">chime in the comments.</a> </p>



<p>There was a lot of happening this week in the WordPress world.  You probably saw most of it on other WordPress news sites, so I dive in right into all the Gutenberg related updates.  Happy reading. </p>



<p>Yours, 💕<br />Birgit</p>





<h2>Gutenberg and WordPress Pre-release</h2>



<p>It comes down to the wire for developers committing code before the WordPress 5.8 feature freeze coming up on May 25th, 2021. Gutenberg feature freeze is practically on May 19th when the Gutenberg 10.7 RC candidate is released. After those dates,  only bug fixes will make it into the first Beta release, scheduled for June 7, 2021. </p>



<p>To keep all the dates straight I consult the full <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/5-8/">WordPress 5.8 Development Cycle</a> page. </p>



<h3>Calls for Testing</h3>



<p><strong><a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/andraganescu/">Andre Draganescu</a></strong> posted <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/05/12/help-test-the-widgets-editor-for-wordpress-5-8/"><strong>Help Test the Widgets Editor for WordPress 5.8</strong></a> with test instructions for three scenarios any user could test</p>



<ul><li>Migrating from classic widgets</li><li>Adding blocks next to widgets</li><li>Opting out of the new widgets screen with the new plugin</li></ul>



<p>He also urges Theme and Plugin developers <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/tree/trunk/docs/how-to-guides/widgets">to read the available documentation</a> and suggests to</p>



<ul><li>Test upgrading classic widgets to blocks.</li><li>Test enabling and disabling theme support</li><li>Test 3rd party widgets compatibility.</li></ul>



<hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide" />



<p><strong><a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/annezazu/">Anne McCarthy</a></strong>  in her post<a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2021/05/12/fse-program-testing-call-6-stick-the-landing-pages/"><strong> &#8220;Stick the Landing (pages)&#8221;</strong></a> ( 😁 nice pun!)* composed a real-life scenario for the various tests of the template editor and use it for landing pages. This goes to the heart of the new feature slated to be introduced to WordPress users with WordPress 5.8. </p>



<p>The instructions come with a very nice demo of the template editor in a <em>silent movie</em>. Just follow the mouse pointer. </p>



<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="toolbelt-video-wrapper"></div>
</div>



<p class="has-small-font-size">(* I had to look it up: Stick the landing &#8211; is an expression that comes from gymnastic or other athletic routine when the athlete <em>lands firmly and confidently on their feet. </em>Or an aviator executes a <em>flawless landing</em>. &#8211; all part of the service&#8230; )</p>



<h2>Gutenberg 10.6</h2>



<p>Gutenberg 10.6 was released and comes with a ton of create features! For the first time, volunteer contributor, <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/vdwijngaert">Koen Van den Wijngaert</a></strong> led this plugin release and published <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/05/14/whats-new-in-gutenberg-10-6-12-may/"><strong>What’s new in Gutenberg 10.6?</strong></a>  It was one of the bigger releases with 216 commits.</p>



<ul><li><strong>Duotone filters</strong> made it into this release now. Very cool highlight/shadow colors are already available. Theme developers can provide extend with theme specific colors. </li><li><strong>Padding</strong> is here! You might not need those spacer block anymore or at least not so often. </li><li><strong>Most used tags selector</strong> &#8211; many bloggers missed it for the last few years. It&#8217;s now also available in the block editor.</li><li><strong>Tables</strong> can now have colored borders. </li><li><strong>More blocks</strong> for Themes and modify Post list displays (Query blocks)</li><li><strong>Theme.json</strong>  is out of experimental and the <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/blob/trunk/docs/how-to-guides/themes/theme-json.md">documentation was updated</a> just a couple of days ago. </li><li><strong>Template Editor</strong> screen to create custom templates for landing pages. </li><li><strong>Block Editor Settings </strong>are now available via an endpoint of the REST API. This opens quite a few additional opportunities for plugins and themes to adjust features and controls. </li></ul>



<p>I have had a fascination with the Query block ever since it started as a Latest Post block. In this version, the team added Block Patterns to the place holder, so you don&#8217;t have to start from scratch assembling. </p>



<p><strong>Justin Tadlock</strong> tested a few new features and shares his findings in <strong><a href="https://wptavern.com/gutenberg-10-6-adds-duotone-filters-query-pattern-carousel-and-most-used-tags-selector#comments">Gutenberg 10.6 Adds Duotone Filters, Query Pattern Carousel, and Most-Used Tags Selector</a>.</strong></p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide" />




<p><strong><a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/need-a-zip-from-master/">Need a plugin .zip from Gutenberg&#8217;s main (trunk) branch?</a></strong><br />Gutenberg Times provides daily build for testing and review. <br />Have you been using it? Hit reply and let me know.</p>



<p><img alt="GitHub all releases" src="https://img.shields.io/github/downloads/bph/gutenberg/total?style=for-the-badge" /></p>




<p>The <strong>Gutenberg Changelog episode #44</strong> will be published later this weekend. <strong>Grzegorz (&#8220;Greg&#8221;) Ziolkowski</strong> and I had a great time diving into the details of this release, answered some General Gutenberg questions and also talked about what&#8217;s in the works even beyond 5.8. </p>



<p><strong>Subscribe to the Gutenberg Changelog via your favorite podcast apps! </strong><br />🎙️ <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/620NwVKQJGdTupy36zYxvg?mc_cid=4b6c9f88fe">Spotify</a> | <a href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9ndXRlbmJlcmd0aW1lcy5jb20vZmVlZC9wb2RjYXN0">Google</a> | <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gutenberg-changelog/id1469294475">iTunes</a> | <a href="https://pca.st/podcast/f8445ec0-7508-0137-f267-1d245fc5f9cf">PocketCasts</a> | <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/gutenberg-changelog">Stitcher</a> | <br />🎙️ <a href="https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/chi7j-9904a/Gutenberg-Changelog-Podcast">Pod Bean</a> | <a href="https://castbox.fm/channel/Gutenberg-Changelog-id2173375">CastBox</a> | <a href="https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/gutenberg-changelog-878239/">Podchaser</a> | <a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/podcast">RSS Feed</a> </p>



<h2>Full Site Editing and Themes</h2>



<p><a href="https://twitter.com/kjellr"><strong>Kjell Reigstad</strong> </a>is back with the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/themes/2021/05/14/gutenberg-themes-week-of-may-10-2021/"><strong>Gutenberg + Themes: Round up post</strong></a> from the Themes team.  Learn quickly what was released and fixed, what is pending as PR or still in discussion that could use your input. The list of overview issues is a great way to catch up on the latest development.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide" />



<p><strong><a href="https://twitter.com/jffng">Jeff Ong</a></strong> invited contributors and other theme developers to a <strong><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/themes/2021/05/10/friday-may-14th-at-14utc/">Upcoming “Universal Themes” Hallway Hangout</a></strong>, a theme that works as a classic theme as well as a block-based theme. The post has links to recording, the sticky boards as well as the Zoom chat transcripts. I have yet to watch the gathering of Theme wizards and their thoughts on how they might want to deal with the upcoming changes. The recording is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymZZv3GjGPE">available on YouTube </a></p>



<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymZZv3GjGPE"><img /></a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymZZv3GjGPE">Hallway Hangout &#8211; Universal Theme</a>



<p>The Second Call for Questions on Full Site Editing and their answers has ended, and <strong>Anne McCarthy</strong> published <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2021/05/13/fse-program-answers-from-round-two-of-questions/"><strong>Answers from Round Two of Questions</strong></a>. Almost all answers have also reference to the GitHub discussion around a specific topic. The answer covering the differences and different use cases for the three entities that might cause confusion (#5): Reusable Block, Block Pattern and now Template.  Anne answer it comprehensible, has a real life example and a great set of links to dive deeper into the topic. </p>



<h2 id="wpevents">Upcoming WordPress Events</h2>



<p><strong>May 19th, 2021</strong><br /><strong><a href="https://www.meetup.com/Portsmouth-WordPress-Meetup/events/277849223/">Portsmouth WordPress Meetup</a></strong><br /><strong>Full-site Editing </strong>with <strong>Herb Miller</strong> core contributor and his block-based theme </p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide" />



<p><strong>&nbsp;May 22-23, 2021</strong><br /><strong><a href="https://neo.wordcamp.org/2021/">WordCamp Northeast Ohio Region</a></strong><br />Two sessions and a Lighting talk about Gutenberg are on the <a href="https://neo.wordcamp.org/2021/schedule/">schedule </a></p>



<ul class="has-small-font-size"><li><strong>Anatomy of a Block Theme for Full Site Editing </strong>w/ Daisy Olson </li><li><strong>Web Components in WP, Gutenberg and as HTML plugins</strong> w/ Craig West </li><li><strong>Lightning Talk: The power of reusable blocks w/ Daisy Olson</strong> </li></ul>



<hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide" />



<p><strong>May 24-28, 2021</strong><br /><strong><a href="https://wordsesh.com/?uid=6471">WordSesh 2021</a></strong><br />The <a href="https://wordsesh.com/#schedule">session schedule</a> is now available, too. Here is the list of Gutenberg talks: </p>



<ul class="has-small-font-size"><li><strong>Blazing Fast Block Development</strong> w/ Lee Shadle </li><li><strong>Building Custom Block</strong>s w/ Rob Stinson</li><li><strong>Block-Based Themes</strong> – <strong>The Future Of Full Site Editing In WordPress</strong> w/ Imran Sayed</li><li><strong>How the Block Editor Makes It Easier to Build Custom Websites</strong> w/ Danielle Zarcaro </li><li><strong>Build your own Block-Based Theme</strong> w/ Daisy Olsen (Workshop)</li></ul>



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<p><strong>June 7 &#8211; 9th, 2021</strong><br /><strong><a href="https://europe.wordcamp.org/2021/">WordCamp Europe</a></strong><br />A virtual event and contributor day. <a href="https://europe.wordcamp.org/2021/call-for-sponsors/">Call for sponsors is open.</a></p>



<p><strong>🎉</strong>  Gutenberg Times is a media partner of WordCamp Europe 2021 </p>



<p><strong>June 20 &#8211; 26</strong><br /><strong><a href="https://japan.wordcamp.org/2021/">WordCamp Japan</a></strong><br /><em>The schedule has been posted. Most sessions will be in Japanese, with exceptions, I think&#8230; </em></p>



<p><strong>July 17 + 18th, 2021</strong><br /><strong><a href="https://santaclarita.wordcamp.org/2021/">WordCamp Santa Clarita</a></strong><br />Calls for speakers (May 30th), sponsors, volunteers and organizers are open. </p>



<p><strong>June 24 &#8211; 26, 2021</strong><br /><strong><a href="https://cochabamba.wordcamp.org/2021/">WordCamp Cochabama</a></strong> (Colombia) </p>



<p><strong>July 23, 2021</strong><br /><a href="https://www.wordfest.live/"><strong>WordFest Live </strong></a>&#8211; <em>The&nbsp;</em>festival of WordPress<br />Call for Speakers is now open and submissions are due on May 24th, 2021</p>



<p><strong>September 21 + 22, 2021</strong><br /><a href="https://2021.wpcampus.org/"><strong>WPCampus 2021 Online</strong></a><br />&#8220;A free online conference for web accessibility and WordPress in higher education.&#8221; <a href="https://2021.wpcampus.org/proposals">Call for Proposal is up</a> and proposal are due May 26, 2021</p>



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<p>On the<a href="https://wpcalendar.io/online/"> <strong>Calendar for WordPress Online Events</strong> </a>you can browse a list of the upcoming WordPress Meetups, around the world, including WooCommerce, Elementor, Divi Builder and Beaver Builder meetups. </p>




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<p class="has-text-align-left"><strong>Don&#8217;t want to miss the next Weekend Edition? </strong></p>



<form class="wp-block-newsletterglue-form ngl-form ngl-portrait" action="https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/" method="post"><div class="ngl-form-container"><div class="ngl-form-field"><label class="ngl-form-label" for="ngl_email"><br />Type in your Email address to subscribe.</label><div class="ngl-form-input"><input type="email" class="ngl-form-input-text" name="ngl_email" id="ngl_email" /></div></div><button class="ngl-form-button">Subscribe</button><p class="ngl-form-text">We hate spam, too and won&#8217;t give your email address to anyone except Mailchimp to send out our Weekend Edition</p></div><div class="ngl-message-overlay"><div class="ngl-message-svg-wrap"></div><div class="ngl-message-overlay-text">Thanks for subscribing.</div></div><input type="hidden" name="ngl_list_id" id="ngl_list_id" value="26f81bd8ae" /><input type="hidden" name="ngl_double_optin" id="ngl_double_optin" value="yes" /></form>



<hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide" />";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 15 May 2021 18:21:41 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:18:"Birgit Pauli-Haack";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:3;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:89:"WPTavern: FSE Outreach Round #6: Building a WordCamp Landing Page via the Template Editor";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=116612";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:219:"https://wptavern.com/fse-outreach-round-6-building-a-wordcamp-landing-page-via-the-template-editor?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fse-outreach-round-6-building-a-wordcamp-landing-page-via-the-template-editor";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5227:"<p class="has-drop-cap">As has almost become ritual at this point, I am always looking forward to the next testing round for Full Site Editing (FSE). Spearheaded by core contributor Anne McCarthy, the FSE Outreach Program&rsquo;s fortnightly user tests are usually fun and offer everyone a chance to get involved, regardless of their experience level.</p>



<p>This <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2021/05/12/fse-program-testing-call-6-stick-the-landing-pages/">latest testing round</a> is all about whether users can create a custom template on a per-post basis directly from the editor. The answer? <em>Why, yes, they absolutely can.</em></p>



<p>Round #6 asks for volunteers to use the new template-editing mode, which is expected to land in WordPress 5.8, to build a WordCamp landing page. The goal is to offer a discount code and attract attendees from another event to join.</p>



<p>Anyone interested in discovering issues and providing feedback should give this testing round a shot. There is a 36-step guide that will walk you through building a custom landing page. It should take no more than 15 minutes, maybe more if you are putting a unique spin on the design &mdash; <em>that is half the fun for me</em>.</p>



<p>Feedback is open through May 26. Just follow the instructions and leave a comment on the post.</p>



<p>The closest thing to a local WordCamp I have is <a href="https://birmingham.wordcamp.org/">Birmingham, AL</a>, known for its &ldquo;WP Y&rsquo;all&rdquo; name. I am hopeful that the WC Birmingham team would not mind me borrowing their logo for this experiment. The following is the WordCamp landing page I built with the TT1 Blocks theme:</p>



<img />



<p>Other than the known <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/31562">Nav Menu block issue</a> noted in the post, I ran into no technical problems with any of the 36 steps. Everything worked as expected. However, that does not mean that everything was perfect.</p>



<h2>Problems, Mostly Trivial</h2>



<p class="has-drop-cap">Before diving into the actual user-experience issues with building templates, I noticed a problem with the custom template system. After finishing the testing round, I wanted to see what my template looked like with other themes. However, I could not do this. Upon activating another theme, my custom template seemed to disappear.</p>



<p>The problem is that custom templates are tied to the theme. I see the logic in this. Certain aspects could be specific to the active theme (colors, fonts, etc.), and it is always how custom templates have worked. However, the block template system is different. From a user viewpoint, I feel like my custom-created templates belong to me rather than the theme.</p>



<p>I can see a user switching themes after a couple of years and building a dozen or so templates having a poor experience in this situation. If the feature remains the same, there should be more clarity.</p>



<p>One of the more frustrating aspects of the template editor is the lack of space at the bottom of the frame. I am accustomed to the post editor&rsquo;s extra whitespace, focusing the active workspace toward the top of the screen.</p>



<img />Limited space at the bottom of template editor.



<p>I just want to put the current piece of the layout I am working on higher up the page. I am not sure how this would look when dealing with a template editor because it needs to clearly mark the end of the document.</p>



<p>The other issues were primarily around the TT1 Blocks theme or missing features with the current Gutenberg plugin.</p>



<p>When adding a horizontal Buttons block, there is no space between individual buttons. Vertical alignment is better, but it could use a slight bump (on the front end, not in the editor).</p>



<img />Buttons a little too close.



<p><em>And, I feel like I cannot be the first to say this: I am ready for Button block padding controls so that I can adjust TT1 Blocks&rsquo; abnormally large button output.</em></p>



<p>When inserting a full-width Columns block, the text on the left butted against the side of the page. Because neither the Columns nor the inner Column blocks currently have padding controls, the only way for users to &ldquo;fix&rdquo; this is to add a background color. Gutenberg automatically adds padding in that case.</p>



<img />No horizontal spacing.



<p>The last trivial fix I had to make was adding a Spacer block above the custom footer section. This was not included in the testing instructions. Without it, the footer had no spacing between it and the content above it.</p>



<p>I did question one aspect of the testing instructions. Templates are generally a sort of wrapper or design layout. Content is a separate thing that typically lives independently. In this test, the content is housed within the template. There are scenarios where the test case makes sense. However, I would have preferred a flow where the content portion of the template was a part of the post and output via the Post Content block.</p>



<p>That sort of moving back and forth between post and template editors may have opened up some more usability hangups that would be worth exploring.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Fri, 14 May 2021 23:56:28 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14:"Justin Tadlock";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:4;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:107:"WPTavern: WordPress Community Team Discusses Adding Vaccination Status to In-Person Meetup Safety Checklist";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=116521";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:259:"https://wptavern.com/wordpress-community-team-discusses-adding-vaccination-status-to-in-person-meetup-safety-checklist?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wordpress-community-team-discusses-adding-vaccination-status-to-in-person-meetup-safety-checklist";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:4613:"<p>The WordPress community is eager to return to in-person events and organizers are discussing a path to ensure the safety of resuming meetups as a first step before considering WordCamps. Previous discussions led to the creation of a <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/community/handbook/meetup-organizer/2021-returning-to-in-person-meetups/in-person-meetup-decision-checklist/">checklist</a> to assist local organizers in determining if their chapter is eligible to proceed. Noticeably absent from the checklist at the time was the requirement for widely distributed vaccines before resuming local events. </p>



<p>This week, Andrea Middleton proposed <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/community/2021/05/12/proposal-adding-vaccination-status-to-the-in-person-meetup-safety-checklist/">adding vaccination status to the in-person meetup safety checklist</a>.</p>



<p>&ldquo;When we created that checklist, COVID-19 vaccine rollout was still in very early stages, and the checklist did not account for vaccines,&rdquo; Middleton said. &ldquo;Vaccination efforts are&nbsp;still&nbsp;being rolled out across the world and many people do not have access to vaccines yet, but progress has reached a point where it seems wise to start incorporating it into the checklist, where possible.&rdquo;</p>



<p>The proposal would allow places that don&rsquo;t currently pass the checklist to hold WordPress meetups for vaccinated attendees if vaccines are freely available in the area and local authorities are permitting gatherings.</p>



<p>Local organizers would also be encouraged to continue holding online events or finding ways to livestream in-person meetups so that those who are not yet comfortable attending will still have access.</p>



<p>&ldquo;It isn&rsquo;t practical (and, in some places, legal) to ask organizers to check the vaccination status of individuals,&rdquo; Middleton said. &ldquo;Therefore,&nbsp;I suggest we ask groups to use the honor system, trusting that people will only attend these events if they have been vaccinated.&rdquo;</p>



<p>If meetup organizers move forward with the honor system, attendees will have to embrace some risk should people who are not fully vaccinated wish to break the meetup guidelines.</p>



<p>WordPress community leadership has the challenging task of navigating this new territory with changing conditions all over the globe. The changing laws and recommendations in different areas make it nearly impossible to create a policy that will work across the board. This week, the US passed a major milestone when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention&nbsp;(CDC) updated its <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated-guidance.html">interim public health recommendations for fully vaccinated people</a>, allowing them to discontinue mask wearing and physical distancing in most cases. However, governors in some states said that indoor mask mandates would remain in place while state health officials review the new recommendations. </p>



<p>In the comments of the proposal, Mika Epstein asked if there will be repercussion if someone violates the honor code &ndash; otherwise &ldquo;what&rsquo;s the point in having a that proposal in the first place?&rdquo; A policy that isn&rsquo;t enforceable becomes more of an encouragement than a requirement.</p>



<p>WordPress meetup organizers, just like retailers, restaurants, and other businesses, will have no way of knowing who is vaccinated and who is not. The CDC reports that only 36.2% of the US population is fully vaccinated. The share of people who have had at least one does of the COVID-19 vaccine varies greatly from one country to the next. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><img />Source: <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations">Our World in Data</a></div>



<p>While some countries are logging very low numbers for daily cases, despite having only small percentages of the population vaccinated, they pay the price with intermittent lockdowns, travel bans, and strict quarantine measures. In-person WordPress meetups may not be possible in these locations <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/covid-zero-havens-reopening-harder-210000541.html">where vaccines are not widely available</a>, despite the local chapter being able to meet most of the requirements on the checklist.</p>



<p>The <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/community/2021/05/12/proposal-adding-vaccination-status-to-the-in-person-meetup-safety-checklist/">discussion</a> is open until May 27, when Middleton plans to close comments on the proposal.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Fri, 14 May 2021 21:10:35 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:5;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:98:"WPTavern: Gutenberg 10.6 Adds Duotone Filters, Query Pattern Carousel, and Most-Used Tags Selector";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=116523";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:237:"https://wptavern.com/gutenberg-10-6-adds-duotone-filters-query-pattern-carousel-and-most-used-tags-selector?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gutenberg-10-6-adds-duotone-filters-query-pattern-carousel-and-most-used-tags-selector";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:6283:"<p class="has-drop-cap">The Gutenberg development team has taken massive strides in the latest release. Version 10.6 of the plugin introduces several user-facing features and changes that upgrade the block-editing experience. The new duotone filter for images is just downright fun to play with. The UIs for the Query pattern selector and template-editing mode have been overhauled. Plus, the most-used tags feature from the pre-block era is making a return.</p>



<p>There is a ton of ground to cover for this release and never enough time. The development team is racing toward a <a href="https://wptavern.com/full-site-editing-is-partly-a-go-for-wordpress-5-8">WordPress 5.8 deadline</a> that includes stabilizing theme-related blocks, <code>theme.json</code> integration, per-post templates, block-based widgets, and new block design controls.</p>



<p>Much of the work on those features is still underway. However, some of them are starting to take shape, and it could make the upcoming WordPress 5.8 release in July an exciting one as they are integrated.</p>



<h2>Duotone Image Filters</h2>



<ul><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><img />No Duotone Filter</li><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><img />Dark Grayscale</li><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><img />Green and Red</li><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><img />Blue and Orange</li></ul>



<p class="has-drop-cap">The new <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/26752">duotone filter tool</a> is one of my favorite features to land in Gutenberg. If I am being honest, I have probably put in about two hours of tinkering with it in the past day. Some of that was building out custom duotone color palettes for a theme I have been building, but most of it was just playing around for fun.</p>



<p>The feature works for both the Image and Cover blocks. However, it does not work for Covers with the &ldquo;Fixed Background&rdquo; setting enabled. There is currently an open <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/31662">ticket to disable duotone</a> in this scenario.</p>



<p>What makes duotone such an exciting feature is that drops a powerful color filtering tool into the hands of users. It allows them to change the mood of a story with a couple of clicks.</p>



<h2>Query Block Improvements</h2>



<img />Query pattern carousel.



<p class="has-drop-cap">The new <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/29602">carousel that launches</a> when first inserting a Query block is a much-needed improvement. It allows end-users to scroll through the various patterns. This view gives a more complete picture of what the output will actually look like before inserting it.</p>



<p>For users who prefer the grid-style view, there is a button to switch over to it. It has improved over the previous grid, providing a larger preview of each pattern.</p>



<p>On the theme side of things, developers can now choose between <code>&lt;div&gt;</code>, <code>&lt;main&gt;</code>, <code>&lt;section&gt;</code>, and <code>&lt;aside&gt;</code> elements for the <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/31421">Query block wrapper</a>. This lets theme authors choose a more semantically correct tag when needed. Users have access to this via the &ldquo;Advanced&rdquo; tab.</p>



<h2>Return of the Most-Used Tags Selector</h2>



<img />Most-used tags selector.



<p class="has-drop-cap">After three years, the Gutenberg project has finally addressed its missing <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/30598">most-used tags feature</a>. For new WordPress users since the 5.0 launch or those of you who may have forgotten, the Tags list in WordPress 4.9 and earlier allowed end-users to select from a list of the site&rsquo;s most used tags when editing a post.</p>



<p>The feature was dismissed for having no &ldquo;evidence right now of the user case&rdquo; before the Gutenberg 1.0 launch, and the <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/1341">ticket asking for it</a> was closed. In 2018, a year later, a <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/8867">new ticket popped up</a>. Without boring everyone with the technical details and almost three years of discussion, the community can now rejoice in its return.</p>



<p>The Tags sidebar panel tab now lists the 10 most-used tags for the site. It should be a lot quicker to select them than typing each out. This is one of the few classic-editing features that I have longed for. I am happy to see it make a comeback, even after all this time.</p>



<h2>Darker Background for the Template Editor</h2>



<img />Template-editing mode.



<p class="has-drop-cap">Template-editing mode now <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/31044">has a darker background</a>, which makes the user experience far better. The feature is slated for a WordPress 5.8 release, which will allow users to create custom templates on the fly from the post-editing screen.</p>



<p>Since I last did a <a href="https://wptavern.com/help-steer-the-future-of-wordpress-via-the-fse-outreach-program">deep dive into this mode</a>, it has jumped leaps and bounds. The darker background behind the framed template editor indicates that the user has left the post editor and entered into a new experience. In the past, it was tough to tell which mode one was in.</p>



<h2>Border Settings for Tables</h2>



<img />



<p class="has-drop-cap">It is easy for me to forget which blocks support specific features. I have a mini plugin that I use to enable pretty much everything &mdash; <em>I get tired of waiting for things to land sometimes.</em></p>



<p>For everyone else, you can now enjoy <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/31265">border settings</a> for the Table block. Borders controls are not widespread just yet. However, for those who have yet to use them, they are relatively basic. The feature adds a new block options tab for selecting a border style (none, solid, dashed, and dotted), width, and color.</p>



<p>Currently, there is no way to control individual sides. Border settings are applied to the top, right, bottom, and left sides equally. I am not one to complain too much, at least not all of the time, so this is a welcome addition to tables.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Fri, 14 May 2021 00:33:22 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14:"Justin Tadlock";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:6;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:111:"WPTavern: Accessibility Advocates Sign Open Letter Urging People Not To Use AccesiBe and Other Overlay Products";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=116454";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:267:"https://wptavern.com/accessibility-advocates-sign-open-letter-urging-people-not-to-use-accesibe-and-other-overlay-products?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=accessibility-advocates-sign-open-letter-urging-people-not-to-use-accesibe-and-other-overlay-products";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5569:"<p>AccessiBe and other similar tools are coming under fire after more than 400 accessibility advocates and developers signed an <a href="https://overlayfactsheet.com/">open letter</a> calling on the industry to unite against the use of accessibility overlay products. These overlay &ldquo;widgets&rdquo; are technologies that apply third-party code to the front end in an attempt to automate repairs after sites launch without having accessibility baked in from the design phase.</p>



<p>A major part of the complaint is that these products are often marketed as quick-fix solutions that will make a website ADA compliant and immune from legal action. For example, the <a href="https://accessibe.com/">accessiBe</a> website advertises the product as: &ldquo;<em>The #1 Automated Web Accessibility Solution for ADA &amp; WCAG Compliance&hellip;A single line of code for 24/7 automated compliance.</em>&rdquo; Similarly, <a href="https://www.equalweb.com/">EqualWeb</a> advertises making sites accessible by inserting &ldquo;<em>one line of code</em>&rdquo; to gain &ldquo;compliance with WCAG 2.1, ADA, Section 508, AODA, EN 301549 and IS 5568.&rdquo;</p>



<p>Sponsors and signatories have published a four-part statement condemning the use of these products as anything more than a temporary solution:</p>



<ol><li><em>We will never advocate, recommend, or integrate an overlay which deceptively markets itself as providing automated compliance with laws or standards.</em></li><li><em>We will always advocate for the remediation of accessibility issues at the source of the original error.</em></li><li><em>We will refuse to stay silent when overlay vendors use deception to market their products.</em></li><li><em>More specifically, we hereby advocate for the removal of accessiBe, AudioEye, UserWay, User1st, MK-Sense, MaxAccess, FACIL&rsquo;iti, and all similar products and encourage the site owners who&rsquo;ve implemented these products to use more robust, independent, and permanent strategies to making their sites more accessible.</em></li></ol>



<p>Accessibility practitioners are urging developers and site owners to abandon any overlay solutions they put in place, in favor of those that address inaccessibility at the root of the problem.</p>



<p>The document lists numerous first-hand accounts of people with disabilities struggling to use websites that have implemented overlays. Although the letter includes various products like Userway, EqualWeb, AudioEye, User1st, MaxAccess, FACIL&rsquo;iti, and Purple Lens, nearly every struggling person cited accessiBe as the problem. </p>



<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I finally managed to gain access to my <a href="https://twitter.com/Namecheap?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NameCheap</a> account by blocking <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AccessiBe?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AccessiBe</a> in my Windows Hosts file. I should not need to do this to use the Internet. AccessiBe needs to AccessiBeGone</p>&mdash; Richie (@WilfSplodNokit) <a href="https://twitter.com/WilfSplodNokit/status/1365478393895153664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
</div>



<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">When <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AccessiBe?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AccessiBe</a> is enabled, the page is flooded with headings. Lots of heading level 2's. The title of each phone remains a heading in both versions of the page, but with it enabled, things like cost, display, and all the other components of the tables become headings as well.</p>&mdash; Holly Scott-Gardner (@CatchTheseWords) <a href="https://twitter.com/CatchTheseWords/status/1364915942157922308?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
</div>



<p>AccessiBe is one of the more widely known overlay products after the company <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2021/02/10/accessibility-overlay-startup-accessibe-closes-28m-series-a/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAI3aBA2flv0pwtdC8ROV6h2CMYU8Ntc9yjCSDKezmZ76_uBbU9Ed2zh4MiTZGzWZAygiGx-nb92T7hxm9zFaq7fjld66gAl44u0a42xVqTc8dvULqSnkjNMdYXUIKY68LqGfZPpwBTkWhuq0dRCiOqlPnBKLqPEZjpzW1uCBxPHm">raised $28 million</a> earlier this year. It is also the subject of a cogent exposition on the <a href="https://adrianroselli.com/2020/06/accessibe-will-get-you-sued.html">dangers of using overlay products and expecting not to get sued</a>, an article cited in the document. More recently, accessiBe gained notoriety in the WordPress world after <a href="https://wptavern.com/wordpress-org-removes-fake-reviews-for-acessibe-plugin">WordPress.org removed a collection of fake reviews</a> from the plugin&rsquo;s page. The plugin is currently installed on approximately 4,000 websites. Competitors UserWay and EqualWeb have 40,000 and 1,000 active installs of their WordPress plugins but don&rsquo;t seem to be as well known when compared to accessiBe&rsquo;s aggressive marketing.</p>



<p>The creators of the document began adding signatures in March 2021. Several prominent WordPress accessibility contributors and experts are signatories on the document, including Joe Dolson, Rian Rietveld, Amanda Rush, Luc Poupard, and Gary Jones. Check out the full <a href="https://overlayfactsheet.com/">document</a> for a more in-depth history of web accessibility overlays and why experts believe they are negatively impacting user experience on websites that implement them.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Thu, 13 May 2021 20:51:10 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:7;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:52:"WordPress.org blog: WordPress 5.7.2 Security Release";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:35:"https://wordpress.org/news/?p=10334";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:68:"https://wordpress.org/news/2021/05/wordpress-5-7-2-security-release/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:2089:"<p>WordPress 5.7.2 is now available.</p>



<p>This security release features one security fix. Because this is a security release, it is recommended that you update your sites immediately. All versions since WordPress 3.7 have also been updated.</p>



<p>WordPress 5.7.2 is a short-cycle security release. The next major release will be version 5.8.</p>



<p>You can update to WordPress 5.7.2 by downloading from WordPress.org, or visit your Dashboard → Updates and click Update Now.</p>



<p>If you have sites that support automatic background updates, they’ve already started the update process.</p>



<h3>Security Updates</h3>



<p>One security issue affecting WordPress versions between 3.7 and 5.7. If you haven’t yet updated to 5.7, all WordPress versions since 3.7 have also been updated to fix the following security issue:</p>



<ul><li>Object injection in PHPMailer, <a href="https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-36326">CVE-2020-36326</a> and <a href="https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-19296">CVE-2018-19296</a>.</li></ul>



<p>Thank you to the members of the WordPress security team for implementing these fixes in WordPress.</p>



<p>For more information refer to <a href="https://wordpress.org/support/wordpress-version/version-5-7-2/">the version 5.7.2 HelpHub documentation</a> page.</p>



<h3>Thanks and props!</h3>



<p>The 5.7.2 release was led by <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/peterwilsoncc/">@peterwilsoncc</a> and <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/audrasjb/">@audrasjb</a>.</p>



<p>Thank you to everyone who helped make WordPress 5.7.2 happen: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/audrasjb">@audrasjb</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/ayeshrajans">@ayeshrajans</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/desrosj">@desrosj</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dd32">@dd32</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/peterwilsoncc">@peterwilsoncc</a>, <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/SergeyBiryukov">@SergeyBiryukov</a>, and <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/xknown">@xknown</a>.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Thu, 13 May 2021 01:04:30 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:12:"Peter Wilson";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:8;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:73:"WPTavern: Genesis Framework To Become Free, StudioPress Announces Changes";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=116458";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:189:"https://wptavern.com/genesis-framework-to-become-free-studiopress-announces-changes?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=genesis-framework-to-become-free-studiopress-announces-changes";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:4650:"<p class="has-drop-cap">Yesterday, StudioPress <a href="https://studiopress.blog/studiopress-big-changes/">announced several changes</a> to its themes and marketplace coming on or around June 8. For those outside its community, the company will be making its Genesis Framework available for free. The company is overhauling its marketplace, no longer selling individual themes.</p>



<p>StudioPress&rsquo;s selection of themes will soon be available only through a Genesis Pro, WP Engine hosting, or Flywheel hosting account. The company&rsquo;s ProPlus customers will gain access to the Genesis Blocks Pro and Genesis Custom Blocks Pro plugins.</p>



<p>The theme shop has been shifting gears since its <a href="https://wptavern.com/wp-engine-acquires-studiopress">acquisition in 2018</a> by WP Engine. While it still caters to freelancers and agencies, its audience has grown to include a more diverse user base. One year ago, WP Engine launched a <a href="https://wptavern.com/wp-engine-launches-genesis-pro-add-on-for-customers-more-features-in-the-works">Genesis Pro Add-On</a>, offering a suite of StudioPress&rsquo;s Genesis products to its customers.</p>



<p>Chris Garret, the StudioPress Marketing Director at WP Engine, wrote in the article that one of the reasons for these changes was aimed at &ldquo;focusing our product and engineering efforts on preparing the Genesis community for Full Site Editing with the Gutenberg block editor in WordPress Core.&rdquo;</p>



<p>Last fall, StudioPress launched an open beta of its upcoming <a href="https://wptavern.com/genesis-block-theme-beta-studiopress-pursuing-a-block-first-future">Genesis Block Theme</a>. While there has been little news of it lately, it is expected to land sometime this year alongside WordPress&rsquo;s block-based theming system. In 2020, the company also rebranded an earlier plugin acquisition, Atomic Blocks, to <a href="https://wptavern.com/atomic-blocks-rebranded-to-genesis-blocks-migration-path-to-new-plugin-coming-soon">Genesis Blocks</a>. It later released a developer-centric <a href="https://wptavern.com/build-editor-blocks-for-clients-with-the-genesis-custom-blocks-plugin">Genesis Custom Blocks</a> plugin.</p>



<p>The company is also retiring all but its top 10 most popular child themes. Retired themes will be archived and still available to existing customers, and the development team will issue security updates if and when necessary.</p>



<p>&ldquo;As we have discussed in the past, there are big changes coming to WordPress with the introduction of Full Site Editing themes,&rdquo; wrote Garret. &ldquo;While this new way of building themes will be optional (especially at first), we&rsquo;ve decided to focus most of our product and engineering efforts for Genesis related products on preparing to take advantage of these new capabilities.&rdquo;</p>



<p>Releasing the Genesis theme for free will open a larger audience for StudioPress and ease some friction points.</p>



<p>&ldquo;This has been one of the biggest asks in all of Genesis and beyond,&rdquo; wrote Garret. &ldquo;Gating Genesis Framework and Sample Theme behind a pay-wall causes confusion for people buying Genesis [child] themes from 3rd party theme providers and limits the number of people who can build with Genesis Framework.&rdquo;</p>



<p>The team is also dropping its marketplace fees for third-party creators. Vendors, while still being listed, will need to handle payment processing on their own. The &ldquo;buy&rdquo; button on StudioPress will redirect customers to the vendor sites.</p>



<p>In the past, the Genesis community has been a bit of a walled garden. While there are still commercial plans, these changes can potentially bring in fresh creative talent who might not have chosen to build on top of Genesis in the past &mdash; payments are always barriers to entry for some. Genesis has always been the foundation, but the value non-developer customers will see is in the child themes and plugin add-ons.</p>



<p>With the <a href="https://wptavern.com/upcoming-changes-and-steps-for-an-overhauled-wordpress-theme-review-system">loosening of the review guidelines</a> in the coming months, I would like to see Genesis land in the free theme directory. It would not pass the current rules, but there may not be any holdups a bit down the road. If it will be free anyway, <em>why not?</em> It would be a gesture of goodwill toward the community while offering a robust and mature product into the directory. From the business end, it is sure to drive more customers to the StudioPress commercial offerings. It could be a win for everyone.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Thu, 13 May 2021 00:02:11 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14:"Justin Tadlock";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:9;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:85:"WPTavern: ‘Universal’ WordPress Themes Virtual Hallway Hangout Planned for May 14";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=116376";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:203:"https://wptavern.com/universal-wordpress-themes-virtual-hallway-hangout-planned-for-may-14?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=universal-wordpress-themes-virtual-hallway-hangout-planned-for-may-14";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:4769:"<p class="has-drop-cap">Core contributor Jeff Ong <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/themes/2021/05/10/friday-may-14th-at-14utc/">announced an upcoming virtual hangout</a> around the concept of universal themes. The meeting could cover much ground for theme authors learning how new and upcoming tools will fit into their workflows, businesses, and more. For an invitation, attendees should leave a comment on the announcement post or message Ong directly.</p>



<p>The hangout is slated for <a href="https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?iso=20210514T1400">May 14 at 14:00 UTC</a>.</p>



<p>The meeting agenda is loose, and the conversation could venture into various theme-related topics. However, the shortlist of possible discussion points covers:</p>



<ul><li>Using new <a href="https://wptavern.com/themes-set-up-for-a-paradigm-shift-wordpress-5-8-will-unleash-tools-to-make-it-happen">theme tools in WordPress 5.8</a>.</li><li>Handling customization in block and classic themes.</li><li>Using block template parts within PHP templates.</li><li>Supporting block and classic nav menus.</li><li>Working with <code>theme.json</code> for theme styles.</li></ul>



<p>The first order of business should be to define what a &ldquo;universal&rdquo; theme is. The terminology is new to the WordPress space, and it could change as the future of theming starts taking a more coherent shape.</p>



<p>Ong left a short description in the announcement. &ldquo;A theme that aims to work in either classic (customizer) or FSE contexts,&rdquo; he called it.</p>



<p>The definition seems to have been born out of <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/29024">GitHub ticket around &ldquo;hybrid&rdquo; themes</a> &mdash; yet another new term. The goal was to discuss paths for any user to use the site or template editor to override traditional theme templates. For example, if a user wanted to create a block-based category archive template, they could do so without affecting their overall theme structure.</p>



<p>WordPress users will get a sampling of <a href="https://wptavern.com/full-site-editing-is-partly-a-go-for-wordpress-5-8">this idea in version 5.8</a>. The post-editing screen has a new <a href="https://wptavern.com/first-round-of-the-fse-outreach-program-concludes-identifies-template-editing-mode-problems">template-editing mode</a>. Users will be able to switch to this mode to create a top-level template for that single post/page. It will live outside their theme structure, so it won&rsquo;t matter if the theme supports blocks.</p>



<p>The Gutenberg development team and theme authors will be grappling with such questions in the coming months. Nothing is ever a perfect process. And, the transition to block-based theme templates is an overhaul unlike any we have seen in WordPress&rsquo;s history. So, we need new paths and terms for them.</p>



<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been thinking about the notion of universal themes rather than hybrid,&rdquo; <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/29024#issuecomment-792796711">wrote Mat&iacute;as Ventura</a>, the Gutenberg project lead, in the ticket. &ldquo;Universal themes would be themes that can be loaded in a classic context or block editor context without a problem. As a user, if I&rsquo;m running a WordPress capable of understanding block themes, that&rsquo;s the interface I get (and the one I can customize), otherwise, the regular theme files are used with its customizer integration. Hybrid would then be a tool for theme developers to gradually become universal themes if they want to.&rdquo;</p>



<p>Hybrid themes seem to be designed to work with bits and pieces of FSE, giving developers time to move toward full support. However, universal themes cover everything from the traditional to the new era. They are meant to allow users to choose which bits of FSE to use.</p>



<p>All this new terminology could muddy the waters a bit, and if that happens, users are the ones to lose out. There will potentially be four types of themes:</p>



<ul><li>Block Only</li><li>Universal</li><li>Hybrid (with varying levels of support)</li><li>Classic Only</li></ul>



<p>Most themes that have landed in the official directory over the past few months lack basic block-editor styles. It is hard to imagine too many universal themes &mdash; which will require far more of a time investment &mdash; in the next year or so. It is more likely that we will see a split between new block themes and a mashup of classic/hybrid themes making the rounds. Only the most dedicated or those who can foot the bill will go the universal route.</p>



<p>For now, developers need to continue having these types of conversations and ironing out the details.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Tue, 11 May 2021 23:26:37 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14:"Justin Tadlock";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:10;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:36:"WPTavern: Liquid Web Acquires GiveWP";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=116394";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:117:"https://wptavern.com/liquid-web-acquires-givewp?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=liquid-web-acquires-givewp";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:3716:"<p><a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/give/">GiveWP</a>, one of the most popular donation and fundraising plugins with more than 100,000 active installs, has been acquired by <a href="https://www.liquidweb.com/">Liquid Web</a>. The team behind the plugin will be joining Liquid Web as part of the asset sale, which includes the whole company, products, and leadership.</p>



<p>GiveWP made its <a href="https://wptavern.com/give-a-new-free-donations-plugin-for-wordpress">debut in 2015</a> with a 0% commission approach, its major differentiator from other third-party funding tools at the time. Sites using the plugin can collect 100% of the donations given. Its creators aimed to empower causes and non-profits to host their own donation forms. They built out the plugin to become a full donation platform with reporting and donor management. </p>



<p>As of May 2021, GiveWP has helped its users raise more than $1 billion dollars in online fundraising.</p>



<p>&ldquo;When we launched, we talked about forms with no reporting, or having to hack eCommerce tools to skip the cart and sales tax and shipping,&rdquo; GiveWP co-founder and former COO Matt Cromwell said. &ldquo;When users started basically saying exactly that back to us as the reasons they LOVED GiveWP, it was major validation &ndash; we&rsquo;d built exactly what we wished we&rsquo;d had when we were freelancing for nonprofits.&rdquo;</p>



<p>The founders also found validation in their business ideas when large organizations like the Clinton Foundation or Habitat for Humanity reached out to GiveWP support and gave positive reports after receiving answers.</p>



<p>&ldquo;It made us really amazed how we can bring solutions to organizations that are solving BIG world problems,&rdquo; Cromwell said. &ldquo;When we started having better telemetry and realized that we were literally helping organizations raise billions of dollars now&hellip;that was huge. It&rsquo;s been very humbling to be part of something so much bigger than any one person in our organization.&rdquo;</p>



<p>Cromwell said his team was not actively &ldquo;shopping&rdquo; the company, but were looking for ways to accelerate growth of the team and product.</p>



<p>&ldquo;GiveWP sales have been increasing annually year over year every year since our launch,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We were not looking for ways to save this product; it&rsquo;s been wildly successful.&rdquo;</p>



<p>Devin Walker, GiveWP former-CEO and co-founder, said he appreciated Liquid Web&rsquo;s history of acquiring strong WordPress brands while keeping their teams in place. He referenced the company&rsquo;s 2017 acquisition of iThemes, and The Events Calendar acquisition in 2020.</p>



<p>&ldquo;These two success stories gave us great confidence in Liquid Web and their desire to see GiveWP grow,&rdquo; Walker said.</p>



<p>&ldquo;Liquid Web is building a whole software part of their business, they&rsquo;ve been acquiring WordPress shops for quite some time and they saw us as a good addition to their &lsquo;Family of Brands,'&rdquo; Cromwell commented on the sale. &ldquo;They are also leaders in the managed WordPress space, and we&rsquo;re already talking with them about opportunities for a more specifically nonprofit focused managed WordPress solution that includes GiveWP and all our addons.&rdquo;</p>



<p>Cromwell said his team does not anticipate any branding or pricing changes in the future. Current users and customers who have questions or concerns are invited to attend the company&rsquo;s <a href="https://givewp.com/givewp-joins-liquidweb/#register">virtual Town Hall meeting</a> with Liquid Web CTO Joe Osterling on May 18, at 11am Pacific.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Tue, 11 May 2021 17:41:27 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:11;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:40:"WordPress.org blog: Welcome to Openverse";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:35:"https://wordpress.org/news/?p=10325";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:56:"https://wordpress.org/news/2021/05/welcome-to-openverse/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:2211:"<p>Following the <a href="https://ma.tt/2021/04/cc-search-to-join-wordpress-org/">recent statement by WordPress&#8217;s co-founder Matt Mullenweg</a> and the <a href="https://creativecommons.org/2021/05/03/cc-search-to-join-wordpress/">Creative Commons CEO, Catherine Stihler’s post</a>, I&#8217;m happy to formally announce that CC Search (with the new name Openverse) is now part of the WordPress open source project. Both Matt and I are long-time supporters of Creative Commons. I hope that this will provide a long-term, sustainable challenger to closed source photo libraries and further enhance the WordPress ecosystem.</p>



<h3><strong>How Does This Affect Current Users?</strong></h3>



<p>Current CC Search users will continue searching and using openly licensed images from around the internet. WordPress plans to continue the great work started by the Creative Commons project and expand search capabilities and features.</p>



<h3><strong>What’s Next?</strong></h3>



<p>We look forward to indexing and searching additional media, such as audio and video. As we expand our capabilities and grow the project, we look forward to integrating directly into WordPress and the media library. We hope to not only allow search and embeds of openly licensed media but pay it forward by additionally licensing and sharing your media back.</p>



<h3><strong>How Can You Contribute?&nbsp;</strong></h3>



<p>Stop by the Slack channel, <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/C02012JB00N">#openverse</a>, and take a look at the code repositories moved under the WordPress organization <a href="https://github.com/wordpress/?q=openverse">here on GitHub</a>. You can also follow along with the project on its own make page at: <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/openverse">https://make.wordpress.org/openverse</a>. We are working on setting up the new team, process, and procedures.<br /></p>



<p>Join us in welcoming the team and community. As a treat, check out the most recent WP Briefing episode, <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2021/05/the-commons-of-images/">The Commons of Images</a>, in which Matt and I discuss CC Search and our hopes for it as part of the WordPress community.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Tue, 11 May 2021 12:42:52 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:7:"Josepha";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:12;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:71:"WPTavern: Openverse: Why This Project Is Good for WordPress and the Web";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=115744";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:185:"https://wptavern.com/openverse-why-this-project-is-good-for-wordpress-and-the-web?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=openverse-why-this-project-is-good-for-wordpress-and-the-web";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:6602:"<p class="has-drop-cap">In today&rsquo;s WP Briefing podcast episode, <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2021/05/the-commons-of-images/">The Commons of Images</a>, host Josepha Haden Chomphosy discussed the Openverse project with WordPress lead Matt Mullenweg. Automattic recently paid the non-profit Creative Commons organization for their Creative Commons Search engine. However, <a href="https://wptavern.com/creative-commons-search-to-relaunch-on-wordpress-org">WordPress.org will host it</a>, and there will be a community-run team. Openverse will be the name of the new project when it launches.</p>



<p>A more official announcement of the Openverse project and team is expected shortly. However, it is an ideal time to begin exploring what this means for WordPress and the web.</p>



<p>Over the past few years, theme authors have watched as their favored image services offered problematic license and terms changes. The domino effect of services not wanting competitors to build upon their collections of open-source media shifted the landscape. <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/themes/2018/11/29/pexels-images-are-no-more-allowed/">Pexels</a>, <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/themes/2019/01/13/pixabay-images-are-not-allowed/">Pixabay</a>, <a href="https://wptavern.com/unsplash-responds-to-image-licensing-concerns-clarifies-reasons-for-hotlinking-and-tracking">Unsplash</a>, and others began adding limitations to how their images could be used. Such limitations meant images from those services were not allowed in WordPress.org themes.</p>



<p>For theme creators, this meant the pool of potential open-source images became smaller in a time when it should have been growing.</p>



<p>&ldquo;What happens today is there&rsquo;s stock photography sites, some of which used to be Creative Commons-based, but many have moved away from that,&rdquo; said Mullenweg. &ldquo;So they essentially relicense their user contributions.&rdquo;</p>



<p>It is not just an issue for creators on the theme directory. The burning question of where to find free images without fuzzy license agreements crosses the spectrum of the WordPress community. Even users should feel safe dropping a decorative or featured image into their post without digging through the legalese.</p>



<img />Creative Commons Search for beach photos.



<p>The web is full of content under Creative Commons licenses. However, it is often tough to find them. Mullenweg said that image, audio, and video files are each &ldquo;a little bit of an island&rdquo; in his description of the problem. That discoverability issue is part of what the Openverse project intends to solve.</p>



<p>Sites that have changed their terms or licenses did so after becoming players in the stock photo space. However, their growth was on the back of the open-source world. They should have expected some backlash. And, WordPress is the ideal type of community to make a truly free alternative.</p>



<h2>Potentially Revolutionary</h2>



<p class="has-drop-cap">The Openverse project can be a game-changer in two regards. The first is the direct integration into the WordPress media library. The second is it provides another avenue for people, even those who are not developers or designers, to contribute to the open content of the web.</p>



<p>The platform&rsquo;s built-in media library is due for an overhaul. Uploading and adding images to a post is a relatively simple affair &mdash; if you have them on hand. Going to a stock photo site and choosing an image is often the course of action when users need to find the perfect photo to plug into a post. However, this takes users outside of the WordPress experience, creating a blockage in the content-creation flow.</p>



<p>The plan for Openverse is to integrate its search feature directly into the media library. This puts millions of media files into the hands of creators without ever leaving WordPress.</p>



<p>Some plugins already do this for various stock photo sites. Automattic&rsquo;s Jetpack offers access to the Pexels collection.</p>



<img />Pexels image search via Jetpack.



<p>Pexels has its own license similar to Pixababy and Unsplash. However, it does distinguish between CC0 (public domain) and the Pexels License on a photo-by-photo basis. Unfortunately, that license info is not shown via the Jetpack integration. I hope the eventual integration of Openverse and WordPress is more robust, offering a clear view of what users are getting when they find an image they like.</p>



<p>There are still some things to copy from Jetpack&rsquo;s Pexels integration. Automatic photo credits and alt text are welcome features that generally make the web a better experience. Adding the credit to the image caption is a nice nod to the creator, and the oft-forgotten alt text is necessary for users with screen readers.</p>



<img />Inserting image with photo credits and alt text from Pexels.



<p>One of the biggest takeaways from the podcast is what Openverse can be for the web. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re going to try to bring the WordPress philosophy to this space,&rdquo; said Mullenweg.</p>



<p>He acknowledged that there is and should always be a market for professional media creators. There are sites aplenty for people who want to offer commercial access to their images and more.</p>



<p>&ldquo;But we just want to make an alternative, so those who want to donate their work to the world, much like engineers, and designers, and translators of WordPress, donate their work some of that effort to the world, they can do so,&rdquo; he said.</p>



<p>Openverse must become more than a media search engine. It needs to be a project where the Average Joe can upload a nice nature picture he took over the weekend barbecue. A place where Average Jane can share a video clip of the ocean waves hitting the shoreline from her beach trip. And a place where professionals can pay it forward to the world.</p>



<p>My excitement is mostly about having a trusted place for theme authors and designers to grab free media. I am already imagining what this could mean for the upcoming block pattern directory, a place that will need quality images without restrictions.</p>



<p>The project is 100% <a href="https://github.com/WordPress?q=openverse">open source too</a>. Developers can fork the search engine and create their own. Competing content management solutions will also have access to the public API, offering open-source media to their users.</p>



<p>Bringing the WordPress philosophy into the stock media space is a plan I can get behind.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Mon, 10 May 2021 23:43:40 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14:"Justin Tadlock";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:13;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:52:"WordPress.org blog: People of WordPress: Fike Komala";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:35:"https://wordpress.org/news/?p=10270";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:67:"https://wordpress.org/news/2021/05/people-of-wordpress-fike-komala/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:10375:"<p><em>WordPress is open source software, maintained by a global network of contributors. There are many examples of how WordPress has changed people’s lives for the better. In this monthly series, we share some of the amazing stories that are not as well known.</em><br /><br />Creating content with WordPress and blogging helped Fike Komala, from Indonesia, build a career where she can work remotely from different locations in the world. <br /></p>



<p>In 2020, Fike joined a US-based company that specializes in form building to work as a content marketer. Using her experience as a freelancer and later a full time employee, she encourages others, particularly women in Asia, to consider remote work as a career option. She is so impressed by remote working benefits, that she is now considering writing about it for a thesis for her Master&#8217;s Degree, which she started this year in Europe.<br /></p>



<img width="632" height="387" src="https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2021/05/B5939AF2-DFFD-4471-B3F1-7738F82CEF8A.png?resize=632%2C387&ssl=1" alt="Fike pictured with a snow background" class="wp-image-10291" />



<p>As a keen blogger, WordPress immediately impressed Fike. Her dad is a programmer, and he helped her create the first of many blogs starting when she was 10 years old. She had private and public blogs, and even an English language one to help her practice and improve her skills. </p>



<blockquote><p><strong>“I got satisfaction and happiness from pouring my thoughts in writing and publishing them in my blog. Writing my thoughts and feelings often helped me process them, and does even now.”</strong></p><cite>Fike Komala</cite></blockquote>



<p>With a natural talent and love for languages, Fike pursued an Information Systems degree after graduating from high school. Her course covered business learning Java, HTML, CSS, Javascript, and Android programming. She also took courses to learn Bootstrap and Ruby on Rails.&nbsp;</p>



<h2>Earning Through Building With WordPress</h2>



<p>Fike’s parents had a business building websites. She was drawn to this work and would help proofread and format the articles. This is how she first encountered WordPress, which was to play a pivotal role in her future career. <br /></p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>“I saw WordPress as something more advanced than other platforms, with more themes and plugins to choose from. The default WordPress websites already looked more professional than others.”</p><cite>Fike Komala</cite></blockquote>



<p>Throughout school, Fike’s experience with WordPress and blogging helped her earn extra money safely online, including translating texts from English to Indonesia, online surveys, and writing articles in English.</p>



<h2>Discovering Work You Enjoy&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The last year at University required a year-long full-time internship. Fike worked as an intern at a big general insurance company within the IT quality control staff. She enjoyed working with the people she met and learned a lot through this opportunity, but she declined the offer of a full-time position.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Fike is a good student who loves learning and did well in her education. Through her traditional internship experience,  she found that programming in an office job did not fulfill her. It strengthened her belief in a finding a career where she could have the freedom and creativity of working remotely.</p>



<p>“I was a good student, I love learning algorithms, but I didn’t love programming. I’m not that person who can stay calm finding errors in their codes, and then finding out that it’s only missing a character,” said Fike. She added: “I don’t really like the fact that I have to wake up at 6 AM and be back home at 7 PM, and do it all over again the next day.”</p>



<h2>Adventure Into Remote Work&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Fike spent time improving her freelance profile, revising it, and applying to jobs as a virtual assistant. She was willing to do any small website jobs such as formatting WordPress posts, designing social media posts, and processing orders for online shops. Through a freelance job submission site, she was able to work with people from across the globe, including Singapore, Australia, Europe, and America. Through the site, Fike was able to gain experience with remote working tools like Slack, Asana, Trello, and Google Suites, and the work gave her practice writing in English.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It was through this site that Fike saw a job opportunity with a WordPress plugin company. She sent in her profile and blog.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“This was my first time being interviewed via a video call. I was ecstatic but panicked. On the day, I woke up at 4 AM, got dressed, and opened my laptop. Weirdly, my wi-fi died that morning. So I went to the nearest cafe to get the interview done, and it went great!”</p>



<p>She was hired to deliver consistency on the company’s blog.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Through her job, Fike first began to contribute within the WordPress community and was able to attend her first WordCamp, WordCamp Jakarta 2018, sponsored by her firm. Through WordPress, Fike has met many generous, trusting, and helpful people. </p>



<p>She said: “Because I’ve experienced the generosity of the WordPress people, I wanted to give back to the community.”</p>



<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/ZDAmqCcebOQII99V2RMYmJikoQ3u-tjy6BcCT39QWsOUrAqq2_HeqJ1735UoxVyQHTO_S_V9lzZEJ7WayLb8kY3or78oqG4Xt5ujbNUpt7Vcz7r20lp9XopkPwh85imnvRxjpWTx" alt="WordCamp swag" />Swag from WordCamp Jakarta 2018, that’s Wapuu ondel-ondel!



<blockquote><p><strong>“I got to know the amazing community behind WordPress. How people voluntarily contribute their time, energy, and skills to the community, from development, marketing to translating.</strong> <strong>It was really inspiring.”</strong></p><cite>Fike Komala</cite></blockquote>



<h2>You Can Inspire Others Through Contributing</h2>



<p>Fike has been an inspiration to people in her local community and globally within the WordPress community through her enthusiasm and energy.&nbsp;</p>



<p>She <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHSAV_NJtTA">talks about her joy in contributing</a> during a live interview as part of WordPress Translation Day in 2020.&nbsp;</p>



<p>So determined to encourage others to become translators of WordPress, she joined the Global Translation Day event with the Indonesian Community last year and took part in wider marketing of the event. She is pictured below with some of the Indonesian polyglots team.</p>



<p>She continues to support the polyglots and is a General Translation Editor for the Indonesian language. Last year, she also voiced an <a href="https://youtu.be/Ifqabp-36_c">Indonesian translation of the onboarding video</a> for new contributors joining WordPress.org. She has been a regular contributor to the PerempuanWP, an initiative for Indonesian women working in the WordPress world. Working with a firm which uses the WordPress platform has strengthened her familiarity with projects in the community and encourages her interest in contributing.</p>



<img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/H-8VelQbbEb9f5MM-SUXNudVD9U1DNs546yt_cWGRU--GSLm-PCUunnHDNFmquv9w3rWOUadxkbYr9bYsRU1Ecmhb6Ee_Deg_paNEIyyqs91_3DjgtlmfgCA_P45GNA5nf5rmpCe" alt="Indonesian translation team " />



<p>To learn more about contributing to WordPress, visit <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/">make.wordpress.org/</a> and follow the “get involved” link. You can join any of the weekly team meetings to get started, and there is a lot of help available.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Fike says, “I want to represent Asian women. In the future, I hope I can inspire more women, especially Asians, to work remotely.” She is now studying in Europe for a Master&#8217;s in Digital Communication Leadership. She hopes to use her learning to help other women, particularly back in her home country of Indonesia.</p>



<p>She continues to share her energy for learning and remote working. </p>



<p>“<strong>Just learn things. As much as you can. From anywhere, about anything. Keep an open mind. Read books, listen to podcasts, and learn new skills.”</strong></p>



<p><strong>She added: “If you’re working in the WordPress world, join the WordPress community. It’s a great place to learn from and connect with great people.”</strong></p>



<h2>Contributors</h2>



<p>Thanks to Abha Thakor (<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/webcommsat/">@webcommsat</a>) and Meg Phillips (<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/megphillips91/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>megphillips91</a>) for writing this feature, to Surendra Thakor (<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/sthakor/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>sthakor</a>), Meher Bala (<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/meher/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>meher</a>), Larissa Murillo (<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/lmurillom/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>lmurillom</a>), Josepha Haden (<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/chanthaboune/">@chanthaboune</a>), Chloé Bringmann (<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/cbringmann/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>cbringmann</a>) for additional support and graphics, and to Topher DeRosia (<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/topher1kenobe/">@topher1kenobe</a>) who created HeroPress. Thank you to Fike Komala (<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/fikekomala/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>fikekomala</a>) for sharing her #ContributorStory.</p>



<img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/FEZ2FQJ0vQ311YoPfh6ny15NXh8saTLH_RjyDO4pUOuEGBTa-Czk63PGoWL04FawKviRfNx0QXePx-goK04X12ry1BR_WXh-kVPIfsEeItPAX6reN5fHS96q6-8dUI506ZO38Z0G" alt="HeroPress logo" />



<p><em>This post is based on an article originally published on HeroPress.com. It highlights people in the WordPress community who have overcome barriers and whose stories would otherwise go unheard.</em></p>



<p><em>Meet more WordPress community members in our <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/category/heropress/">People of WordPress series</a>.</em></p>



<p><em>#ContributorStory #HeroPress #WPTranslationDay</em></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Mon, 10 May 2021 22:50:00 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:28:"webcommsat AbhaNonStopNewsUK";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:14;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:54:"WordPress.org blog: WP Briefing: The Commons of Images";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:53:"https://wordpress.org/news/?post_type=podcast&p=10266";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:57:"https://wordpress.org/news/2021/05/the-commons-of-images/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:24989:"<p>In this episode, Josepha is joined by the co-founder and project lead of WordPress, Matt Mullenweg. Tune in to hear Matt and Josepha discuss the relaunch of CC Search (Openverse) in WordPress and the facets of the open source ecosystem.&nbsp;</p>



<p><em><strong>Have a question you&#8217;d like answered? You can submit them to <a href="mailto:wpbriefing@wordpress.org">wpbriefing@wordpress.org</a>, either written or as a voice recording.</strong></em></p>



<h2>Credits</h2>



<ul><li>Editor:<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dustinhartzler/"> Dustin Hartzler</a></li><li>Logo:<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/beafialho/"> Beatriz Fialho</a></li><li>Production:<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mkaz/"> </a><a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/cbringmann/">Chloé Bringmann</a></li><li>Song: Fearless First by Kevin MacLeod</li></ul>



<h2>References</h2>



<p><strong>Openverse Repositories </strong></p>



<ul><li>Catalog:&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://github.com/wordpress/openverse-catalog">https://github.com/wordpress/openverse-catalog</a></li><li>API:&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://github.com/wordpress/openverse-api">https://github.com/wordpress/openverse-api</a></li><li>Frontend:&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank" href="https://github.com/wordpress/openverse-frontend">https://github.com/wordpress/openverse-frontend</a></li></ul>



<p><strong>Tech Stack Outline</strong></p>



<ul><li><strong>Frontend</strong>&#8211; Languages: <ul><li>JavaScript, CSS/SCSS</li><li>Libraries/Services: Vue.js, Nuxt.js#&nbsp;</li></ul></li><li><strong>API</strong>&#8211; Languages: <ul><li>Python, PostgreSQL</li><li>Libraries/Services: Django, Elasticsearch, Redis</li></ul></li><li><strong>Catalogue</strong>&#8211; Languages: <ul><li>Python, PostgreSQL</li><li>Libraries/Services: Apache Airflow, PySpark</li></ul></li></ul>



<p>Join the WordPress Slack instance, #openverse</p>



<h2>Transcript</h2>



<span id="more-10266"></span>



<p><strong>Josepha Haden Chomphosy&nbsp; </strong>00:10</p>



<p>Hello, everyone, and welcome to the WordPress Briefing. This is usually the podcast where you can catch quick explanations of some of the ideas is behind the WordPress open source project. Today, I have a little bit of a different topic. It&#8217;s still WordPress, it&#8217;s still open source, but it&#8217;s kind of peering into some stuff for the future as opposed to looking at where we are today or how we got to where we are today.</p>



<p><strong>Josepha Haden Chomphosy&nbsp; </strong>00:36</p>



<p>You might have recently seen an announcement from Matt that CC Search is joining the WordPress project. This is a really exciting thing for open source, for sure, and definitely, from my perspective, for WordPress. And so I invited Matt to join me today to take a look at what he had in mind with bringing that particular project into our project and what we have in mind for the future. And so, today, this is the WordPress Briefing with Matt and Josepha. And I hope you enjoy the conversation we had. Here we go!</p>



<p><strong>Josepha Haden Chomphosy&nbsp; </strong>01:22</p>



<p>So, we recently announced for WordPress that we essentially acquired CC Search, a project that&#8217;s been part of Creative Commons. And they recently chose a different kind of roadmap for the work they&#8217;re doing in the future. And so it seemed like a really great opportunity to bring this tool and this, I don&#8217;t know, this kind of experience for our users into the WordPress project. So Matt, what are your thoughts about how, like this commitment to images with CC licenses, with Creative Commons licenses, can impact WordPress and how we work in the open web.</p>



<p><strong>Matt Mullenweg&nbsp; </strong>02:09</p>



<p>I think it&#8217;s pretty exciting because Creative Commons exists to do for media, you know, images, audio, etc., what open source has done for code. And so for people who choose to want to donate their creative work under these licenses, much like anyone who contributes a plugin, or code or documentation or translations for WordPress, now people for whom their method of expression is, let&#8217;s say, photography, can put that into the comments like literally, I like why it&#8217;s called the Creative Commons, it&#8217;s such a good name. It can be accessed within everyone&#8217;s dashboard for WordPress. And those images can start to really be part of the fabric of the web the same way that code that runs WordPress or its plugins is part of the fabric of the web.</p>



<p><strong>Josepha Haden Chomphosy&nbsp; </strong>02:57</p>



<p>For anyone who&#8217;s listening who&#8217;s not actually already familiar with this concept of the tragedy of the commons, do you want to give us the elevator pitch of what that means and why it&#8217;s so important for WordPress to try to counterbalance that in our work?</p>



<p><strong>Matt Mullenweg&nbsp; </strong>03:12</p>



<p>Sure, the tragedy of the commons, you know, I think the canonical example is as a shared field in a town, and it doesn&#8217;t belong to anyone, so anyone can use it. And when too many farmers took their sheep there, they would overeat the grass, and then there was no more grass left because it was being overutilized, and there was no one owning the field to say, Hey, we need to practice a more sustainable amount of sheep. grass in</p>



<p><strong>Josepha Haden Chomphosy&nbsp; </strong>03:39</p>



<p>Put more grass in there.</p>



<p><strong>Matt Mullenweg&nbsp; </strong>03:41</p>



<p>So basically, the idea is like a shared resource that gets overused and then disappears. With software, we have the opportunity to have the opposite, which is a wealth of comments where every person using the thing actually has the opportunity to make it a little bit better. And that is really beauty of like Wikipedia, open source where every person using it might contribute a small fix, or a translation or a bug report or tell a friend about it, or basically be part of making this thing better, which you know, WordPress is history is very much an example of, and then as it gets better, more people want to use it. And the beautiful thing about software is you can have economics of abundance versus the economics of scarcity. There&#8217;s not one field used, but every additional incremental user of WordPress makes this community stronger and creates a larger market for the products inside it. So those types of dynamics can have the opposite of the tragedy of the commons.</p>



<p><strong>Josepha Haden Chomphosy&nbsp; </strong>04:39</p>



<p>Absolutely. I love this idea that you brought it up in your question, not your question, in your answer right at the top. I love this idea of acknowledging that code isn&#8217;t the only fabric available in open source and certainly not the only fabric of the internet as we know it. This idea of like, let&#8217;s bring Creative Commons licensed images into a more long-term space for WordPress. Do you think that that at some point can apply to videos and other sorts of audio files?</p>



<p><strong>Matt Mullenweg&nbsp; </strong>05:21</p>



<p>Absolutely. There already is a ton of Creative Commons licensed content out there that people can use. But there&#8217;s a discoverability problem, you know? Each individual image or audio file or video is, is a little bit of an island. So that&#8217;s why it&#8217;s so important that there&#8217;s the equivalent of a search engine that allows people to discover all the great stuff that&#8217;s out there. And what happens today is there&#8217;s stock photography sites, some of which used to be Creative Commons-based, but many have moved away from that. So they essentially relicense their user contributions. Or people, if we&#8217;re being real, people just go to Google images, and they might utilize images that they don&#8217;t actually have rights to. It&#8217;s not the end of the world, but it&#8217;s not ideal. And so we can create this really compelling directory experience of imagery, which people have chosen to share and want to be used. I think that&#8217;s a much better outcome than the equivalent of piracy.</p>



<p><strong>Josepha Haden Chomphosy&nbsp; </strong>06:21</p>



<p>Yeah, yeah, absolutely. So I leapt right into this and didn&#8217;t really give any context to what CC Search is or anything, but for anyone who is not familiar with this tool already, CC Search is, as Matt mentioned, a search engine that currently is focused specifically on images that use open licenses. The Creative Commons licenses are like the content-specific version of GPL for code, which is a really big deal, I think. If wishes were fishes, Matt, and you had your total hope ahead of you, what is your hope for the relaunch of this product and this tool in WordPress?</p>



<p><strong>Matt Mullenweg&nbsp; </strong>07:15</p>



<p>Well, first and foremost, I think we can improve the experience of designing and contributing themes and then modifying them with this really fantastic image directory if we&#8217;re able to build it in the media library. And lots of plugins like Jetpack do some version of this. I think that Jetpack uses Pexels or one of the proprietary, but open libraries. And so we can make it fully, like you said, the equivalent of GPL and open source, all the better. I think longer-term, I&#8217;d love to have a way for people who are adding media to the WordPress site to set it to be available under a Creative Commons license. So just to make it easy and built-in for people to create more Creative Commons license imagery. And then, you know, with the integration of Gutenberg and other things, we can make it easy for other people to use it and credit back the original author if they choose to. And what we find is that even though with CC0, which is essentially a kind of like putting something into the public domain, credit is not required. If you make it the default to link back to the original photographer, author, most people believe that because they like creating things that they use. So you get the best of both worlds; you have the freedom of use for any purpose, including not requiring the credit. But then, just by having it by default, when you insert one of these images, a lot of people are going to leave that and link back to the original author, which I think is also really cool. Like you&#8217;re not required to have a credit link on WordPress, but most people leave the Powered BY WordPress on there.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Josepha Haden Chomphosy&nbsp; </strong>08:45</p>



<p>One of the interesting areas, you mentioned Pexels in this case. One of those interesting areas that we, as a project, can really explore here is how to make it so that the metadata gives you confidence in the origin of the image. Like I don&#8217;t believe that there are any set standards for that. I&#8217;ve just started my research, obviously, because they&#8217;re brand new to us, but I just don&#8217;t think there are any standards available there. And, I think that there is an opportunity for WordPress as a true supporter of the open web to help change the fact that we don&#8217;t have that’s one of the main competitive disadvantages that open source libraries have been trying to combat and especially with Unsplash, who eventually did get purchased by Getty Images. Still, I feel like part of what must have driven that decision to change the licensing terms had to be that they are up against that behemoth of Getty Images where people know where the things came from. They know where the images came from, and they can trust that lineage and model releases and all that stuff. I&#8217;m just really interested to see how we can; I don&#8217;t know; I hate to say dignify contributors who are offering their contributions to open source in this way. But, it also is kind of that there&#8217;s no sense in saying that just because you did not accept payment from getting images, your photos weren&#8217;t any good, or your images did not have an excellent path to where they are housed at that moment.</p>



<p><strong>Matt Mullenweg&nbsp; </strong>10:39</p>



<p>I mean, it&#8217;s really fun to contribute to something larger than yourself. And for many folks, you know, their gift, their craft is something like photography. And so there&#8217;s always going to be the sort of paid marketplaces and, and something like Shutterstock, I think really fantastic companies and services. I think a marketplace for paid content. But we just want to make an alternative, so those who want to donate their work to the world, much like engineers, and designers, and translators of WordPress, donate their work some of that effort to the world, they can do so. Right now, there are some places for that, but we&#8217;re going to try to create one that is fully open, has no advertising, has an open API. So other CMSs can access it too.&nbsp; You know, we&#8217;re going to try to bring the WordPress philosophy to this space.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Josepha Haden Chomphosy&nbsp; </strong>11:29</p>



<p>Gosh, I just love that. While we&#8217;re on the question of contributing to something bigger than yourself, bringing the WordPress philosophy into this space, how do you think CC Search will impact the current media library and how WordPress handles media in general? Or do you have an idea about how it will impact that? Sometimes we don&#8217;t know until we get in?</p>



<p><strong>Matt Mullenweg&nbsp; </strong>11:53</p>



<p>Yeah, I think within Gutenberg, the idea of adding an image from an online library or a search is something we&#8217;ve wanted to do for a while. But either the licensing made it a little tricky, or, you know, some of the sites that did have open things, maybe the site itself had like a lot of advertising or pop-ups or things like that. So by having this hosted by wordpress.org, we&#8217;ll have a clean, open source, and ad-free place that people can access. I suppose it&#8217;s also worth saying that CC Search, which we&#8217;re rebranding as Openverse, is actually all the code behind is open source as well. So there is going to be a new project on WordPress&#8217;s GitHub that will be this open source search engine. So that&#8217;s also part of the contributions; we&#8217;ll be pointing this search engine to try to index and collect Creative Commons license media, but perhaps it could also provide a base for someone else wanting to build a different characters engine or just host Openverse themselves and run it themselves; that is totally fine.</p>



<p><strong>Josepha Haden Chomphosy&nbsp; </strong>13:00</p>



<p>I should probably mention, for any of the WP Briefing listeners who are contributing to the WordPress project itself, there is a brand new team that we&#8217;re working on building, and for one wander over and welcome everybody, we are welcoming in an open source community into our open source community. And so, of course, we want to make sure that they know how to get around and feel welcome in the space. But also, anything that you are interested in helping to contribute to that particular project, I think would be helpful. WordPress is big; we have a long history. And so I think I feel confident in saying that, if I were on that team that&#8217;s bringing in this new tool, I would hope that there were some OG WordPressers, who were available to help me discover the ins and outs of things, especially as its 18 years of us.</p>



<p><strong>Matt Mullenweg&nbsp; </strong>14:04</p>



<p>Yeah, it&#8217;s also a new technology stack. So let&#8217;s say you want to be involved in WordPress, but your expertise is more on the Python side, or Elastic Search or something like that. We now have a project where people who are into that or want to learn about it can get involved. Because, of course, you know, contributing and being involved with open source is probably the best way to learn a technology, better than any college degree.</p>



<p><strong>Josepha Haden Chomphosy&nbsp; </strong>14:28</p>



<p>I was just talking to some folks about that; our active learning opportunities and our passive learning opportunities get into a different balance as we get older. And active learning opportunities are for real in school, right? And our passive learning opportunities where you get to look at someone else&#8217;s code, you get to review proposals on user flows, and things are harder and harder to come by unless you happen to be in an open source project where we&#8217;re just working on that in the open all day, every day. And I&#8217;ll put a link to the repos in the show notes, and also, I&#8217;ll include a list of the tech stack that we&#8217;re looking at there, just so that no one has to like, chase it down. But yeah, I&#8217;m excited about this new integration, not only for the CMS but also for the community.</p>



<p><strong>Matt Mullenweg&nbsp; </strong>15:26</p>



<p>And the whole library will be available to any plug-in who wants to call to it. And like we said, even other CMSs, much like we designed Gutenberg to be able to be used by other CMSs, how cool would it be if Drupal or Joomla or others were also able to leverage this library and allow their users to contribute to it as well?</p>



<p><strong>Josepha Haden Chomphosy&nbsp; </strong>15:47</p>



<p>Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. There is a burning question that I feel like we probably should just go ahead and answer here. I&#8217;ve been asked a few times, and I think you have been asked a few times whether this is an actual acquisition. And If yes, then what entity is it under? Is it under the WordPress Foundation? Is it under Automattic?</p>



<p><strong>Matt Mullenweg&nbsp; </strong>16:10</p>



<p>It&#8217;s a little complicated because, as you know, WordPress.org is not part of the Foundation. So basically, Automattic paid Creative Commons, the nonprofit. They will essentially redirect the old URL, so old links to Creative Commons Search won&#8217;t break. And we ended up hiring some of the people that they were parting ways with into Automattic. And then we put that open source code, and we&#8217;ll run the service on WordPress.org, and then those we hired, Automattic hired, will contribute to WordPress.org and the open source projects that power what we&#8217;re calling Openverse now.</p>



<p><strong>Josepha Haden Chomphosy&nbsp; </strong>16:54</p>



<p>I am.</p>



<p><strong>Matt Mullenweg&nbsp; </strong>16:56</p>



<p>That&#8217;s kind of an acquisition, but also from a nonprofit, and then going into something, which is not a nonprofit, but is open source and sort of freely available, which is WordPress.org, the website.</p>



<p><strong>Josepha Haden Chomphosy&nbsp; </strong>17:06</p>



<p>Yeah, that has been hard for me to answer because you&#8217;re right, it&#8217;s not like it was donated to WordPress or something. But everything that we&#8217;re doing is being donated back to the project, and of course, hopefully, really living into that WordPress ethos that we have of giving back to, to the project, something that made your work and your life better. So there&#8217;s some, some finger-crossing going on in there.</p>



<p><strong>Matt Mullenweg&nbsp; </strong>17:37</p>



<p>We could have skipped some of the steps because the code was open source; we could have just used it or something like that. But it was also a good opportunity, I think, to support the Creative Commons organization. And like we said, as part of that donation, there&#8217;ll be redirecting Creative Commons Search to WordPress.org. And honestly, we don&#8217;t need that, but it just from the point of view of keeping links workings, which is a big passion of mine. I like that none of the links will break or things to the Creative Commons Search, which I think has been around for&#8230; I don&#8217;t actually know the exact timeline, but a very long time. It&#8217;s been part of the internet for a long time. So we&#8217;re happy that it can now continue and be something that can plausibly be around for many decades to come.</p>



<p><strong>Josepha Haden Chomphosy&nbsp; </strong>18:23</p>



<p>Yeah, we&#8217;re going to build ourselves a little sustainable program around this project, and it&#8217;s going to be beautiful; I&#8217;m excited.</p>



<p><strong>Josepha Haden Chomphosy&nbsp; </strong>18:31</p>



<p>I did want to give everybody a cultural heads up. When I say crossing my fingers, I know that for some of our cultures, that means I was lying. That is not what I&#8217;m saying—crossing my fingers and moving forward on this with a lot of hope.</p>



<p><strong>Josepha Haden Chomphosy&nbsp; </strong>18:51</p>



<p>I tried to be careful about my local idioms when I&#8217;m talking to folks who don&#8217;t know that I&#8217;m from Arkansas, so I sometimes say weird things. But I&#8217;ve given up on y&#8217;all, for instance, like that has made its way right back into my language.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Matt Mullenweg&nbsp; </strong>19:09</p>



<p>Y&#8217;all is great. In Texas, we had a funny thing, which maybe applies to you now, which is &#8220;more nervous than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.&#8221; I bet you haven&#8217;t heard that one.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Josepha Haden Chomphosy&nbsp; </strong>19:21</p>



<p>I have not, but I love it, and I&#8217;m going to fold it into my personal vocabulary for later use.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Josepha Haden Chomphosy&nbsp; </strong>19:30</p>



<p>The response to this has been overwhelmingly positive, and I know that I am incredibly positive. I just mentioned like I&#8217;m moving forward through this with hope, even though there&#8217;s a lot of stuff that I don&#8217;t actually know about how we can implement it. I have never brought an existing open source community into an open source community that I&#8217;m currently working with. So there&#8217;s a lot of learning to be done in there. But, from your side Matt, like, are there any things that you are feeling anxiously hopeful about for this? Anything that you hope is right, but you&#8217;re not sure about?</p>



<p><strong>Matt Mullenweg&nbsp; </strong>20:14</p>



<p>Oh, this is just the first step of many. So just having the search engine, is I think good to provide a service to the internet. But where we can really leverage it is those next steps we already talked about, which is really building out the API and integrating the API with the WordPress admin to make it easily accessible within people&#8217;s dashboards. And the Gutenberg blocks to embed these images, quickly and easily, and with all the proper credit and everything. And then the next step, which was probably the one I&#8217;m most excited about, which is enabling folks to contribute to the Creative Commons. And by that, I mean the Commons of Images, which have open licenses and are encouraged for reuse and remixing and all those sorts of great things. And I think that anything we can do to increase more of that stuff on the internet also enables a lot of creativity and innovation.</p>



<p><strong>Josepha Haden Chomphosy&nbsp; </strong>21:10</p>



<p>All right. Well, that was an excellent conversation. I am really excited about this. I want to, for my work, just say a huge welcome to the folks over at CC Search and our brand new group around Openverse, and a big thanks to the folks over at the Creative Commons group. Matt, do you have anything else you want to share with any of our audience?</p>



<p><strong>Matt Mullenweg&nbsp; </strong>21:39</p>



<p>No, I feel great that we could support the Creative Commons, keep this going for the open internet, and so excited to work alongside the folks who have been working on Openverse and take it to the next iterations and the next level.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Josepha Haden Chomphosy&nbsp; </strong>21:56</p>



<p>Beautiful. Well, Matt, thank you so much for joining me today. This was a wonderful conversation. My friends, this has been Matt Mullenweg, WordPress project co-founder, and project lead.</p>



<p><strong>Matt Mullenweg&nbsp; </strong>22:08</p>



<p>Thank you so much for having me.</p>



<p><strong>Josepha Haden Chomphosy&nbsp; </strong>22:17</p>



<p>Thank you for tuning in today to the WordPress Briefing. I hope that conversation made you as excited as I am about this new adventure that we&#8217;re embarking on with CC Search and that whole team. I&#8217;m going to put in the show notes a few links to where you can find them, where they&#8217;re doing their work, what you can collaborate on, and also some notes about the tech stack that goes into it. I&#8217;m your host, Josepha Haden Chomphosy.Thanks again for joining me and I&#8217;ll see you in a couple of weeks.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Mon, 10 May 2021 12:00:42 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:15:"Chloe Bringmann";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:15;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:133:"Gutenberg Times: Introduction to Global Styles, Block-based Themes and Two weeks of virtual WordPress events – Weekend Edition #168";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:35:"https://gutenbergtimes.com/?p=17764";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:138:"https://gutenbergtimes.com/introduction-to-global-styles-block-based-themes-and-two-weeks-of-virtual-wordpress-events-weekend-edition-168/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:16152:"<p>Howdy,  my friends! </p>



<p>Hope you are all well. This week was a little less hectic, nevertheless again lots of information to digest about the block-editor and the upcoming WordPress 5.8 release. </p>





<p>Today, you&#8217;ll find some great actionable tutorial, articles and tools. Again, I marvel at the extraordinary generosity of the people in the WordPress community from around the World. If you find something that&#8217;s useful to you, please let the authors. Most of them have a Twitter account that&#8217;s linked with the link to their contribution. </p>



<p>Be well, be safe! </p>



<p>Yours, 💕 <br />Birgit </p>



<h2>Updates from the Gutenberg and Core Teams</h2>



<p><strong>Anne McCarthy</strong> posted the summary of finding of the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2021/05/06/fse-program-query-quest-summary/">Query Quest</a>. This time, a 3 or so dozen user from Japan took part in this call for testing.  Members on the Italian Polyglott team translated the call, too. The circle of people testing has expanded quite a bit. </p>



<p>McCarthy also had two reminders for you: </p>



<ul><li>The second round Call for questions is still open &#8211; <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2021/04/28/fse-program-bring-your-questions-round-two/">send in your FSE question and concerns.</a> Deadline is May 12, 2021 </li><li>The next call for testing will be published on May 12, 2021 on the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/">Make blog of the Test team,</a> so clear out an afternoon in your week and reserve it for the next WordPress testing round. You&#8217;d be helping improve software, used by many, many millions of users. </li></ul>



<hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide" />



<p><strong>Hector Pietro</strong>, technical lead on the Gutenberg project Phase 2, <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/05/07/whats-next-in-gutenberg-may-2021/">published the focus post for the team for May 2021.</a> There are no particular surprises listed, as the focus is getting a few projects ready to be merged with Core, but this post also aims beyond the feature Freeze on May 19 for block-editor features, RC 10.7. For Theme builders and developers, he also has a section on what particularly we all need to be aware of. </p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide" />



<p>In anticipation, that the Widget block editor will land in WordPress Core, contributors <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/hellofromTonya">Tonya Mork</a></strong> and <strong>Andrew Ozz</strong> published the <strong><a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/classic-widgets/">Classic Widget Screen plugin</a>,</strong> that allows you to opt-out of the new feature. Plugin and Theme developers can opt-out via this code snippet <code>remove_theme_support('widgets-block-editor')</code>.<a href="https://github.com/WordPress/classic-widgets"> Connect via GitHub</a> for issues and contributions. <strong>Justin Tadlock</strong> took the plugin for a spin and wrote a review: <a href="https://wptavern.com/classic-widgets-plugin-disables-wordpress-5-8s-upcoming-block-based-widgets-system">Classic Widgets Plugin Disables WordPress 5.8’s Upcoming Block-Based Widgets System</a>. </p>




<p>🎙️ <a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/podcast/changelog-43-block-patterns-directory/"><strong>Episode #43 is now available with Show notes and transcript</strong></a> Greg and I discussed Gutenberg 10.5, the Block Patterns Directory and a Call for Testing for WordPress 5.8 Release. </p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide" />



<p><strong>Subscribe to the Gutenberg Changelog via your favorite podcast apps! </strong><br />🎙️ <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/620NwVKQJGdTupy36zYxvg?mc_cid=4b6c9f88fe">Spotify</a> | <a href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9ndXRlbmJlcmd0aW1lcy5jb20vZmVlZC9wb2RjYXN0">Google</a> | <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gutenberg-changelog/id1469294475">iTunes</a> | <a href="https://pca.st/podcast/f8445ec0-7508-0137-f267-1d245fc5f9cf">PocketCasts</a> | <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/show/gutenberg-changelog">Stitcher</a> | <br />🎙️ <a href="https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/chi7j-9904a/Gutenberg-Changelog-Podcast">Pod Bean</a> | <a href="https://castbox.fm/channel/Gutenberg-Changelog-id2173375">CastBox</a> | <a href="https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/gutenberg-changelog-878239/">Podchaser</a> | <a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/podcast">RSS Feed</a>&nbsp;</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><img /></div>



<p>If you have been a listener, please <a href="https://lovethepodcast.com/gutenbergchangelog">write a review </a>on iTunes, Stitcher, Podchaser or Castbox. We would love to read from you, and more reviews help with the distributions.</p>




<p>Speaking of podcasts: Grzegorz (Greg) Ziokowski and I talked with <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/palmiak_fp">Maciek Palmowski</a></strong> of WP Owl, about <strong><a href="https://wpowls.co/podcast/contributing-to-wordpress/">Contributing to WordPress</a></strong>, the inaugural episode for the new podcast WP Owlcast. We talked about the ins and outs of contributing to WordPress &#8211; about the various teams, how to get started, how to pace yourself, Five For the Future and so much more. </p>




<p><strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/references/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&#8220;Keeping up with Gutenberg &#8211; Index 2021&#8221;</a>&nbsp;</strong><br />A chronological list of the WordPress Make Blog posts from various teams involved in Gutenberg development: Design, Theme Review Team, Core Editor, Core JS, Core CSS, Test and Meta team from Jan. 2021 on. <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/references/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index-2020/">The index 2020 is here</a></p>




<h2>Building block-based Themes</h2>



<p><a href="https://twitter.com/Adelina_Tuca"><strong>Adelina Tuca</strong></a> of Themeisle interviewed <strong>Tammie Lister</strong>, design co-lead of Phase 1 of the block editor, now design lead at Extendify. <a href="https://themeisle.com/blog/tammie-lister-interview/">&#8220;We Made Themes Become Plugins by Forcing Them to Have Functionality That Shouldn’t Be There</a>&#8220;, Lister is quoted. It&#8217;s a great discussion around the reset on how themes are developed with the block-editor and how it will not only change the creativity and productivity, but also user experience for content creators.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide" />



<p><strong>Riad Benguella </strong>posted an <strong><a href="https://riad.blog/2021/05/05/introduction-to-wordpresss-global-styles-and-global-settings/">Introduction to WordPress’s Global Styles and Global Settings</a>.</strong> You can learn more about the thoughts behind the theme.json implementation for connecting your theme with all the block-editor features. For the first time in WordPress there is now a standard way for plugin block builders to be considerate about the theme developers design decisions and tap into its settings and styles. Be aware, although the theme.json implementation with come to WordPress core with 5.8, the Global Styles will still be experimental, so if you use them, they might change. </p>



<p><strong><a href="https://twitter.com/carolinapoena">Carolina Nymark</a></strong><a target="_blank" href="https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=CarolinaNymark.wordpress-block-markup" rel="noreferrer noopener"> </a>turned  <a target="_blank" href="https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=CarolinaNymark.wordpress-block-markup" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>her block markup snippets into </strong></a><strong><a target="_blank" href="https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=CarolinaNymark.wordpress-block-markup" rel="noreferrer noopener">VS Code</a> extension</strong> with it, you can add blocks to your full site editing templates faster by typing the name of the block and have VS Code auto-complete it for you. </p>




<p><strong><a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/need-a-zip-from-master/">Need a plugin .zip from Gutenberg&#8217;s main (trunk) branch?</a></strong><br />Gutenberg Times provides daily build for testing and review. <br />Have you been using it? Hit reply and let me know.</p>



<p><img alt="GitHub all releases" src="https://img.shields.io/github/downloads/bph/gutenberg/total?style=for-the-badge" /></p>




<p> </p>



<h2>Block Editor for Content Creators</h2>



<p>If you are just now evaluating if the block editor is mature enough for your future client projects, or the right tool for your content production processes, <strong>Sam Wendland</strong> for WordPress VIP has some more in depth information:  <a href="https://wpvip.com/2021/04/09/how-the-wordpress-gutenberg-block-editor-empowers-enterprise-content-creators/"><strong>&#8220;How the WordPress Gutenberg Block Editor Empowers Enterprise Content Creators&#8221;</strong></a>.</p>



<h2>Block building for Developers </h2>



<p><a href="https://twitter.com/wpmark"><strong>Mark Wilkinson</strong> </a> of Highrise Digital share the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HZ"><strong>10 lessons he learned from developing WordPress sites with the block editor</strong></a> in this video. He also posted a <a href="https://twitter.com/wpmark/status/1390594183271002112">Thread on Twitter</a> </p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide" />



<p><a href="https://twitter.com/kasparsdambis"><strong>Kaspars Dambis</strong> </a>from <strong>XWP</strong> describes how to manage dependencies when creating your Gutenberg blocks in his post: <a href="https://xwp.co/javascript-dependencies-wordpress-blocks/"><strong>Managing Javascript Dependencies for WordPress Blocks</strong></a></p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide" />



<p>In his tutorial <a href="https://millan.dev/2021/05/02/tutorial-convert-shortcodes-into-blocks"><strong>Convert Shortcodes into blocks</strong></a> <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/milangd">Milan Petrovic</a></strong> explains how to reuse shortcodes code and develop blocks for the block editor with support for sidebar settings</p>



<h2 id="wpevents">Upcoming WordPress Events</h2>



<p><strong>10 &#8211; 14 May 2021</strong><br /><a href="https://pagebuildersummit.com?rpid=2&rpr=161"><strong>Page Builder Summit 2021</strong></a><br />Gutenberg is part of it with the following sessions: </p>



<ul class="has-small-font-size"><li><strong>How to turn Gutenberg into a Page Builder with Stackable</strong> w/ Benjamin Intal</li><li><strong>Don’t Compete with Gutenberg &#8211; Embrace It</strong> w/ Danielle Zarcaro</li><li><strong>Google&#8217;s Core Web Vitals &#8211; Get Green With Gutenberg</strong> w/ Jake Pfohl</li><li><strong>Creating newsletters in the Gutenberg block editor</strong> w/ Lesley Sim</li><li><strong>Building Fast, Block-Based Landing Pages</strong> w/ Mike Oliver</li><li><strong>Panel &#8211; Preparing for the future of WordPress </strong>&#8211; Supported by WordPress.com &#8211; Marjorie Asturias, Anne McCarthy and Donna Cavalier</li></ul>



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<p><strong>&nbsp;May 22-23, 2021</strong><br /><strong><a href="https://neo.wordcamp.org/2021/">WordCamp Northeast Ohio Region</a></strong><br />Two sessions and a Lighting talk about Gutenberg are on the <a href="https://neo.wordcamp.org/2021/schedule/">schedule </a></p>



<ul class="has-small-font-size"><li><strong>Anatomy of a Block Theme for Full Site Editing </strong>w/ Daisy Olson </li><li><strong>Web Components in WP, Gutenberg and as HTML plugins</strong> w/ Craig West </li><li><strong>Lightning Talk: The power of reusable blocks w/ Daisy Olson</strong> </li></ul>



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<p><strong>May 24-28, 2021</strong><br /><strong><a href="https://wordsesh.com/?uid=6471">WordSesh 2021</a></strong><br />The <a href="https://wordsesh.com/#schedule">session schedule</a> is now available, too. Here is the list of Gutenberg talks: </p>



<ul class="has-small-font-size"><li><strong>Blazing Fast Block Development</strong> w/ Lee Shadle </li><li><strong>Building Custom Block</strong>s w/ Rob Stinson</li><li><strong>Block-Based Themes</strong> – <strong>The Future Of Full Site Editing In WordPress</strong> w/ </li><li><strong>How the Block Editor Makes It Easier to Build Custom Websites</strong> w/ Danielle Zarcaro </li><li><strong>Build your own Block-Based&nbsp;Theme</strong> w/ Daisy Olsen (Workshop)</li></ul>



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<p><strong>June 7 &#8211; 9th, 2021</strong><br /><strong><a href="https://europe.wordcamp.org/2021/">WordCamp Europe</a></strong><br />A virtual event and contributor day. <a href="https://europe.wordcamp.org/2021/call-for-sponsors/">Call for sponsors is open.</a></p>



<p><strong>June 20 &#8211; 26</strong><br /><strong><a href="https://japan.wordcamp.org/2021/">WordCamp Japan</a></strong><br /><em>The schedule has been posted. Most sessions will be in Japanese, with exceptions, I think&#8230; </em></p>



<p><strong>July 17 + 18th, 2021</strong><br /><strong><a href="https://santaclarita.wordcamp.org/2021/">WordCamp Santa Clarita</a></strong><br />Calls for speakers (May 30th), sponsors, volunteers and organizers are open. </p>



<p><strong>June 24 &#8211; 26, 2021</strong><br /><strong><a href="https://cochabamba.wordcamp.org/2021/">WordCamp Cochabama</a></strong> (Colombia) </p>



<p><strong>July 23, 2021</strong><br /><a href="https://www.wordfest.live/"><strong>WordFest Live </strong></a>&#8211; <em>The&nbsp;</em>festival of WordPress<br />Call for Speakers is now open and submissions are due on May 24th, 2021</p>



<p><strong>September 21 + 22, 2021</strong><br /><a href="https://2021.wpcampus.org/"><strong>WPCampus 2021 Online</strong></a><br />&#8220;A free online conference for web accessibility and WordPress in higher education.&#8221; <a href="https://2021.wpcampus.org/proposals">Call for Proposal is up</a> and proposal are due May 26, 2021</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide" />



<p>On the<a href="https://wpcalendar.io/online/"> <strong>Calendar for WordPress Online Events</strong> </a>you can browse a list of the upcoming WordPress Meetups, around the world, including WooCommerce, Elementor, Divi Builder and Beaver Builder meetups. </p>




<p><em>Featured image: <a target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/116417508@N06/32958126080">&#8220;Tiny City Block Building&#8221;</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/116417508@N06" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Matt Henry photos</a>&nbsp;is licensed under&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/?ref=ccsearch&atype=rich" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CC BY 2.0</a></em></p>





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<p class="has-text-align-left"><strong>Don&#8217;t want to miss the next Weekend Edition? </strong></p>



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";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:71:"WPTavern: A Laptop and a Dream: Your Home Office Should Meet Your Needs";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=116269";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:185:"https://wptavern.com/a-laptop-and-a-dream-your-home-office-should-meet-your-needs?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-laptop-and-a-dream-your-home-office-should-meet-your-needs";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:4142:"<img />



<p class="has-drop-cap">I began my journey into remote work while teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) in South Korea. I was 23 years old at the time. By day, I spent my time wrangling elementary and middle-school kids. At night, I was writing tutorials, building themes and plugins, and taking any work that landed on my [figurative] desk.</p>



<p>My home office was my entire home, a spartan, one-bedroom/living/kitchen apartment. My workstation was a bed with several pillows piled up for back support.</p>



<p>My first client contract was signed, developed, and completed on that bed. I made a mere $300 for creating a per-post thumbnail system for a popular blog (yes, I way undervalued my work). This was long before WordPress launched its featured image system.</p>



<p>I was living the dream. Young and hungry, I took whatever odd jobs I could in preparation for eventually running my own WordPress-related business. Some nights, I would put in eight hours or more. On the weekends, I rarely actually slept in that bed. It had become my office chair. My lap was my desk.</p>



<p>In the back of my mind, I suppose I always thought I would get a <em>proper</em> office. It would have all the bells and whistles like separate monitors for different tasks instead of tabs on a single screen. I would have the best mic and speaker setup &mdash; including the kitchen sink.</p>



<p>After nearly a decade and a half, I realized I never needed all of that stuff. My laptop and I got along just fine. Of course, like many people, I tend to get stuck in my ways, looking for any excuse to not change.</p>



<p>When I see articles like &ldquo;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/18/success/home-office-design-setup-remote-work/index.html">It&rsquo;s been a year. Here&rsquo;s what your home office should look like</a>,&rdquo; written by Kathryn Vasel for CNN Business, I tend to cringe before diving into it. There are some good takes in the article, such as getting natural light, taking breaks, and adjusting your posture.</p>



<p>My idea of &ldquo;what your home office should look like&rdquo; is that it should be what makes you feel comfortable with the tools that allow you to do the job. For some folks, that is a laptop and a standing desk. For others, it includes specialized audio and video equipment.</p>



<p>If you can afford it, I would at least recommend getting a good office chair. If you sit at a desk much of the day, skimp on the desk and other tools first.</p>



<p>On the subject of affordability, it is also good to be mindful that a home office is a luxury, a privilege that few have. Like that small-town Alabama boy with his $400 Walmart computer in Korea, sometimes people just have to get by with what they have on hand.</p>



<p>Now, 14 years later, I do have a home office. Like the first, it is spartan. It has the tools I need, and that is what I love about it. I do not spend all day in it. I prefer to move around from spot to spot.</p>



<ul><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><img />Simple desk and chair.</li><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><img />Cats included.</li></ul>



<p>On days like today, those with mid-70s temps (Fahrenheit for all the non-Americans) and a slight breeze in the air, I like to sit on the back patio. I enjoy the birds singing. It is a good time of the year to watch the little ones learn to forage their own food. I keep an eye on the squirrels, making sure their mischievousness is limited to sneaking a few nuts from the bird feeders.</p>



<p>It is also another reason I have always preferred a laptop over a desktop. Its utility allows me to lug it from the couch or desk to a spot outside amid nature.</p>



<p>While much of the world&rsquo;s workforce is still figuring this whole remote, work-from-home thing out, many in the WordPress community have this down to a science. Or, at least, they know what works for them. I would love to hear and see (share pics in the comments &mdash; <a href="https://wordpress.org/support/article/embeds/#okay-so-what-sites-can-i-embed-from">embeds are enabled</a>) what your home offices are like.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Fri, 07 May 2021 22:23:53 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14:"Justin Tadlock";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:17;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:95:"WPTavern: Classic Widgets Plugin Disables WordPress 5.8’s Upcoming Block-Based Widgets System";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=116237";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:229:"https://wptavern.com/classic-widgets-plugin-disables-wordpress-5-8s-upcoming-block-based-widgets-system?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=classic-widgets-plugin-disables-wordpress-5-8s-upcoming-block-based-widgets-system";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:4042:"<p class="has-drop-cap">Yesterday, WordPress released a core plugin named <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/classic-widgets/">Classic Widgets</a>. Core contributors Tonya Mork and Andrew Ozz created the plugin under the WordPress Contributors account. It allows end-users to disable the upcoming block-based widgets system. Support is expected through 2022 or as long as necessary according to the plugin description.</p>



<p>Decided last month by a small group of core leads following a demo, <a href="https://wptavern.com/full-site-editing-is-partly-a-go-for-wordpress-5-8">WordPress 5.8 will ship several sub-components</a> from its Full Site Editing project. FSE encompasses several self-contained parts that grant users broader control over the design and layout of their sites. One of those pieces is an overhaul of the widgets system.</p>



<p>Widgets will one day become a legacy feature of the platform. However, they are not disappearing any time soon. During the transition from the pre-block era of WordPress to the eventual incorporation of all the sub-components of FSE, users and theme developers will sometimes need smaller stepping stones. Block-based widgets give users more ways to work with blocks outside of the post content area without diving head-first into an entire block-based experience.</p>



<p>This is the first time many in the larger WordPress user community will be exposed to blocks in a new context. The editor that launched in WordPress 5.0 focused solely on the post content. The widgets system in 5.8 turns classic sidebars into block containers.</p>



<p>In short, users will be able to stick any block in any sidebar.</p>



<img />Block-based widgets screen.



<p>This is a welcome step in transitioning users in the long run, especially those who use classic themes, which is still the majority of all users. However, there are cases where the Classic Widgets plugin will be necessary. The biggest will be:</p>



<ul><li>Broken themes or quirky output.</li><li>Users simply preferring the old system.</li></ul>



<p>Whatever the case may be, the plugin handles the switch.</p>



<p>For those wondering why the core development team is not making sure block-based widgets work with all themes, it is because the two systems are not exactly alike. Plus, every theme design handles its sidebar output in its own way. There is no way to ensure 100% coverage.</p>



<p>Many themes will have no issues at all. Some sidebars, depending on the design, could entirely break down. More likely than broken, custom sidebar and widget designs could simply look &ldquo;off&rdquo; on the front end.</p>



<p>For example, compare a Heading block followed by the Archives block (first image) against the classic Archives widget (second image) when using the Twenty Fifteen theme:</p>



<ul><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><img />Block &ldquo;widget&rdquo;</li><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><img />Classic widget</li></ul>



<p>The typography of the Heading is different, and there is too much space below it. That is not an end-of-the-world scenario. It is the sort of quirk that may be common with many themes, at least until theme authors have had time to push out updates.</p>



<h2>What Happens When Activating the Plugin?</h2>



<img />Classic widgets screen.



<p class="has-drop-cap">Classic Widgets has no settings screen or anything to configure. It is a set-it-and-forget-it plugin. Its goal is to simply return users to the traditional widgets system in which they are familiar.</p>



<p>If you start using the new block-based widgets system, you will lose all of your widget blocks upon activating the plugin. There is no going back, so be sure this is what you want. The former blocks will not reappear if you change your mind and deactivate Classic Widgets.</p>



<p>However, if you add traditional widgets to your theme&rsquo;s sidebars while the plugin is active, you will not lose them. They will still appear on both the front and back end if you deactivate the plugin.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Thu, 06 May 2021 21:39:24 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14:"Justin Tadlock";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:18;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:101:"WPTavern: Dark Mode Plugin Repurposed and Renamed to WP Markdown Editor, Change Leaves Users Confused";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=116107";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:245:"https://wptavern.com/dark-mode-plugin-repurposed-and-renamed-to-wp-markdown-editor-change-leaves-users-confused?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=dark-mode-plugin-repurposed-and-renamed-to-wp-markdown-editor-change-leaves-users-confused";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:8671:"<p class="has-drop-cap">Last year, I asked Tavern readers if WordPress should <a href="https://wptavern.com/should-wordpress-notify-users-of-plugin-ownership-changes">notify end-users when a plugin&rsquo;s owner changes</a>. The post was not entirely based on theory. There have been some cases of real-world confusion. The consensus from the comments on that post seemed to be that, yes, such notifications would be welcome.</p>



<p>When I wrote that post, there was already another plugin changing hands. <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/dark-mode/">Dark Mode</a>, which had grown in popularity in its earlier years, had a new owner, WPPool. There were no public notifications of this ownership change. A mere <a href="https://github.com/azizultex/Dark-Mode/issues/173">GitHub issue filed</a>, a corner of the web that few users venture.</p>



<p>Fast forward a few months, and Dark Mode had not only changed owners, but it also had a new name and set of features unrelated to the plugin&rsquo;s original promise. The plugin is now named WP Markdown Editor and bundles at least part of the commercially available <a href="https://useiceberg.com/">Iceberg Editor plugin</a>. It is also a limited version in which users are prompted to upgrade for the complete feature set.</p>



<img />WP Markdown Editor (formerly Dark Mode).



<p>Iceberg is licensed under the GPL version 2, so it is legal for anyone to fork it. However, there does not seem to be any mention of the copyright, and only a few references to the original product remain in the source code.</p>



<p>While I did not perform a line-by-line comparison, it is clearly a fork when examining both plugins. However, the company has also built upon it with new features.</p>



<img />Iceberg Editor.



<p>&ldquo;We have recently added productivity sounds, new fonts (more legibility and one for Dyslexic users), which we think definitely adds value to new users,&rdquo; said the WPPool Team<sup><a href="https://wptavern.com/feed#footnote-1">[1]</a></sup>.</p>



<p>WPPool <a href="https://wppool.dev/introducing-wp-markdown-editor/">announced the WP Markdown Editor plugin</a> in November 2020. However, the post was written as if it was a new product. Technically, it was, but there was no mention of repurposing an existing plugin to launch the features.</p>



<p>The company reached out to the Dark Mode plugin owner in August 2020, which seemed to have changed hands a couple of times, at least. &ldquo;The plugin was discontinued, lacking security updates, compatibility with latest PHP versions, and the project was abandoned,&rdquo; said the WP Pool Team.&rdquo; And, since the last few updates, it was apparent that Classic Editor is not going to stay the same. Gutenberg was the future, and we wanted to give users a Dark Mode for Gutenberg as well.&rdquo;</p>



<p>WPPool was able to adopt the plugin. The company kept the Dark Mode feature original to the plugin. However, they eventually began tacking on new features.</p>



<p>&ldquo;Our intention was to add more features on top of it,&rdquo; said the WPPool Team. &ldquo;Why not create a new plugin? Because the plugin was already being abandoned, and we thought why not add some more features, keep the old functionality intact as well, and put regular updates?&rdquo;</p>



<p>The change clearly left some users frustrated and confused about what was happening with the plugin. Many had installed it in hopes of having a simple method of toggling on a dark mode for the WordPress admin interface.</p>



<img /><a href="https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/dark-mode/reviews/">Reviews</a> after the change.



<p>The plugin now has an &ldquo;Only Dark Mode&rdquo; setting, an option that users can enable to remove the additional features. It is disabled by default.</p>



<p>When asked about whether the addition of seemingly unrelated features abused user trust, the WPPool Team replied, &ldquo;The problem was, since the last few updates of Gutenberg and Classic Editor &mdash; Classic Editor uses an iframe to load its content. It&rsquo;s not possible for the Dark Mode plugin to serve the Dark Mode in Classic Editor anymore. That&rsquo;s why some users were really frustrated. We really tried hard to restore that functionality to Classic Editor as well, but the way it is, we couldn&rsquo;t find a way to invoke Dark Mode on Classic Editor.&rdquo;</p>



<p>While some support questions and reviews indicate the frustration with losing Classic Editor support, many others questioned the addition of features that make little sense as part of a dark-mode plugin.</p>



<p>&ldquo;This used to be a dark mode feature plugin, but now it&rsquo;s been turned into a Markdown editor,&rdquo; <a href="https://wordpress.org/support/topic/markdown-editor-3/">wrote Derrick Tennant</a>, an earlier contributor to the plugin. &ldquo;A complete bait and switch.&rdquo;</p>



<p>Another user named <em>rehoff</em> <a href="https://wordpress.org/support/topic/another-one-bites-the-dust-2/#post-14197364">had similar concerns</a>, stating, &ldquo;I still believe that it is not ok to so radically repurpose an otherwise popular plugin. I find it misleading.&rdquo;</p>



<p>Back to the original question I posed last year, another user summed up the answer with a review titled &ldquo;<a href="https://wordpress.org/support/topic/this-plugin-has-been-sold-for-sure/">This plugin has been sold for sure</a>.&rdquo;</p>



<p>In private, one person has said that it feels like the team is capitalizing on the plugin&rsquo;s active install base, which currently sits at 3,000+.</p>



<p>Adding to the potential confusion, the company has a separate and unrelated plugin named <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-dark-mode/">WP Dark Mode</a>. A <a href="https://wordpress.org/support/topic/do-not-install-deceptive-developer/">reviewer noted on that plugin</a>:</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>This same developer had another plugin called Dark Mode. They apparently sold the plugin to someone and now it&rsquo;s a random Markdown plugin with a terrible UI. All of a sudden, this random Markdown editor that I don&rsquo;t want or need is on my site.</p><p>Who knows what this plugin will become when they get enough users and decide to CA$H IN AGAIN??</p><p>If you like having random plugins installed on your site, give it a whirl. Otherwise it may be best to look for a different solution.</p></blockquote>



<p>This case is unique because the Dark Mode plugin was once a <a href="https://wptavern.com/dark-mode-is-possibly-coming-to-a-wordpress-dashboard-near-you">feature proposal for core WordPress</a>. Daniel James, the original creator, started the process to make this a reality in 2018. There was support for the idea, but it never jumped the hurdles needed for inclusion or a more formal proposal.</p>



<p>James put the plugin <a href="https://wptavern.com/dark-mode-wordpress-plugin-up-for-adoption">up for adoption in 2019</a>, stating that he was stepping back from plugin development but hoped that someone would pick it up. David Gwyer <a href="https://wptavern.com/dark-mode-wordpress-plugin-up-for-adoption#comment-282848">picked it up</a> shortly after, eventually making two updates to the plugin. The plugin&rsquo;s <a href="https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/dark-mode/">commit history</a> shows that Tennant started contributing several months later before WPPool landed on the scene.</p>



<p>While Dark Mode was never officially endorsed by WordPress or given the green light for merging into the core platform, there was still a level of trust that some might expect from a plugin that was at least proposed as a feature.</p>



<p>Perhaps this is one of those cases where an ownership-change notification would have been warranted, but that notice would not have solved the issues that came months later.</p>



<p>The developers did note the new Markdown editor in the plugin&rsquo;s change log: &ldquo;New: Write post/ page with markdown syntax (Markdown Editor).&rdquo; However, it is doubtful the average user read or understood what that meant. Maybe a more thorough disclosure system is necessary, and would such a system cover cases where plugins are repurposed?</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator" />



<p id="footnote-1"><strong>1:</strong> I have attributed quotes to the &ldquo;WPPool Team&rdquo; throughout this article. I was able to reach the company through their Facebook chat. However, the team did not provide a person&rsquo;s name and role within the company for attribution. At the moment, I still do not know which employee(s) I spoke with directly.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Wed, 05 May 2021 22:51:13 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14:"Justin Tadlock";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:19;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:87:"WPTavern: Jetpack 9.7 Makes More Features Available without Connecting to WordPress.com";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=116112";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:219:"https://wptavern.com/jetpack-9-7-makes-more-features-available-without-connecting-to-wordpress-com?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=jetpack-9-7-makes-more-features-available-without-connecting-to-wordpress-com";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:2707:"<p><a href="https://jetpack.com/2021/05/04/97-improvements-for-your-site/">Jetpack 9.7</a> was released today with updates under the hood that ensure the plugin&rsquo;s blocks are compatible with the <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2021/04/curious-about-full-site-editing/">full-site editing</a> features coming in WordPress 5.8. It also changes how sites access features that require the WordPress.com infrastructure.</p>



<p>A <a href="https://github.com/Automattic/jetpack/pull/19637">pull request</a> merged in version 9.7 changes the connection flow to make Jetpack active as soon as the plugin enables a site level connection, instead of requiring a user to authenticate with WordPress.com in order for it to work. This is what the Jetpack team has been referring to as &ldquo;user-less&rdquo; in development.</p>



<p>The <a href="https://github.com/Automattic/jetpack/pull/19614">copy has been updated</a> for this step so that after Jetpack is connected on a site level, it says, &ldquo;Jetpack is activated! Unlock more amazing features by connecting a user account.&rdquo; </p>



<p>Jetpack users who connect their sites will immediately have access to Stats, Site Accelerator, most Jetpack blocks, widget visibility, SEO tools, Related Posts, Likes, and many more modules. Other features, such as Publicize, Activity Log, Monitor, and Backup require you to authorize Jetpack to perform these actions on your behalf.</p>



<p>A new documentation <a href="https://jetpack.com/support/why-the-wordpress-com-connection-is-important-for-jetpack/">page</a> details why a WordPress.com connection is necessary for certain features, bringing more transparency to what has been a contentious topic in the past. The new page outlines which features are available for site connections versus authenticated WordPress.com accounts. These specific updates in 9.7 do not change any of the data or activity that Jetpack tracks or uses.</p>



<p>The general public was not privy to the product discussion behind making more features immediately available to user-less accounts, but there are a few reasons this is a good business idea. It allows users to get started faster so they get hooked into using more features on their sites before being forced to connect to a WordPress.com account. This will likely reduce the number of users who install the plugin but decide not to move forward because of needing to connect an account.</p>



<p>Jetpack 9.7 also brings performance improvements to the Carousel feature, several bug fixes for Instant Search, and more. The full list of enhancements and fixes can be found in the <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/jetpack/#developers">changelog</a>.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Wed, 05 May 2021 03:35:31 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:20;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:84:"WPTavern: It Is Time for WordPress Theme Authors To Step Up Their Block Pattern Game";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=116137";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:213:"https://wptavern.com/it-is-time-for-wordpress-theme-authors-to-step-up-their-block-pattern-game?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=it-is-time-for-wordpress-theme-authors-to-step-up-their-block-pattern-game";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:7703:"<p class="has-drop-cap">Going through my routine this week, I skimmed the latest WordPress theme releases and found a new project that supported the block editor.  It even shipped a few custom patterns. While the design was nothing extraordinary, it was a solid theme overall. However, after spending the better part of today writing about it, I did not think I could move forward with the story. Something was bugging me.</p>



<p>It was the same thing I have felt with several others as of late. There were too many missed opportunities. The theme had the foundation, the underlying potential, to be more than it was.</p>



<p>The theme had a commercial &ldquo;pro&rdquo; version that users could purchase. However, nearly every pro feature relied on old-school tactics of upselling extra theme options. The one exception was a block-related feature that will be free as part of the Global Styles component likely to ship with WordPress later this year.</p>



<p>Where were the custom block styles? Where could a user snag some unique patterns? Extra nav menus, sidebars, color settings, and typography options are becoming less and less of a value-add for end-users. It is probably safe money right now, and I can understand the comfort of not taking too many chances.</p>



<p>Theme authors need to start shifting gears. Upsells need to come in the form of features that will not be available from stock WordPress. Right now, that means building unique block patterns and styles.</p>



<h2>Exploring Pattern Ideas</h2>



<p class="has-drop-cap">In the last month, I have been tinkering with custom patterns. While I was in the design and development business for over a decade, what I was able to accomplish with the block editor alone &mdash; using no custom code &mdash; and a well-rounded block-ready theme is merely scratching the surface. We have far better talent in the WordPress community, and I want to see their artistry unleashed.</p>



<p>It all started with the WP Tavern <a href="https://wptavern.com/podcast">Jukebox podcast</a> &mdash; you should check out episodes <a href="https://wptavern.com/podcast/1-josepha-haden-chomphosy-on-the-past-present-and-future-of-wordpress">#1</a> and <a href="https://wptavern.com/podcast/2-anne-mccarthy-on-how-full-site-editing-will-impact-wordpress">#2</a> if you have not heard them already. Nathan Wrigley, the new host, pushed me enough to put my design-and-dev cap back on to implement some features that he needed. Over the years, I have not worked much with podcasting or any type of audio. This was new territory for me. Ultimately, the podcast inspired me to think about audio patterns.</p>



<p><em>What is possible with WordPress&rsquo;s editor today?</em></p>



<p>I scoured the web for various layouts, looking for modern audio presentations. Numerous concepts were impossible for an end-user to implement from the editor alone. They would need extensive custom block styles from the themes themselves. And, there were several designs that I simply did not think could be done at all, but these typically had plugin-territory elements.</p>



<p>However, I did find ideas that I could run with and make my own. I started with a simple audio file from <em>The Martian</em> soundtrack &mdash; I had re-watched the movie the night before and was on a David Bowie kick.</p>



<img />Soundtrack single audio pattern.



<p>It was simple. Just add Group, Columns, Image, Paragraph, Heading, Audio, and Social Icons blocks. I was happy with the result, and some of my Twitter followers <a href="https://twitter.com/justintadlock/status/1380199029955567623">responded positively</a>.</p>



<p>Inspired by the support, I created an alternative layout. It was even simpler by adding Cover, Paragraph, Heading, Audio, and Social Icons blocks.</p>



<img />Audio embed pattern nested in a Cover block.



<p>Based on the original pattern, I built one that used a SoundCloud embed instead of the Audio block. I also created another with some alterations that catered more toward podcasters.</p>



<ul><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><img /></li><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><img /></li></ul>SoundCloud audio and podcasting patterns.



<p>As I dived deeper into this project, the more capable I became at creating layouts. I began to understand what some of the limitations were and piecing everything together around them.</p>



<p>One of the most problematic areas with the editor is that it does not hand over enough spacing control. Therefore, I had to make liberal use of the Spacer block, something I prefer not to use because it relies on pixel units and puts an extra <code>&lt;div&gt;</code> into the markup. To build some patterns, I had to become a little less of a purist and just use the available tools.</p>



<p>That change in mindset opened some more possibilities. I built a couple more audio-related block patterns. They were, again, simple layouts, but I wanted to make them stand out visually with imagery that end-users could add. The goal is to give users one-click access to pre-designed sections, starting points where people can showcase their own creativity.</p>



<ul><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><img /></li><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><img /></li></ul>DJ and musician block patterns.



<p>The next step was to start thinking beyond audio patterns. There is so much more others can do in that space. I wanted to venture out a bit more.</p>



<p>I have since built several other patterns like the following news-type article header that I would love to use on the Tavern in the future:</p>



<img />News or data-driven article header pattern.



<p>I could share more concepts, but this seems like an ideal place to stop. The goal is not to showcase my portfolio of patterns. It is to inspire our theme design community in hopes that they build something far better. I also wanted to show how easy it was to pop out a few patterns. Instead of hours of development time, many ideas were cut down to mere minutes. That is the power the block system provides today.</p>



<p>When I wrote about the block system creating <a href="https://wptavern.com/block-system-will-create-more-commercial-opportunities-for-wordpress-theme-authors">commercial opportunities for theme authors</a> in January, it was a theoretical post. This is a follow-up that puts it into a little more practice (without the actual selling, of course).</p>



<p>Imagine, as a theme company, you are building a freemium theme for musicians. You might want to include a few base patterns for users to choose from. However, there is an endless number of alternatives you could offer as part of a pro package.</p>



<p>I am sure there is already a theme author/company out there right now with a multi-purpose theme concept in mind that will eventually have hundreds of patterns. I can only hope that they have a solid categorization system or offer separate packages or imports.</p>



<p>The <a href="https://wptavern.com/first-look-at-initial-designs-for-wordpress-block-pattern-directory">block pattern directory</a> is slated to land alongside WordPress 5.8. At first, it will primarily be core patterns. However, others will be encouraged to contribute over time. This is a welcome feature for the platform, but it will never match every theme design perfectly. Each theme has its own design nuances. Each has different methods of solving problems.</p>



<p>The best patterns will come from theme authors themselves, especially when combined with custom block styles, packaged and marketed as part of their theme&rsquo;s experience. Developers can wait until the entire market catches up or jump ahead of the game.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Tue, 04 May 2021 23:08:02 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14:"Justin Tadlock";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:21;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:54:"WordPress.org blog: The Month in WordPress: April 2021";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:35:"https://wordpress.org/news/?p=10253";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:69:"https://wordpress.org/news/2021/05/the-month-in-wordpress-april-2021/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:11511:"<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>As WordPress grows, both in usage as a CMS and in participation as a community, it’s important for us to shed the idea that software creation is only about what literally can be done to code or what literally can be done to core or what literally can be done to the CMS.&nbsp;</p></blockquote>



<p class="has-drop-cap">That was <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/chanthaboune/">Josepha Haden Chomphosy</a> on the “<a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2021/04/your-opinion-is-our-opportunity/">Your Opinion is Our Opportunity</a>” episode of the <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/podcast/">WP Briefing Podcast</a>, speaking about the importance of co-development and testing for the continued growth and maintenance of WordPress. This month’s updates align closely with these ideas. Read on and see for yourself.&nbsp;</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator" />



<h2>WordPress 5.7.1 is launched</h2>



<p>WordPress security and maintenance release &#8211; <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2021/04/wordpress-5-7-1-security-and-maintenance-release/">5.7.1</a> came out in April. The release fixes two major security issues and includes 26 bug fixes. You can update to the latest version directly from your WordPress dashboard or by <a href="https://wordpress.org/download/">downloading</a> it from WordPress.org.</p>



<p>Want to contribute to WordPress 5.8? Check out the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/5-8/">5.8 Development Cycle</a>. To contribute to core, head over to <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/">Trac</a>, and<a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/report/6"> pick a 5.8 ticket</a> –– more info in the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/">Core Contributor Handbook</a>. Don’t forget to join the WordPress <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/C02RQBWTW">#core</a> channel in the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/chat/">Make WordPress Slack</a> and follow the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/">Core Team blog</a>. The Core Team hosts weekly chats on Wednesdays at <a href="https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?hour=5&min=00&sec=0">5 AM</a> and <a href="https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?hour=20&min=00&sec=0">8 PM</a> UTC.&nbsp;</p>



<h2>Gutenberg Version 10.3, 10.4, and 10.5 are out</h2>



<p>Contributor teams released Gutenberg <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/04/02/whats-new-in-gutenberg-10-3-31-march/">version 10.3</a> on April 2, <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/04/14/whats-new-in-gutenberg-10-4-14-april/">version 10.4</a> on April 14, and <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/04/30/whats-new-in-gutenberg-10-5-28-april/">version 10.5</a> on April 30! <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/04/02/whats-new-in-gutenberg-10-3-31-march/">Version 10.3</a> improves the block toolbar and the navigation editor, whereas <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/04/14/whats-new-in-gutenberg-10-4-14-april/">version 10.4</a> adds block widgets to the customizer and improvements to the site editor list view. In <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/04/30/whats-new-in-gutenberg-10-5-28-april/">version 10.5</a>, you will find a set of new block patterns and enhancements to the template editing mode, along with the ability to embed PDFs.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Want to get involved in building Gutenberg? Follow <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/">the Core Team blog</a>, contribute to <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/">Gutenberg on GitHub</a>, and join the <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/C02QB2JS7">#core-editor</a> channel in the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/chat/">Make WordPress Slack</a>. The “<a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/03/08/whats-next-in-gutenberg-march-2021/">What’s next in Gutenberg</a>” post offers more details on the latest updates. If you are unfamiliar with the Gutenberg plugin, <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2021/04/become-an-early-adopter-with-the-gutenberg-plugin/">learn more in this post</a>.</p>



<h2>Full Site Editing updates</h2>



<p>Following the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/04/15/full-site-editing-go-no-go-april-14-2021/">Full Site Editing (FSE) feature demo</a> hosted by <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/matveb/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Matías Ventura</a>, the project leadership decided that WordPress 5.8 will only include some FSE features, such as a template editor for pages/blank templates, a widget editor screen, and the theme.json mechanism. Other features like the Global Styles interface and Site Editor (managing all templates) will be made available later. The team has <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/04/20/full-site-editing-go-no-go-next-steps/">started working on the next steps</a> in shipping these chosen FSE features with version 5.8.</p>



<p>New to FSE? Check out <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2021/04/curious-about-full-site-editing/">this blog post</a> for a high-level overview of the project. You can help test FSE by participating in the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2021/04/14/fse-program-testing-call-5-query-quest/">latest FSE Outreach Program testing call </a>–– leave your feedback by May 5th. Want to participate in future testing calls? Stay updated by following the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2021/04/22/upcoming-fse-outreach-program-schedule/">FSE outreach schedule</a>. You can also <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2021/04/28/fse-program-bring-your-questions-round-two/">submit your questions</a> around FSE right now.</p>



<h2>WordCamp Europe 2021 is on the calendar</h2>



<p>One of the most exciting WordPress events,&nbsp; <a href="https://europe.wordcamp.org/2021/">WordCamp Europe 2021</a>, will be held online on June 7-9, 2021! Event organizers have opened up calls for <a href="https://europe.wordcamp.org/2021/call-for-sponsors/">sponsors</a> and <a href="https://europe.wordcamp.org/2021/call-for-media-partners-and-supporters/">media partners</a>. Free tickets for the event will be available soon — <a href="https://europe.wordcamp.org/2021/#subscribe-email">sign up for email updates</a> to be notified when they are out!</p>



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<h2>Further Reading</h2>



<ul><li>WordPress now powers <a href="https://w3techs.com/technologies/details/cm-wordpress">41% of the web</a>!</li><li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/updates/2021/04/15/quarterly-updates-q1-2021/">Q1 2021 updates from the WordPress project</a> have been published.</li><li>The Core Team discussed a <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/04/18/proposal-treat-floc-as-a-security-concern/">proposal</a> to treat Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoC), a Google Chrome feature, as a security concern. The team <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/04/18/proposal-treat-floc-as-a-security-concern/#comment-41207">eventually decided</a> to track the status of the FLoC trial/implementation in a <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/53069">Trac ticket</a> and monitor periodically.&nbsp;</li><li>The Core Team will <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/04/22/ie-11-support-phase-out-plan/">remove Internet Explorer 11 support in WordPress version 5.8</a>.&nbsp;</li><li>The Community Team has opened up a <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/community/2021/04/26/discussing-the-path-to-in-person-wordcamps/">discussion on the path to in-person WordCamps</a> and is requesting feedback from community members.</li><li>The Community Team is also <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/community/2021/04/19/discussion-companies-who-run-competitive-ads-against-wordpress-and-apply-to-sponsor-wordcamps/">requesting feedback</a> on whether companies who run competitive ads against WordPress can apply to sponsor WordCamps.&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://centroamerica.wordcamp.org/2021/">WordCamp Centroamérica 2021</a> and <a href="https://greece.wordcamp.org/2021/">WordCamp Greece 2021</a> were held successfully in April. Videos of WordCamp Centroamérica are now available <a href="https://wordpress.tv/event/wordcamp-centroamerica-2021/">on WordPress.tv</a>! While you are at it, don&#8217;t miss this<a href="https://central.wordcamp.org/news/2021/04/29/making-a-great-online-conference-experience-at-wordcamp-prague/"> excellent recap of WordCamp Prague 2021</a> on the WordCamp Central blog.</li><li>Contributor teams are actively working on building the <a href="https://wordpress.org/patterns/">Block Pattern Directory</a>. You can read about work updates on this project from the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/meta/2021/04/28/block-pattern-directory-update/">Meta Team</a> and the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/design/2021/03/30/wordpress-org-patterns-directory/">Design Team</a>.</li><li>Check out the <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2021/04/getting-started-with-the-figma-wordpress-design-library/">blog post on getting started with the Figma WordPress Design Library</a>. You can use the library to create design prototypes for the WordPress UI in <a href="https://www.figma.com/">Figma</a>.</li><li>The Polyglots Team is making significant progress on the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/polyglots/2021/04/26/polyglots-training-working-group-update-3/">Polyglots Training course</a>.</li><li>The Training Team has <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/training/2021/04/23/discussion-contributor-ladders-for-the-training-team-and-learn-wordpress/">proposed a contributor ladder</a> as a resource for team contributors to understand ways to participate and find growth opportunities.&nbsp;</li><li>The <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/Requests">Requests library</a> has moved to the WordPress GitHub organization and has a new release: <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/Requests/releases/tag/v1.8.0">version 1.8.0</a>.&nbsp;</li><li>The Docs Team is<a href="https://make.wordpress.org/docs/2021/04/05/update-on-the-revision-of-documentation/"> working on redesigning HelpHub</a> by reviewing its content and design.</li><li>The Themes Team has shared a proposal on <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/themes/2021/04/22/removing-blockers-for-block-themes/">fixing upload issues for block themes</a>.</li><li><a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2021/04/people-of-wordpress-tyler-lau/">Tyler Lau</a> from the U.S. was featured in April’s <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/category/heropress/">People of WordPress</a>.</li></ul>



<p><em>Have a story that we should include in the next “Month in WordPress” post? Please </em><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/community/month-in-wordpress-submissions/"><em>submit it using this form</em></a><em>.</em></p>



<p><em>The following folks contributed to April’s Month in WordPress: <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/andreamiddleton/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>andreamiddleton</a> <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/cbringmann/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>cbringmann</a> <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/chaion07/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>chaion07</a> <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/hlashbrooke/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>hlashbrooke</a> and <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jrf/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>jrf</a>&nbsp;</em></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Tue, 04 May 2021 15:00:06 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14:"Hari Shanker R";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:22;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:54:"WPTavern: A WordPress Voting Guide to the Webby Awards";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=115895";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:153:"https://wptavern.com/a-wordpress-voting-guide-to-the-webby-awards?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-wordpress-voting-guide-to-the-webby-awards";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:7486:"<p>The People&rsquo;s Voice voting for the <a href="https://vote.webbyawards.com/">25th annual Webby Awards</a> closes in three days on May 6, 2021. Since 1996, the Webbys have recognized excellence on the internet among what is now seven major media types: websites, video, advertising, media and PR, social, apps, mobile, voice, games, and podcasts. After nearly 13,500 entries were submitted from 70 different countries, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iadas.net/">International Academy of Digital Arts &amp; Sciences</a> selected fewer than 10% as Nominees and opened voting on April 20. </p>



<p>WordPress is well-represented among nominees and honorees in the website category. In fact, nearly every single sub-category of five nominees includes at least one WordPress site. If you want to vote for the WordPress sites linked below, <strong>click on the category name to view the five nominees and vote for your favorite one</strong>. Just remember that you can only vote for one site in each category to win the Webby People&rsquo;s Voice.</p>



<p>In the <a href="https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2021/websites-and-mobile-sites/general-websites-and-mobile-sites/government-civil-innovation">Government &amp; Civil Innovation</a> category, 4 out of 5 nominees are powered by WordPress. The current front-runner, <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/">WhiteHouse.gov</a>, was built by the Wide Eye agency with help from 10up, and a team of many others. The website uses the block editor with a highly customized site editing and management experience.</p>



<p><em><strong>Update:</strong> WordPress actually sweeps this category with 5/5 nominations, as we just learned the <a href="https://xqsuperschool.org/">XQ Super Schools</a> site is a headless WordPress + Gatsby + WPGraphQL site. The <a href="https://politicalplaylist.com/">Political Playlist</a> site is also a is headless WordPress site using NuxtJS + WPGraphQL.</em></p>



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<p>10up has another competing site in that same <a href="https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2021/websites-and-mobile-sites/general-websites-and-mobile-sites/government-civil-innovation">Government &amp; Civil Innovation</a> category, <a href="https://www.grants.ca.gov/">The California Grants Portal</a>. The company designed and built a web portal for state agencies to submit their grant data. </p>



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<p>10up also worked on another nominated site, <a href="https://theundefeated.com/">The Undefeated</a>, which was recently migrated to the block editor. The site is contending in the <a href="https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2021/websites-and-mobile-sites/general-websites-and-mobile-sites/cultural-blogwebsite">Cultural Blog/Website</a> category against two other WordPress-powered sites: <a href="https://www.nybooks.com/">The New York Review of Books</a> and <a href="https://www.culturetype.com/">Culture Type</a>.</p>



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<p>Web developer Daniel Schutzsmith shared in Post Status&rsquo; Slack that a site he built custom Gutenberg blocks for is up for a Webby under the <a href="https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2021/websites-and-mobile-sites/general-websites-and-mobile-sites/professional-services-self-promotion">Professional Services &amp; Self-Promotion</a> category. The site, <a href="https://www.audouy.com/">audouy.com</a>, is a portfolio for production designer Fran&ccedil;ois Audouy. </p>



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<p>Real estate has been a hot industry over the past year and 2 out 5 nominees in the <a href="https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2021/websites-and-mobile-sites/general-websites-and-mobile-sites/real-estate">Real Estate category</a> are running on WordPress: <a href="https://www.tripointehomes.com/">Tri Pointe Homes</a>, a US-based builder site, and Zillow&rsquo;s &ldquo;<a href="https://www.zillow.com/z/c/what-moved-us/">What Moved Us</a>&rdquo; site. Zillow is currently in 2nd place with its WordPress-powered landing page that details visitors&rsquo; search behavior.  It also displays surprising facts from this past year of sales and searches, such as &ldquo;In 2020, 1 in 8 people made an offer sight unseen.&rdquo; The page is beautifully illustrated and looks just as good on mobile as it does on desktop.</p>



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<p>In the <a href="https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2021/websites-and-mobile-sites/general-websites-and-mobile-sites/activism">Activism category</a>, Amnesty International&rsquo;s WordPress-powered <a href="https://teargas.amnesty.org/#top">Tear Gas investigation website</a> is leading the way in 1st place right now. <a href="https://visualizenyc.net/">Visualize NYC 2021</a>, the other WordPress site in this category, is currently in 5th place. Both are powerful examples of primarily black and white design created to evoke a response from the visitor.</p>



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<p>In the <a href="https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2021/websites-and-mobile-sites/general-websites-and-mobile-sites/charitable-organizationsnon-profit">Charitable Organizations/Non-profit category</a>, 3 out of 5 nominees are using WordPress, including <a href="https://www.everytown.org/">Everytown</a>, <a href="https://antisemitism.adl.org/">Antisemitism Uncovered</a>, and the <a href="https://photography2020.org/">Photography 20/20 Compendium</a>. Each design is wildly different from the next and it&rsquo;s tough to tell that these are WordPress sites without viewing the source code. Everytown, a gun violence prevention organization, leads the pack in this category, followed by Antisemitism Uncovered in 2nd place, and the Photography 20/20 Compendium in 5th place.</p>



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<p>The <a href="https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2021/websites-and-mobile-sites/general-websites-and-mobile-sites/law">Law category</a> is also dominated by WordPress sites with 3 out of 5 nominees using the software to create compelling designs. <a href="https://www.sexualharassment-california.com/">Gilleon Law Firm</a>, which handles sexual harassment cases, is currently in first place by a wide margin, followed by two other WordPress sites, <a href="https://ashcroftlawfirm.com/">Ashcroft</a> and <a href="https://www.chamblisslaw.com/">Chambliss, Bahner &amp; Stophel P.C.</a>, in 2nd and 4th place. If you build websites for attorneys, these sites should provide some solid design inspiration. </p>



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<p>One thrilling byproduct of the Gutenberg project can be seen in these nominations: As more of digital forerunners adopt the block editor and explore its limits, WordPress site designs have become less predictable and more vibrant. </p>



<p>These nominations are just a handful of the best WordPress sites nominated for a Webby, and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iadas.net/">International Academy of Digital Arts &amp; Sciences</a> site is also running on WordPress. If you find more WordPress site nominations or want to share one you worked on, please leave a link in the comments. Webby People&rsquo;s Voice voting closes on May 6, 2021, so there is still time to help your favorite websites take first place. Winners will be announced on May 18, 2021.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Mon, 03 May 2021 18:22:42 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:23;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:131:"Gutenberg Times: New Era for WordPress Themes in 2021 – Updates and voices around WordPress 5.8 release  – Weekend Edition #167";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:35:"https://gutenbergtimes.com/?p=17643";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:132:"https://gutenbergtimes.com/new-era-for-wordpress-themes-in-2021-updates-and-voices-around-wordpress-5-8-release-weekend-edition-167/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:25064:"<p>Howdy, </p>



<p>Happy May 2021! We are a third into 2021. Phew. </p>





<p>I can&#8217;t tell you how relieved I feel that my husband and me as well as many US friends got vaccine shots. It&#8217;s also bitter-sweet and sad. In other places of the world there are again lock-downs.  Hospitals are filling up fast. Hundreds of thousands new infections. People dying. Distribution of vaccines is slow, if there is any available at all. The WordPress community spans all around the globe. We are not out of the woods. We still have friends and business partners in places of crisis. The team of the New York Times curated this list: &#8220;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/india-covid-how-to-help.html">How to Help India Amid the Covid Crisis</a>&#8220;. Consider donating and ask your employer if they have matching programs. <br /><br />How are you and your communities weathering the epidemic 14 months later? Please share in a reply!</p>



<p>Hang in there, my friends. Stay safe. 😷</p>



<p>Yours, 💕<br />Birgit</p>



<h2>WordPress 5.8: Four weeks to Feature Freeze: </h2>



<p>The Gutenberg and WordPress Core team is gearing up for the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/5-8/">next major release 5.8</a> in July 2021. We are less than four weeks and two more Gutenberg plugin releases away from feature freeze.  </p>



<h3>Goals of Gutenberg updates for the next major WordPress release</h3>



<p>In the last two or three weeks, I listened to the interviews and Q &amp; As. I learned the team working on the block-editor pieces for this release has two goals: </p>



<p>First, to release enough stable tools for developers and designers to start using aspects of Full-site editing in their themes, via theme.json and hybrid constructs for classic themes.  The hope is that by the time the rest of Full-Site-Editing interface is released to the users in December 2020, there are plenty of block-based themes and block patterns available from the community of extenders.</p>



<p>Second, to introduce the new <em>page template feature</em>. It&#8217;s a new way to use the block editor to create and modify page templates for landing pages. This will be the first time in WordPress that a content creator or site owner would be able to change headers and footer for single pages. This takes a bit of a switch in the publishing / producing mindset. Gutenberg developers are hoping here for plenty of user feedback to make sure that the new blocks and in their new context, the user-facing elements are clear enough to handle in this smaller scope of a single page before the expanded version of Full-site editing is released in December 2021, that allows users to create and modify site-wide templates, template parts and to build new themes. </p>



<h3>Block-Editor Features to come to  WordPress 5.8</h3>



<p>After the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/04/15/full-site-editing-go-no-go-april-14-2021/">Go/NoGo meeting and decision</a>, technical lead <strong>Hector Prieto </strong>published <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/04/20/full-site-editing-go-no-go-next-steps/"><strong>Full Site Editing Go/No Go: Next steps</strong></a> with more details around the full scope of the block editor pieces for WordPress 5.8 </p>



<ul><li>Gutenberg plugin releases 9.9 &#8211; 10.7</li><li>First version of theme.json for theme builders of block-based themes. </li><li>Theme Blocks (Query, Navigation, Site information)</li><li>Template Editing with the post editor</li><li>Widget Editor and block widgets in Customizer</li><li>Persistent List view in the post editor</li><li>Duotone (Image filter) block supports</li><li>Gallery block refactor</li></ul>



<p>In the post you&#8217;ll find links to issues and pr for even more details. </p>



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<h2>Increased Buzz about Full-Site Editing</h2>



<p>On the WordPress News site, there were a few posts regarding the block-editor and Full-Site Editing. Using the WordPress News space to published more frequently about the ongoing development and ideas is one part of the stronger communication outreach planned for this new feature release. The more intense communication about Full-site editing from the core team is a direct result from the feedback from the WordPress community after the first  Gutenberg release in 2018. </p>



<p><a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2021/04/curious-about-full-site-editing/"><strong>Curious about Full-Site Editing</strong></a> by <a href="https://twitter.com/JosephaHaden"><strong>Josepha Haden Chomphosy</strong></a>. A short article on what Full-site Editing is and how it will affect different kinds of users. You have been following Full-site Editing for a while now. So it&#8217;s not necessarily for you. It is a great first article to share with WordPress users and co-workers that hear about Full-site editing for the first time. The resources share are good starting place to catch up. </p>



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<p>The second article wasn&#8217;t about Full-site editing, so much but about the Gutenberg. <strong>Anne McCarthy </strong>posted <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2021/04/become-an-early-adopter-with-the-gutenberg-plugin/"><strong>Become an Early Adopter With the Gutenberg Plugin</strong></a>, and tackled the various terms, we have mostly used as synonyms between Gutenberg, block-editor etc. Also, a good place to start, if someone likes to dive deeper into Gutenberg beyond the WordPress Core implementation. </p>



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<p>The latest article in the WordPress News section, is the tutorial <a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2021/04/getting-started-with-the-figma-wordpress-design-library/"><strong>Getting Started with the Figma WordPress Design Library</strong></a> by <strong>James Koster.</strong> Learn how to quickly create design prototypes for WordPress UI in <a href="https://www.figma.com/">Figma</a>, a collaborative interface design tool. The tutorial is quite comprehensive and not only shows you how you work with it. Being knowledgeable about Figma can also jump start contributing to WordPress as it&#8217;s the tool of choice by the WordPress design team.</p>



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<p>WP Briefing is the new podcast hosted by <strong>Josepha Haden Chomphosy</strong>. In her fifth episode, she was  <strong><a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2021/03/talking-full-site-editing-with-matias-ventura/">Talking Full Site Editing with Matías Ventura</a></strong> (<em>ICYMI</em>). Josepha and <a href="https://twitter.com/matias_ventura">Matías</a> answered user questions, from “is full site editing a standalone plugin?” to “will full site editing break my current site?”. The episode comes with a transcript. </p>



<h2>Gutenberg Release and Block editor updates</h2>



<p>In <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/04/23/core-editor-improvement-refining-the-block-toolbar/"><strong>Core Editor Improvement: Refining the Block Toolbar</strong></a>, Anne McCarthy elaborates on the refinement and standardization implemented for the Block Toolbar with the goal to simplify the hierarchy of the block, to make it more predictable what goes where.&nbsp;Below graphic is part of the newly updated <a href="https://developer.wordpress.org/block-editor/how-to-guides/designers/block-design/#group-block-toolbar-controls-with-related-items">Best practices for Block Design</a> page of the developer handbook. </p>



<img />



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<p>This week Gutenberg 10.5 was released and in short succession v 10.5.1, v 10.5.2 and v 10.5.3. to fixing regression bugs. <a href="https://twitter.com/ajitbohra"><strong>Ajit Bohra </strong></a>wrote about <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/04/30/whats-new-in-gutenberg-10-5-28-april/"><strong>What’s New In Gutenberg 10.5</strong></a>. 15 new block patterns made it into the release and template editing is now also available for classic themes. For the latter, exercise optimistic caution should you use the Gutenberg plugin in productions. Many, many more changes came to the block-editor. <em>Grzegorz Ziolkowski and I recorded our take on it for the <a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/podcast">Gutenberg Changelog</a> podcast yesterday, and it should come to your favorite pod catcher over the weekend. </em></p>



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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/justintadlock"><strong>Justin Tadlock</strong> </a>shared his experience in his post <a href="https://wptavern.com/gutenberg-10-5-embeds-pdfs-adds-verse-block-color-options-and-introduces-new-patterns"><strong>Gutenberg 10.5 Embeds PDFs, Adds Verse Block Color Options, and Introduces New Patterns</strong></a></p>




<p><strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/references/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&#8220;Keeping up with Gutenberg &#8211; Index 2021&#8221;</a>&nbsp;</strong><br />A chronological list of the WordPress Make Blog posts from various teams involved in Gutenberg development: Design, Theme Review Team, Core Editor, Core JS, Core CSS, Test and Meta team from Jan. 2021 on. <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/references/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index/keeping-up-with-gutenberg-index-2020/">The index 2020 is here</a></p>




<h2>Block Pattern Directory</h2>



<p>Speaking of Block Patterns, <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/ryelle">Kelly Choyce-Dwan</a></strong> posted the <strong><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/meta/2021/04/28/block-pattern-directory-update/">Block Pattern Directory Update</a> </strong>from the Meta team. She invites you to follow along on the site that is a red-hat zone for now, but it already gives you a good idea on how it is going to work. Check it out on<a href="https://make.wordpress.org/meta/2021/04/28/block-pattern-directory-update/"> wordpress.org/patterns</a>. The patterns are arranged in squares in five categories: <a href="https://wordpress.org/patterns/pattern-categories/buttons/">Buttons</a>, <a href="https://wordpress.org/patterns/pattern-categories/columns/">Columns</a>, <a href="https://wordpress.org/patterns/pattern-categories/gallery/">Gallery</a>, <a href="https://wordpress.org/patterns/pattern-categories/header/">Header</a>, <a href="https://wordpress.org/patterns/pattern-categories/text/">Text</a>. You click on the square to see a details page with a larger representation and a button “Copy Pattern” or add them to your &#8216;Favorites&#8217;. Although, Kelly wrote that the copy button doesn’t work yet, I quickly tested it, and you can just paste it into your next post, even if you are not in code edit mode.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The meta team is now working on the process for WP.org users to submit patterns into the directory, and the accompanying automated evaluation and moderation feature. WordPress users will be able to find block patterns right from the block editor inserter and add them directly to their post or pages. </p>



<p>Ultimately, the core block patterns will be removed from Gutenberg and made available through the Pattern directory only.  </p>



<h2>Testing Full-Site editing: The outreach program</h2>



<p>The Full-Site Editing Outreach program is in full swing.. Anne McCarthy and dozens of people contribute to WordPress by testing the new feature. </p>



<p><a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/page-template-editor-for-wordpress-5-8-videos-and-plugins-weekend-edition-166/">Since the last Weekend Edition</a>, there were quite a few updates coming out of the program. </p>



<p>🗓️ <strong><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2021/04/22/upcoming-fse-outreach-program-schedule/">Upcoming FSE Outreach Program Schedule</a> &#8211; Synch your calendars! </strong>😂</p>



<p>For anyone who wants to learn more about the program, Anne McCarthy was a guest on the WordPress Jukebox podcast last month. <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/wpbuilds">Nathan Wrigley</a>,</strong> host of the revived WPTavern podcast <strong>Jukebox</strong>, discussed with her <a href="https://wptavern.com/podcast/2-anne-mccarthy-on-how-full-site-editing-will-impact-wordpress"><strong>How Full Site Editing Will Impact WordPress</strong></a> and why the program and its participants are an essential part for a successful implementation of the new features. </p>



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<p>In <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2021/04/20/fse-program-building-a-restaurant-header-summary/"><strong>Building a Restaurant Header Summary</strong></a> you can read a curated list of outcomes and finding from the 4th Call for Testing. </p>



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<p>In this week&#8217;s <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2021/04/29/hallway-hangout-discussion-on-full-site-editing-issues-prs-designs-29-april/"><strong>Hallway Hangout: Discussion on Full Site Editing Issues/PRs/Designs</strong></a>, participants in the FSE program talked through the findings of the last call for testing with <strong>Anne McCarthy</strong>, <strong>Marcus Kazmierczak</strong> and <strong>Sabrina Zeidan</strong>. Using screen sharing and video the groups was able to discuss some of the interface challenges much easier than when just reading through a blog post. This was already the second of this Video chats. The <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2021/04/08/hallway-hangout-discussion-on-full-site-editing-issues-prs-designs-8-april/">first Hallway Hangout chat took place on April 8th, 2021</a>, when Caroline Nymark, Paal Joachim Ramdahl, and Olga Gleckler joined Anne and Marcus. </p>



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<p>You have until May 5th, 2021 to participate and comment on <strong><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2021/04/14/fse-program-testing-call-5-query-quest/">Testing Call #5: Query Quest</a>.</strong></p>



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<p>If you have questions that still need answers, Anne McCarthy<a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2021/04/28/fse-program-bring-your-questions-round-two/"> </a><strong><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/2021/04/28/fse-program-bring-your-questions-round-two/">started the second round</a> of collecting questions</strong> to bring back to the team and get you answers. Bookmark this page, so you can open it quickly when you have another question. If you want to read up on the answers for the previously submitted 47 questions, <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/tag/fse-answers/">follow this link to previous posts of Q &amp; A </a></p>




<p><strong><a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/need-a-zip-from-master/">Need a plugin .zip from Gutenberg&#8217;s main (trunk) branch?</a></strong><br />Gutenberg Times provides daily build for testing and review. <br />Have you been using it? Hit reply and let me know.</p>



<p><img alt="GitHub all releases" src="https://img.shields.io/github/downloads/bph/gutenberg/total?style=for-the-badge" /></p>




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<h2>Developing for Gutenberg </h2>



<p><strong><a href="https://twitter.com/jemjabella">Jem Turner</a></strong>, a reluctant adopter of Gutenberg, has <a href="https://www.jemjabella.co.uk/2021/6-things-i-do-to-make-gutenberg-development-easier/"><strong>six things she does to make developing websites with Gutenberg easier.</strong></a> It&#8217;s a great mix of developer and content creator processes. </p>



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<p><strong>Will Morris</strong> posted <strong><a href="https://torquemag.io/2021/04/custom-gutenberg-block/">How to Create a Custom Gutenberg Block in WordPress (In 3 Steps)</a> </strong>on the Torque Magazine site and helps you how to extend your WordPress site with the <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/genesis-custom-blocks/">Genesis Custom Blocks</a>,  one of the few <em>&#8216;almost&#8217;</em> #nocode block building tools.  </p>



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<p><strong>Do The Woo podcast</strong>, co-hosted by <a href="https://twitter.com/bobWP"><strong>Bob Dunn</strong></a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/ifyouwillit"><strong>Mendel Kurland</strong></a>, discussed <a href="https://dothewoo.io/wordpress-core-and-blocks-with-grzegorz-ziolkowski/"><strong>WordPress Core and Gutenberg Blocks with Grzegorz (Greg) Ziolkowski. </strong></a> They talked about the opportunities of working with blocks in an eCommerce context and beyond full-site editing.&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/gziolo">Grzegorz</a> explained how micro templates and blocks are the building material for more complex implementation and the advantages of the standardized interface for users and extenders in WordPress Core.&nbsp;</p>



<h2>Plugins for the Block Editor</h2>



<p>Speaking of WooCommerce: <strong>Jamie Marsland</strong> shared his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQbn-TRt2pk"><strong>Top 10 Blocks for WooCommerce</strong></a> &#8211; Plugins mentioned: </p>



<ul><li><a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/woo-gutenberg-products-block/">WooCommerce Blocks</a></li><li><a href="https://www.pootlepress.com/storefront-blocks/">Storefront Block</a></li><li><a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/woobuilder/">WooBuilder</a></li></ul>



<h2>New Era for WordPress Themes </h2>



<p><strong><a href="https://twitter.com/andersnoren">Anders Noren</a></strong>, Swedish theme developer and co-author of the WordPress Twenty-Twenty theme, sees <a href="https://andersnoren.se/a-new-era-for-wordpress-themes/"><strong>A New Era for WordPress Themes</strong></a>. In 2021,  we will &#8220;see the introduction of the most significant change to WordPress themes since the modern theme system was released in&nbsp;<a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2005/02/strayhorn/">version 1.5</a>&nbsp;of WordPress, 16 years ago.&#8221;. He has great explanation and insights, and embraces the new era and is happy about the slow release this time around, so theme developers can get familiar with the new tools. &#8220;Developers will have plenty of time to create fully block-based themes by the time the Site Editor and Global Styles are released in WordPress 5.9. And no excuses if they don’t.&#8221; Last month, Anders released a new free theme called <a href="https://andersnoren.se/teman/eksell-wordpress-theme/"><strong>Eskell</strong></a>. Read <a href="https://wptavern.com/eksell-portfolio-theme-now-available-in-wordpress-themes-directory">Sarah Gooding&#8217;s review on  WordPress Tavern.</a> </p>



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<p>The 47th edition of the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/themes/2021/04/30/gutenberg-themes-week-of-apr-26-2021/"><strong>Gutenberg + Themes roundup</strong></a> by <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/one_maggie">Maggie Cabrera</a></strong> from the Themes team, lists all FSE related issues and PRs from the Gutenberg repository that need your attention, your opinion and your comments. The post also provides a list of resources if you are just now getting into block-based theme development. One issue caught my eye specifically: <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/31124"><em>Presets used in patterns: register them as user presets?</em></a> in it Andre explores a way how block pattern could be used across a theme change and still keep their styling. Reading through the comments from the Gutenberg contributors, it&#8217;s clear that there are a few questions still unanswered, when users can change colors. This applies to a few other elements of the themes and blocks, when classes don&#8217;t survive a theme change, and designs in navigation or group blocks lose their background colors. There are quite a few of these discussions that need your input and ideas. </p>



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<p>In his latest post, <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisWiegman"><strong>Chris Wiegman</strong></a> walks us through the process of reducing WordPress themes to the bar minimum and still be able to render blocks. <strong><a href="https://chriswiegman.com/2021/04/creating-a-minimal-wordpress-theme-in-the-era-of-gutenberg/">Creating A Minimal WordPress Theme In The Era Of Gutenberg</a>.</strong> This <a href="https://github.com/chriswiegman/chriswiegman-theme">minimalistic and sustainable theme is available on GitHub</a></p>



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<p>If you are looking to share your future block-based theme in the WordPress.org repository, <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/carolinapoena">Carolina Nymark</a></strong> has a proposal for you: <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/themes/2021/04/22/removing-blockers-for-block-themes/"><strong>Removing blockers for block themes</strong></a> on the Themes team. I am quite surprised that it hasn&#8217;t received any feedback from the community yet. </p>



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<p>In his post <a href="https://wptavern.com/themes-set-up-for-a-paradigm-shift-wordpress-5-8-will-unleash-tools-to-make-it-happen"><strong>Themes Set Up for a Paradigm Shift, WordPress 5.8 Will Unleash Tools To Make It Happen</strong></a> Justin Tadlock took a tour around the upcoming WordPress 5.8 features and took them for a spin and a first evaluation.  &#8220;Themes are not going the way of the dinosaur. All of that overly complex PHP code work necessary in the past might just be. The shift is putting themes back into their proper place: design. Previously available tools such as patterns and styles coupled with the new pieces like&nbsp;<code>theme.json</code>&nbsp;and template-related blocks will be the backbone of the new system. It is all starting to come together.&#8221; he concluded. </p>



<p>As a former Theme developer, <strong>Justin Tadlock</strong> keeps his ear to the ground of theme development. I very much appreciate the tremendous effort he puts into his Theme reviews. I learn something new every time.</p>



<ul><li><a href="https://wptavern.com/churel-is-a-colorful-and-minimalist-block-ready-wordpress-theme">Churel Is a Colorful and Minimalist Block-Ready WordPress Theme</a></li><li><a href="https://wptavern.com/with-some-hits-and-misses-the-guten-blog-wordpress-theme-has-potential">With Some Hits and Misses, the Guten Blog WordPress Theme Has Potential</a></li></ul>



<h2>WordPress Events</h2>



<p><strong>10 &#8211; 14 May 2021</strong><br /><a href="https://pagebuildersummit.com/"><strong>Page Builder Summit 2021</strong></a><br />Gutenberg is part of it with the following sessions: </p>



<ul><li>How to turn Gutenberg into a Page Builder with Stackable w/ <strong>Benjamin Intal</strong></li><li>Don’t Compete with Gutenberg &#8211; Embrace It w/ <strong>Danielle Zarcaro</strong></li><li>Google&#8217;s Core Web Vitals &#8211; Get Green With Gutenberg w/ <strong>Jake Pfohl</strong></li><li>Creating newsletters in the Gutenberg block editor w/ <strong>Lesley Sim</strong></li><li>Building Fast, Block Based Landing Pages with <strong>Mike Oliver</strong></li></ul>



<p><strong>May 24-28, 2021</strong><br /><a href="https://wordsesh.com/"><strong>WordSesh 2021</strong></a></p>



<p><strong>June 7 &#8211; 9th, 2021</strong><br /><strong><a href="https://europe.wordcamp.org/2021/">WordCamp Europe</a></strong><br />A virtual event and contributor day. <a href="https://europe.wordcamp.org/2021/call-for-sponsors/">Call for Sponsors is open.</a></p>



<p><strong>June 20 &#8211; 26</strong><br /><strong><a href="https://japan.wordcamp.org/2021/">WordCamp Japan</a></strong><br /><em>The schedule has been posted. Most sessions will be in Japanese, with exceptions, I think&#8230; </em></p>




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<p class="has-text-align-left"><strong>Don&#8217;t want to miss the next Weekend Edition? </strong></p>



<form class="wp-block-newsletterglue-form ngl-form ngl-portrait" action="https://gutenbergtimes.com/feed/" method="post"><div class="ngl-form-container"><div class="ngl-form-field"><label class="ngl-form-label" for="ngl_email"><br />Type in your Email address to subscribe.</label><div class="ngl-form-input"><input type="email" class="ngl-form-input-text" name="ngl_email" id="ngl_email" /></div></div><button class="ngl-form-button">Subscribe</button><p class="ngl-form-text">We hate spam, too and won&#8217;t give your email address to anyone except Mailchimp to send out our Weekend Edition</p></div><div class="ngl-message-overlay"><div class="ngl-message-svg-wrap"></div><div class="ngl-message-overlay-text">Thanks for subscribing.</div></div><input type="hidden" name="ngl_list_id" id="ngl_list_id" value="26f81bd8ae" /><input type="hidden" name="ngl_double_optin" id="ngl_double_optin" value="yes" /></form>



<hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide" />";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Sat, 01 May 2021 22:15:08 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:18:"Birgit Pauli-Haack";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:24;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:76:"WPTavern: Alpha Particle and Flowspoke Acquire Kanban for WordPress for $15K";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=115839";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:195:"https://wptavern.com/alpha-particle-and-flowspoke-acquire-kanban-for-wordpress-for-15k?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=alpha-particle-and-flowspoke-acquire-kanban-for-wordpress-for-15k";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5586:"<p>Digital consultancies <a href="https://alphaparticle.com/">Alpha Particle</a> and <a href="https://flowspoke.com/">Flowspoke</a> have <a href="https://kanbanwp.com/article/under-new-management/">acquired</a> the <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/kanban/">Kanban for WordPress</a> plugin, a tool that puts Kanban boards into the admin to measure progress on a goal. The plugin is used for agile project management, sales tracking, editorial scheduling, and other planning purposes.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><img /></div>



<p>WordPress developer <a href="https://gelform.com/">Corey Maass</a> created Kanban for WordPress in 2015 but struggled to market it enough to grow beyond 2,000 users. In 2020, he saw Alpha Particle CTO Keanan Koppenhaver post on Twitter that he was looking to acquire a plugin business and jumped at the chance to sell Kanban for WordPress. Koppenhaver wanted a plugin that already had $1k-$12K annual revenue and wasn&rsquo;t tied in with Beaver Builder, Elementor, Divi, or any other page builders. Integration with WooCommerce or other third-party software was a plus.</p>



<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">&ndash; A business selling a WordPress plugin or a collection of plugins<br /><br />&ndash; Between $1k and $12k annual revenue, ideally recurring<br /><br />&ndash; Ideally runs as its own entity, or has its own account with any payment processors<br /><br />(2/4)</p>&mdash; Keanan Koppenhaver (@KKoppenhaver) <a href="https://twitter.com/KKoppenhaver/status/1318224539663421444?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2020</a></blockquote>
</div>



<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;d burned out on the project so I&rsquo;d thought about selling for a while but didn&rsquo;t do anything about it,&rdquo; Maass said. &ldquo;When Keanan posted he was looking, I inquired because I&rsquo;d met him and knew he was solid. After a chat I knew he was the right buyer because his approach to WordPress was similar to mine &ndash; not too detached, not too dogmatic.&rdquo;</p>



<p>Maass had monetized Kanban for WordPress for the past five years through a $149/year pro version (the most popular price point) and a $499.00 lifetime support license. He said revenue had peaked around $20K/ARR but had dropped to about $10K/ARR due to his minimal involvement. During his peak revenue months there were some weeks he would work 40 hours and some that he would work no hours at all.</p>



<p>&ldquo;I applied the &rsquo;12-18 months of revenue as a selling price&rsquo; rule, and sold it for $15k,&rdquo; Maass said.</p>



<p>He also commented on the difficulty of finding a non-technical partner in the WordPress world. Maass searched for someone to market the plugin while he concentrated on the product but never found a match:</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>I interviewed non-WordPress people. No luck. I&rsquo;ve found a few people in the WordPress eco-system, but most already have one more products they&rsquo;re growing. It&rsquo;s one of the quirks of the WordPress world &ndash; there are more devs than non-devs. Most everywhere else in the tech-business world, it&rsquo;s the other way around. And of course most of the success stories of WordPress are tech founders that pivoted to marketing/biz dev, which a lot of devs can&rsquo;t do, myself included.</p></blockquote>



<p>The teams at Alpha Particle and Flowspoke saw potential to grow the Kanban for WordPress plugin business with their combined design, marketing, and development skills. </p>



<p>&ldquo;As WordPress continues to become an even more full-featured platform, we think there&rsquo;s a demand for great applications to be built <em>inside</em> WordPress,&rdquo; Alpha Particle CTO Keanan Koppenhaver said. &ldquo;And Kanban is a perfect example of that. It&rsquo;s already proven useful for a lot of people and we want to take even more of the features from other project management tools and integrate them tightly with tools WordPress folks are already using, like the Block Editor and WooCommerce, to help add to that unified WordPress experience.&rdquo;</p>



<p>Although Alpha Particle and Flowspoke already have in-house products they are working on, they wanted to acquire a business where they could immediately start experimenting.</p>



<p>&ldquo;With a plugin that already has some traction, it just makes it a lot easier to try new things and get quicker feedback on new features and new ideas,&rdquo;  Koppenhaver said. &ldquo;Since there&rsquo;s already an engaged user base, we saw the opportunity to take the things we tell our clients to do with their projects and apply them to a product of our own. I think that long-term this wouldn&rsquo;t be the only one we acquire, but we&rsquo;ll be on the look out for the next right opportunity. We&rsquo;re excited about the long-term roadmap we&rsquo;ve laid out for Kanban, too, and ready to put in the time to focus and make that vision a reality.&rdquo;</p>



<p>Alpha Particle and Flowspoke plan to release the long-awaited version 3 of Kanban for WordPress in the near future. It has been completely redesigned and rewritten from the ground up. They will also be building in tighter integration with WordPress where users will be able to link posts to cards and automatically have cards moved to the &ldquo;Published&rdquo; column after publishing. Kanban for WordPress already has integrations for Gravity Forms and Ninja Forms but the team has more third-party integrations on the roadmap and is also taking suggestions.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Fri, 30 Apr 2021 17:14:53 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:25;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:34:"BuddyPress: BuddyPress 8.0.0-beta1";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:32:"https://buddypress.org/?p=318272";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:54:"https://buddypress.org/2021/04/buddypress-8-0-0-beta1/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:4338:"<p><strong>BuddyPress 8.0.0-beta1</strong>&nbsp;is now available for testing! <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/13.0.1/72x72/1f941.png" alt="🥁" class="wp-smiley" /></p>



<p>Please note the plugin is&nbsp;<strong>still in development</strong>, so we recommend running this beta release on a&nbsp;<strong>testing site</strong>.</p>



<p>You can test BuddyPress 8.0.0-beta1 in 4 ways :</p>



<ul><li>Try the <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/bp-beta-tester/">BP Beta Tester</a> plugin.</li><li><a href="https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/buddypress.8.0.0-beta1.zip">Download the beta here (zip file)</a>.</li><li>Check out our SVN repository: <code>svn co https://buddypress.svn.wordpress.org/trunk/</code></li><li>Clone our read-only Git repository: <code>git clone git://buddypress.git.wordpress.org/</code></li></ul>



<p><strong>The current target for final release is June 2, 2021. That’s just five weeks away, so your help is vital to making sure that the final release is as good as it can be.</strong></p>



<p>Please note BuddyPress 8.0.0&nbsp;<strong>will require at least WordPress 4.9</strong>.</p>



<p>We repeat it each time we announce a beta release : <strong>testing for bugs is VERRRY important</strong>. Please make sure to test this pre-release using a testing configuration which is very close to the one you are using in production. If you find something unusual (aside from the great new features below), please report it on <a href="https://buddypress.trac.wordpress.org/newticket">BuddyPress Trac</a> or post a reply to <a href="https://buddypress.org/support/topic/buddypress-8-0-0-beta1/">this support topic</a>.</p>



<p>Here are the three hottest 8.0.0 features to pay close attention to while testing (Check out&nbsp;<a href="https://buddypress.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&group=resolution&milestone=8.0.0">this report</a>&nbsp;on Trac for the full list).</p>



<div class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<h2><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/13.0.1/72x72/1f46b.png" alt="👫" class="wp-smiley" /> BP Members Invitations</h2>



<p>Whether you allow open registration or not you can use this <a href="https://buddypress.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/8139">opt-in feature</a> to let your community grow itself. Once enabled from the BuddyPress Options Administration screen, your members will be able to invite their network of friends, co-workers, students, developers, well possibly anyone, to join your site <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/13.0.1/72x72/1f4c8.png" alt="📈" class="wp-smiley" />.</p>



<div class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<h2><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/13.0.1/72x72/270d.png" alt="✍" class="wp-smiley" /> Selectable xProfile sign-up fields</h2>



<p>Until now, only the Primary group of xProfile fields was displayed on the registration form of your community. 8.0.0 gives you the <a href="https://buddypress.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/6347">freedom to choose</a> any field from any field group to add to your site&#8217;s registration form <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/13.0.1/72x72/1f4ab.png" alt="💫" class="wp-smiley" />.</p>



<div class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<h2><span class="dashicons dashicons-wordpress-alt"></span> Include WordPress user fields in your BuddyPress member profiles</h2>



<p>8.0.0 introduces <a href="https://bpdevel.wordpress.com/2021/03/24/wordpress-xprofile-field-types/">2 new xProfile Field types</a>. The WP Textbox can be used to include the user&#8217;s first name, last name, Website link or any potential WP contact methods. With the WP Biography field you can display the Biographical Info in the group of xProfile fields of your choice <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/13.0.1/72x72/1f64c.png" alt="🙌" class="wp-smiley" /> .</p>



<div class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<p>And so much more such as the new <a href="https://buddypress.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/8428">Welcome BP Email</a>, the <a href="https://buddypress.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/4747">terms of use acceptance profile field</a>, improvements to the BP Nouveau template pack &amp; to the BP REST API… </p>



<p>We&#8217;ll tell you more about all these soon into our <a href="https://bpdevel.wordpress.com/category/development-notes/8-0/">developer notes</a>.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Thu, 29 Apr 2021 23:30:08 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:12:"Mathieu Viet";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:26;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:97:"WPTavern: Gutenberg 10.5 Embeds PDFs, Adds Verse Block Color Options, and Introduces New Patterns";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=115767";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:235:"https://wptavern.com/gutenberg-10-5-embeds-pdfs-adds-verse-block-color-options-and-introduces-new-patterns?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gutenberg-10-5-embeds-pdfs-adds-verse-block-color-options-and-introduces-new-patterns";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:6495:"<p class="has-drop-cap">I reach over to grab my phone to check the time. I am debating whether I should stay awake and watch one more episode of <em>The Walking Dead</em> &mdash; it would be my fourth, maybe fifth, binge of the series.</p>



<p>11:12 pm.</p>



<p>I noticed that Slack was blowing up my phone. I had it on silent, so I had to catch up. One message stood out above all the rest:</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>No matching template found.</p></blockquote>



<p>That was the front page of the Tavern last night as it updated to Gutenberg 10.5. I knew it was related to the Full Site Editing (FSE) changes in the latest release. I had seen that error enough in local testing and needed no more information to know what to do &mdash; deactivate the plugin. Then, I could get back to my internal debate of staying up for an hour past my bedtime for TV.</p>



<p>Sometimes, such is life on the bleeding edge, or at least life when running the fortnightly releases of the Gutenberg plugin with automatic updates enabled. It presents a challenge or two or a hundred. I had let my guard down after a smooth 10.4 release, and I knew better. After several prior releases of fixing issues on the backend, the development team gave me a break. It was almost as if they were saving up for something big.</p>



<p>Gutenberg now explicitly declares that anyone running the plugin is on a block-based theme, despite whether their theme actually supports block templates. It should generally fall back gracefully if there none. This seems to be centered on a change that allows <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/30438">classic users to create custom block templates</a>. However, with the plugin activating a &ldquo;theme-supported&rdquo; feature automatically, it triggers a chain of events that overrides the template system. Any theme with a custom template hierarchy could break. I created a <a href="https://gist.github.com/justintadlock/74fa7c61c692423cc1fcefd9a0ab8e5f">code snippet on Gist</a> if anyone else runs into the issue and needs to deactivate &ldquo;block templates&rdquo; support.</p>



<p>I like that we run the plugin. Daily usage means that we can effectively write about it &mdash; a practice-what-you-preach sort of thing.</p>



<p>Sometimes, Gutenberg, you break my heart. You will find few enthusiastic cheerleaders more loyal than me. I believe in the project, but some days, you try your best to make it rough.</p>



<p>But, all is well. There are some exciting things about this release.</p>



<p>Template-editing mode is now enabled for classic themes. Despite this breaking the Tavern theme, it is a feature that I look forward to as a necessary transitional feature toward FSE. Another quick highlight is the work the team has done in making the <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/30248">Columns block more accessible</a>. Each column now has a numbered label that is read aloud via screen-readers.</p>



<h2>Embedded PDFs</h2>



<img />Inline-embedded PDF.



<p class="has-drop-cap">A decade ago, I had one theme user in particular who needed to embed PDFs. As a young developer, it was just the sort of challenge I needed to build for an audience of one out of 100,000+. So, within the day, I wrapped up a solution similar to what the Gutenberg team did in version 10.5. It is nice to see WordPress finally catching up.</p>



<p>Only the block system makes such embedding much nicer. Drag a <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/30857">PDF into the content canvas</a> and let it work its magic.</p>



<p>There is one caveat: many mobile phones and tablets will not show an embedded PDF. The File block does make a note of this. It also allows users to disable the inline embed and control the height.</p>



<p>This feature offers the best of both worlds. Visitors can read the PDF directly on the page, and they can also click the download button to snag a copy of the file.</p>



<h2>Color Options for the Verse Block</h2>



<img />Verse block with custom colors.



<pre class="wp-block-verse">Poets can rejoice at last
The time of the Verse being a second-class block lies in the past
Users can add subtle colors or those that clash
A tweak here or there can give their words the flash
they need
to breathe
to exceed, all expectations
Text, background, and links are fair game
Unreadable if they were all the same
A splash of color is what it takes to tame
the words&hellip;</pre>



<p>I will stop there and let the pros handle actual poetry.</p>



<p>Gutenberg 10.2 added the standard block color <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/27736">options to the Verse block</a>. Perhaps all blocks will get the same treatment down the road. I am still waiting on colors for the Quote block too.</p>



<h2>New Block Patterns</h2>



<p class="has-drop-cap">The latest plugin update removes all 10 of the default WordPress block patterns and replaces them with <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/29973">15 fresh designs</a>. The new set is an attempt to better showcase the editor&rsquo;s capabilities.</p>



<img />Testing new block patterns.



<p>For end-users who might be worried about losing their old patterns, this will not affect your content. Because patterns are merely predefined sets of blocks, it is the blocks rather than the patterns that actually get inserted into the content canvas and saved.</p>



<p>The removal of old patterns with replacements of new ones was always a part of the plan. Web design changes over time, and the patterns system allows core developers to keep pace. Perhaps the old patterns will live in the <a href="https://wptavern.com/pattern-directory-targeted-to-launch-with-wordpress-5-8">upcoming block directory</a> for those users who still want them.</p>



<p>Gutenberg 10.5 also introduces a few <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/30763">opinionated Query block patterns</a>: Post Grid, Large Title, and Offset Posts. The ultimate goal is to provide an array of options for users as a starting point.</p>



<img />&ldquo;Large title&rdquo; Query block pattern.



<p>There is still an open call for the designers to pitch in, <a href="https://wptavern.com/calling-all-themers-design-the-next-round-of-query-block-patterns">contributing custom Query patterns</a> to the project. It is an opportunity to give back that requires almost no JavaScript or PHP programming knowledge.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Thu, 29 Apr 2021 16:41:02 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14:"Justin Tadlock";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:27;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:80:"WordCamp Central: Making a great online conference experience at WordCamp Prague";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:39:"https://central.wordcamp.org/?p=3138356";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:108:"https://central.wordcamp.org/news/2021/04/29/making-a-great-online-conference-experience-at-wordcamp-prague/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14783:"<p>My name is <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/zaantar/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jan</a>, I am a <a href="https://toolset.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Toolset</a> developer at <a href="https://onthegosystems.com/">OnTheGoSystems</a>. For the past several years, I have been actively involved in the Czech WordPress community. On Saturday 27th of February 2021, we held an online conference <a href="https://prague.wordcamp.org/2021/english" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WordCamp Prague 2021</a>.</p>
<p>Switching an interactive, in-person event to the online format while keeping most of its magic has been difficult but certainly not impossible.</p>
<p>As this year’s lead organizer, I want to share pieces of this sometimes arduous but extremely rewarding journey, together with some crucial ingredients that made it a success beyond our wildest expectations.</p>
<p><a href="https://central.wordcamp.org/files/2021/04/wordcamp_prague_logo-2021-1.png"><img /></a></p>
<p>Let’s just face the truth: If I knew what I was actually getting into, I wouldn’t have said yes. But I am deeply grateful that I didn’t know. Even after being on the team two years prior to this one, the experience of being a lead organizer is pretty much non-transferable.</p>
<p>Even so, I — a backend software developer with questionable social and team management skills — was very reluctant about taking such a huge responsibility.</p>
<p>One of the things that convinced me — besides the fact that, apart from the then lead organizer, nobody else from our team was willing to take the role — was that this time, we were going to do an online conference.</p>
<p>This unique situation meant two things that removed most of my anxiety. First, nobody knew what to expect from an <em>online</em> WordCamp Prague: It was a completely new thing, an experiment, even. Let’s do our best and see what happens.</p>
<p>Second, the budget was no longer nightmare-inducing, compared to previous years (especially the fact that we were never sustainable without sponsors, and every time, we worried if we would manage to secure enough funding).</p>
<p>With the pandemic foreseeably about to wreak havoc on our small country, with all the uncertainty, and with me in strict isolation until a vaccine is available, a fully online event was the only realistic way we could actually make it happen.</p>
<p>And so we did.</p>
<p>Specifically, by “we”, I mean the fourteen of us: My fellow WordCamp organizers, most of whom have been on the team for years (many of them previous lead organizers), some new faces, and a small recording studio owner who demonstrated superhuman patience during the whole process. Even with this amount of people, it took considerable effort, and without the dedication, good teamwork, and communication, this wouldn’t have worked at all.</p>
<p><a href="https://central.wordcamp.org/files/2021/04/Vyber_200-1-1.png"><img /></a></p>
<p><em>Part of the WordCamp Prague 2021 organizer team at the closing speech</em></p>
<h1>The Recipe</h1>
<p>My goal since the very beginning was to make it very interactive and to emulate the experience of a physical conference — where, as everyone who ever attended one will testify, the true magic of WordCamps happens — as closely as possible.</p>
<p>A great source of inspiration was WordCamp Europe 2020, which had to be hastily switched to an online version just a couple of months before (and I deeply empathize with its organizers, it must have been an extremely hard blow for them, much harder than for us who have “just” booked a hotel in Porto or already bought non-refundable airline tickets). I got some ideas from there that we copied and also some things I knew I wanted to avoid.</p>
<p>So, here’s our “online WordCamp recipe”, if you will:</p>
<h2>A local target audience</h2>
<p>From the get-go, we decided to explicitly focus on the Czech and Slovak audience, and we didn’t accept any English talks whatsoever (some of the speakers who applied will be talking at our<a href="https://www.meetup.com/naswp-cz/"> monthly meetups</a>, though).</p>
<p>The reasoning behind this was what I call <em>online conference fatigue</em>. Attending an English-speaking WordPress event is very easy these days, with WordCamps or meetups happening every couple of days or weeks. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course.</p>
<p>But, considering that many of our fellow citizens aren’t fluent English speakers — the language barrier is still rather high, unfortunately — and that we were told there are no other WordCamps planned in the Czech Republic or Slovakia for the upcoming year, we found ourselves in a unique position to kind of fill this niche (side note: Czechs and Slovaks understand each other very well) and to <em>effectively</em> add some value to the WordPress ecosystem in our region.</p>
<p>In the end, I believe this was one of the main reasons for such a high attendance (over 650 registered attendees, 595 of which showed up).</p>
<h2>A proper online conference platform</h2>
<p>WCEU — and other WordCamps as well — went with a combination of YouTube Live or Crowdcast for presentation tracks and Zoom for networking or virtual sponsor booths. While that is affordable, relatively easy, and accessible (and once again: I cannot blame WCEU for this choice due to the time pressure), I was not entirely satisfied. The result felt a bit confusing, constantly switching between browser tabs or different applications.</p>
<p>We put a lot of effort into finding a good platform, and we eventually settled on <a href="https://hopin.com/">Hopin</a>. It wasn’t without its quirks and little obstacles, it <em>definitely</em> wasn’t for free. But it worked great for the attendees. It allowed us to have a main “stage”, networking rooms, sponsor booths, even the schedule all in one place. It was immersive.</p>
<p><a href="https://central.wordcamp.org/files/2021/04/Vyber_202.png"><img /></a></p>
<p><em>Front page of the event on Hopin</em></p>
<h2>One track only</h2>
<p>I have to admit that the two-track experience of WCEU (which also meant two networking rooms on Zoom) was pretty overwhelming. I can be an information sponge and I had a hard time deciding what I want to see or where I want to be the most.</p>
<p>Also, we didn’t have enough resources to effectively run multiple tracks for WordCamp Prague. To cover one track for a whole day, you need at least two hosts and then two other teammates who will stay in the networking room (we called ours “foyer”). We were very lucky to find our two hosts and we decided to go for quality instead of quantity.</p>
<p>From the feedback we received, this was a good choice. Even with keeping presentations to only one track, many people still struggled with wanting to be both in the main track and in the foyer at the same time.</p>
<h2>Pre-recorded talks, live Q&amp;A</h2>
<p>One of those things that I truly liked about WCEU — and that we’ve easily agreed upon — was that our speakers’ talks would be pre-recorded and then they would join together with a host for a live Q&amp;A session.</p>
<p>With fourteen speakers, the risk that <em>something somewhere</em> would go wrong was considerable. This way, the worst that could happen would be losing the Q&amp;A.</p>
<p>The approach had some unexpected secondary benefits too: Our hosts could see the talk in advance and prepare for the Q&amp;A much better. We knew when it would end, so we could plan our timetable accordingly. The speakers knew they really had to submit their completed talk a couple of days before the event. And so on.</p>
<h2>Networking with the speaker afterward</h2>
<p>If I had to pick one key aspect that made the most difference, this would be it. Also inspired by WCEU, after every talk (ca. 20min + 5min for Q&amp;A), the speaker was invited to join the foyer (networking room) where the attendees could catch up with them either by asking further questions in the chat or by connecting with their audio and video and talking to them directly.</p>
<p>This ended up being very popular, there were always a couple of dozen people in the foyer. Sometimes, the conversation had to continue in a newly created room after the following speaker had finished their talk and joined in as well.</p>
<p>We had two of our team members always present, ready with some of their own questions for the speaker, to help start the conversation if needed.</p>
<h2>Virtual sponsor booths with schedule</h2>
<p>The highest two tiers of our sponsor program included a virtual sponsor booth. We suggested the sponsors pick one hour on the schedule and hold their presentation then, instead of having to attend for the whole day.</p>
<p>It was also practical for the attendees, I believe, to know what’s the best time to visit and ask questions.</p>
<p>When not active, the virtual booth was in a “presentation” mode with a sponsor’s slideshow on repeat.</p>
<h2>Happiness bar and afterparty</h2>
<p>No WordCamp is a proper WordCamp without these two things.</p>
<p>We implemented the happiness bar as another virtual room (same as the foyer) and two to three volunteers were always present to answer any attendees’ questions about their WordPress sites.</p>
<p>As for the afterparty, we created four different “tables” – virtual rooms. One of them also for English speakers, since some of our sponsors’ representatives wanted to attend as well.</p>
<p>To my surprise, two of those tables stayed active for a pretty long time, and when we concluded the afterparty around 10 PM, there were still about twenty, thirty people around. Perhaps we’ve become more used to online socializing because of the pandemic endless lockdowns, but some of the feedback we received went along the lines of “it felt almost like a physical WordCamp.”</p>
<h2>Interviews with speakers</h2>
<p>In years past, before the conference itself, we usually did write interviews with speakers and then shared the articles on our social media to bring attention to the event. It was usually quite difficult to produce these interview articles: The speakers rarely found enough time for this and we often got late submissions or content that was not wordy enough. Then, the text had to be polished and reviewed before publishing.</p>
<p>This year, instead, someone had the brilliant idea to just do live interviews via Zoom. The advantages were numerous: It was fast to make, we immediately had the final product (videorecording) with minimal post-processing, and it was also fast to view and more attractive on social media than a long text.</p>
<h2>A strong, positive organizer team</h2>
<p>I can’t stress enough how well my team managed to self-organize and how dedicated the vast majority of us were to deliver a great result. Even under time pressure, we’ve always done our best to keep the spirit up.</p>
<p>After all, we should all remember, it’s a WordCamp, a volunteer-organized event that should be interesting and fun, not a question of life and death. Everything doesn’t always have to be perfect. It’s important to keep that in mind.</p>
<p><a href="https://central.wordcamp.org/files/2021/04/image.png"><img /></a></p>
<p><em>WordCamp Prague 2021 organizers</em></p>
<h1>Looking back</h1>
<p>In retrospect, the whole experience was intense, difficult at times, but ultimately rewarding beyond expectation.</p>
<p>I find myself struggling to compare it with previous years. The physical event is really something else, and my perspective was dramatically shifted in my new role.</p>
<p>But I will say this: We keep building on the work of previous years. Be it our visual presence, the experience of individual team members with their agenda, or the way we organize and carefully handpick and balance the content of the whole event. It seems that we manage to move the event forward every year, and that’s ultimately what matters.</p>
<p>The most challenging part was time management — no surprise there. Because of the pandemic, everyone was kind of busy with their lives and we started seriously organizing only towards the end of September. In combination with the already somewhat problematic timing, we set ourselves up for quite a wild ride.</p>
<p>If you want to do the event before the main conference season, that also means that you have less than two months from confirming speakers to make everything happen. Practically nothing gets done during December, and the speakers will not plan that far ahead as to apply in November already.</p>
<p>This timing is kind of set in stone for us and we will have to handle everything that we can beforehand so that the run to the finish line is without unnecessary obstacles.</p>
<p>Also, with my limited experience, I would say that organizing a team of — albeit very motivated — volunteers who have different daily jobs is quite different from any sort of project management at work. The primary occupation or other things often have taken precedence over WordCamp and can easily mess up the team’s schedule in a bad way. That’s why we always have to strive for asynchronous communication.</p>
<h1>Looking forward</h1>
<p>And what’s next? I might apply to lead the next year as well, especially if my teammates decide to continue as well. The idea of starting with a physical event organization around May feels downright ridiculous at this point because of the situation in our country. And since I already have experience with leading an online event, I might as well exploit it.</p>
<p>For the next year, I want to again iterate on our know-how, keep what has worked, and replace the things that didn’t — simply, to move the whole project a couple of steps forward.</p>
<p>Most importantly, my great desire is to make the preparations run smoothly, do things in advance, reduce the amount of stress for the whole team.</p>
<p>Apart from that, we’ll be also focusing on monthly <a href="https://www.meetup.com/naswp-cz/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WP Pivo meetups</a> and other activities of the community, but that is a topic for another time.</p>
<p><em>If you have any comments or questions, I invite you to <a href="mailto:jan.stetina@naswp.cz">reach out to me</a>.</em></p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" src="https://onthegosystems.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/cropped-wapuuking-1024x724-2.png" alt="" /></p>
<p><em>WordCamp Prague mascot, The Wapuu King</em></p>
<p><em>This post was originally <a href="https://onthegosystems.com/2021/03/making-a-great-online-conference-experience-at-wordcamp-prague/">published</a> on <a href="https://onthegosystems.com">onthegosystems.com</a>.</em></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Thu, 29 Apr 2021 08:53:46 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:7:"zaantar";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:28;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:65:"WPTavern: Pattern Directory Targeted to Launch with WordPress 5.8";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=115742";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:175:"https://wptavern.com/pattern-directory-targeted-to-launch-with-wordpress-5-8?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pattern-directory-targeted-to-launch-with-wordpress-5-8";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:2218:"<p>Last month WordPress contributors published the <a href="https://wptavern.com/first-look-at-initial-designs-for-wordpress-block-pattern-directory">initial designs</a> for the upcoming pattern directory, which will host community-submitted patterns that can be installed with one click from the block inserter in the editor. A live prototype of the work in progress is available at <a href="https://wordpress.org/patterns/">wordpress.org/patterns</a>. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><img /></div>



<p>The previously planned masonry style, which accommodates variable thumbnail heights, has not been implemented yet. Clicking on the individual pattern reveals a live preview with a handy resizing bar for trying it out on different screen sizes. The copying and favoriting features are not yet fully working. I was able to copy and paste patterns into the editor, but the previews aren&rsquo;t yet very accurate.</p>



<p>The project is clipping along and contributors are aiming to have the new directory ready to <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/meta/2021/04/28/block-pattern-directory-update/">launch in tandem with the upcoming WordPress 5.8</a> release. Features planned for the first version include browsing and searching patterns, live preview of patterns, and the ability to copy the block code. Users signed into WordPress.org will be able to create and submit patterns to the directory using a set of curated images and media. They will go through a basic moderation process and patterns will be available for download directly through the block editor.</p>



<p>Once the directory is launched, contributors plan to add support for internationalization, forking and iterating on patterns, expand the available media for use in pattern creation, and add a pattern browsing UI to the editor. </p>



<p>WordPress 5.8 is expected to land in July 2021 with the new Query, Site Logo, and Navigation blocks, template-editing mode, and the block-based widgets screen and customizer integration. The availability of pre-made patterns will be a beneficial accompaniment to the first round of full-site editing features added to core in the next release, enhancing the basic page building experience.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Thu, 29 Apr 2021 04:25:54 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:29;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:85:"WPTavern: Gravity Forms 2.5 Launches With an Overhauled UI and Focus on Accessibility";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=115645";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:215:"https://wptavern.com/gravity-forms-2-5-launches-with-an-overhauled-ui-and-focus-on-accessibility?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gravity-forms-2-5-launches-with-an-overhauled-ui-and-focus-on-accessibility";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:7327:"<p class="has-drop-cap">The Gravity Forms team formally <a href="https://www.gravityforms.com/gravity-forms-2-5-is-now-available-the-next-generation-of-form-building/">announced version 2.5 of its form plugin</a> yesterday. The product, owned by Rocketgenius, promises an overhauled experience that is more in line with the core block editor. The team also wanted to put accessibility at the forefront of this release.</p>



<p>The design is fresh, ditching pieces of the older WordPress UI in favor of cleaner lines and branding. The update should make current users feel like they are getting an overhauled product that still offers all the tools they are accustomed to. It should also feel more attractive to new customers.</p>



<p>&ldquo;Our big push with 2.5 is to update our editor so it looks more like Gutenberg, added more enhancements to using it in the block editor as well as doing our level best to make Gravity Forms the easiest form plugin in the ecosystem to make accessible,&rdquo; said James Giroux, Community Experience Manager at Rocketgenius.</p>



<ul><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><img />Version 2.5 Form Editor</li><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><img />Version 2.4 Form Editor</li></ul>Comparison between new and old Gravity Forms editor screens.



<p>While much of the new UI looks and feels like the block editor, there are differences in the user experience. Instead of a block inserter, form fields can be clicked or dragged and dropped from the right sidebar. Users more accustomed to slash commands will not be able to work directly from the content canvas. Even with the differences, building forms felt natural.</p>



<p>&ldquo;The native WP editor experience is changing a lot, and things are continuing to evolve there,&rdquo; said Giroux. &ldquo;One of the things we&rsquo;ve worked really hard on with this latest release is to be as consistent as we can with our UI without being completely identical to the editor. This gives us the freedom to adapt to our users&rsquo; needs without being constrained by the timelines and development priorities of the WP editor. Our previous form editor was designed to fit in with the look and feel of the editor of the day, and I expect we&rsquo;ll continue to be influenced and shaped by what the community designs and creates for Core.&rdquo;</p>



<p>Gravity Forms always carved its own path, leaping when others were still learning to crawl. Building entirely with native WordPress methods could hinder their goals, and the block system is still rapidly changing.</p>



<p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;re very excited about the new UI patterns that the block editor has introduced,&rdquo; said Giroux. &ldquo;It gives us a blueprint to create with consistency that we believe will lead to better user outcomes. The legacy WordPress Dashboard was not opinionated by design. The Block Editor and now Full Site Editing workflows, however, are giving us a lot more that we can apply. This will make Gravity Forms more familiar to WordPress users, and that&rsquo;s probably the biggest way the new editing experience has shaped our approach.&rdquo;</p>



<img />Forms management screen.



<p>&ldquo;The Block Editor is a great tool for users,&rdquo; said Giroux. &ldquo;If we can find ways to give more functionality on a per post or per-page basis that will maintain the stability and performance that our users have come to expect, I don&rsquo;t see why we wouldn&rsquo;t move in that direction. For now, there is a lot of opportunity for us to explore the existing options available within the editor that keep development complexity to a minimum, and we&rsquo;re keen to do that and provide more value to Gravity Forms users via the block editor.&rdquo;</p>



<p>On accessibility, the primary lesson the team learned is that there is no magic switch to make a site WCAG compliant. It takes a holistic approach. WordPress, themes, and plugins must each do their parts to make this path easier for users.</p>



<p>&ldquo;What we have done is invest in learning as much as we can about accessibility, the challenges of accessible forms, and worked with Rian Rietveld and the team at Level Level to make creating accessible forms easier and faster,&rdquo; he said.</p>



<p>Gravity Forms 2.5 introduces new tools to enable accessible forms and outputs warnings when a user is configuring a form in a way that would pose an issue. The team also has extensive <a href="https://docs.gravityforms.com/gravity-forms-commitment-to-accessibility/">documentation on accessibility</a> and a <a href="https://www.gravityforms.com/a-guide-to-gravity-forms-2-5/">blog post</a> covering it in the context of version 2.5.</p>



<p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve committed ourselves to making accessibility and accessibility testing a part of our development process,&rdquo; said Giroux.</p>



<p>Outside of mentioning that the current release is the foundation going forward and excitement over new ideas, he remained tight-lipped about specific features in the pipeline for version 2.6 and beyond.</p>



<h2>Competition and the Forms Market</h2>



<img />Extensions from the Certified Add-On program.



<p class="has-drop-cap">For years, few developers or companies could afford the time and monetary investment of creating visual builders, for forms or otherwise. It is no small feat to accomplish what Gravity Forms and others have done in the past. However, the block system is a set of APIs that could take some legwork out of the equation. Eager developers might see this as an opportunity to carve out their own slice of the market.</p>



<p>Even while Gravity Forms is taking cues from core WordPress, the block editor could level the playing field, introducing new competition.</p>



<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m very excited by what we&rsquo;re seeing plugin developers do with the functionality in the WordPress editor,&rdquo; said Giroux. &ldquo;Giving users common patterns that work the same regardless of the developer, I believe, will only help further adoption of WordPress and the plugins that capitalize on the power of the editor. Gravity Forms is more than just a form builder, it&rsquo;s a platform for building some pretty exciting workflows which can be challenging to adapt to the pace of change in the editor. As the development cycle matures and becomes more predictable, I&rsquo;m eager to see how more complex plugin ecosystems like ours adapt to it.&rdquo;</p>



<p>The Gravity Forms team looks at forms as &ldquo;just the tip of the iceberg,&rdquo; seeing value in helping web professionals solve problems with different types of business data.</p>



<p>Even in an increasingly crowded space, they have tripled their team size in the past two years, launched a <a href="https://www.gravityforms.com/certified-developers-and-add-ons/">Certified Developer program</a>, and upgraded their support and user feedback system.</p>



<p>&ldquo;We are committed to being the most reliable, secure, and accessible form solution, and I think that&rsquo;s what keeps us relevant,&rdquo; said Giroux. &ldquo;The WordPress ecosystem is maturing, and while it is harder to stand out today than perhaps a few years ago, there is still a lot of opportunity for great ideas and great innovation, just like we&rsquo;re seeing with the WordPress editor.&rdquo;</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Wed, 28 Apr 2021 21:44:56 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14:"Justin Tadlock";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:30;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:75:"WordPress.org blog: Getting Started with the Figma WordPress Design Library";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:35:"https://wordpress.org/news/?p=10173";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:91:"https://wordpress.org/news/2021/04/getting-started-with-the-figma-wordpress-design-library/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:18151:"<p>Created by James Koster, (<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/jameskoster/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>jameskoster</a>)</p>



<p>As the name suggests, the WordPress Design Library is a library of WordPress design assets, enabling anyone to quickly create design prototypes for WordPress UI in Figma.</p>



<p>These tools are useful for designers when creating new UI and for anyone looking to contribute ideas, enhancements, or even solutions to bug reports. Sometimes pictures really do speak a thousand words.</p>



<p>In this post, we&#8217;ll talk about some key features of Figma before diving into a practical example that demonstrates some of the WordPress Design Library utilities.</p>



<h2><strong>What Is Figma?</strong></h2>



<div class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://i2.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2021/04/image8.png?resize=632%2C296&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10174" width="632" height="296" /></div>



<p><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.figma.com/">Figma</a> is a collaborative design tool that members of the WordPress project&#8217;s design team have<a href="https://make.wordpress.org/design/2018/11/19/figma-for-wordpress/"> been using</a> for several years to work on and share design concepts. It offers a variety of handy features such as: in-browser access, rich prototyping tools, component libraries, code inspectors, live embeds, inline commenting, plugins, and much much more.</p>



<p>Perhaps best of all, it is totally free to sign up and start playing around. If you join the WordPress.org Figma organization (instructions below), you&#8217;ll gain access to the WordPress Design Library enabling you to design WordPress UI in no time.</p>



<h2><strong>What Is the WordPress Design Library?</strong></h2>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>In Figma, you can share components and styles by publishing them, transforming your file into a library so that you can use instances of those components in other files.</p><p></p><p></p><cite><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.figma.com/best-practices/components-styles-and-shared-libraries/#:~:text=Libraries%3A%20In%20Figma%2C%20you%20can,instances%20of%20your%20components%20live.">Figma.com</a></cite></blockquote>



<p>It may be easiest to think of the WordPress Design Library as a visual representation of all the javascript components that compose UI in the WordPress codebase. As an end user of the library, you can use those components in a self-contained environment to create new interface designs. It&#8217;s kind of like a big LEGO box containing all the UI pieces (buttons, form inputs, etc.) that you can use to create and try out new designs.</p>



<div class="juxtapose"><img id="10175" src="https://i1.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2021/04/image13.png?resize=632%2C340&ssl=1" alt="" width="632" height="340" class="image-compare__image-before" /><img id="10176" src="https://i1.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2021/04/image6.png?resize=632%2C340&ssl=1" alt="" width="632" height="340" class="image-compare__image-after" /></div>



<p>Creating designs with these assets enables rapid ideation on new interfaces by removing mundane processes that one would ordinarily have to work through. Nobody wants to repeatedly double-check that the button they made perfectly matches the buttons rendered by the code! And on the flip-side of that coin, anyone sharing a design with others will generally endeavor to make specific elements (like buttons) match what exists in the code as closely as possible. The WordPress Design Library solves both these headaches and more.</p>



<p>An additional benefit to these assets visually matching what exists in the codebase is that any designs you create with them will inherently make use of the latest WordPress design language and consequently <em>feel</em> like WordPress with almost no effort required. Passing such designs on to developers makes them easier to interpret and implement too.</p>



<h2><strong>Figma Fundamentals</strong></h2>



<p>Before getting into the practical section of this post, let&#8217;s quickly cover some of the fundamental features of Figma libraries. This will help prepare us for working with the WordPress Design Library.</p>



<h3><strong>Components</strong></h3>



<p>As we touched on above, the library consists of &#8220;components&#8221; that serve as visual counterparts to their code-based equivalents. That is to say, there is a Button component in Figma, <em>and</em> a matching Button component in the WordPress codebase.</p>



<p>But what <em>is</em> a Figma component?</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>Components are elements you can reuse across your designs. They help to create and manage consistent designs across projects.</p><p></p><cite><a rel="nofollow" href="https://help.figma.com/hc/en-us/articles/360038662654-Guide-to-Components-in-Figma">help.figma.com</a></cite></blockquote>



<p>Let&#8217;s quickly explore some of the properties of Figma components to understand the ways they help when working on our next design.</p>



<h3><strong>Variants</strong></h3>



<p>Some Figma components offer variants. One example is Button(s) which all have the following states:</p>



<ul><li>Resting</li><li>Hover</li><li>Focus</li><li>Disabled</li></ul>



<p>These can be manipulated via the variants interface in Figma:</p>



<img width="632" height="449" src="https://i1.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2021/04/image7-2.gif?resize=632%2C449&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10179" />



<p>Other examples of components with variants are form inputs and menu items. Variants are a new feature in Figma, so we&#8217;ll be adding more over time.</p>



<h3><strong>Overrides</strong></h3>



<p>Although any components you insert are intrinsically linked to the master component in the library, it is possible to override some properties.</p>



<p>While working with an instance of the Button component, you can change things like the label, or even the background color, while maintaining the link to the master component in the library. If you&#8217;re familiar with git workflows, this is kind of like creating a local branch. Any changes you make can easily be reset in a couple of clicks.</p>



<img width="632" height="527" src="https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2021/04/image10.gif?resize=632%2C527&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10180" />



<p>Overrides made to your local instance will persist even when the master component is updated. So if your design calls for a button with a green background, you can apply that override safely with the knowledge that even if the master component is updated, your button can inherit those updates and remain green.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator" />



<p>We&#8217;ve only really scratched the surface of components here. So I would recommend the official <a rel="nofollow" href="https://help.figma.com/hc/en-us/articles/360038662654-Guide-to-Components-in-Figma">Figma documentation</a> for more advanced information.</p>



<h3><strong>Figma Styles</strong></h3>



<p>In addition to components, styles are also published as part of the WordPress Design Library. They have similar properties to components in that a master style exists in the library and can be utilized in your local Figma file. Just like Components, Styles will receive updates when changes to the library are published.</p>



<p>Styles are used to define colors, typographical rules, and effects like drop-shadows present in the WordPress codebase. They enable you to apply things like text or background colors that will match other UI parts.</p>



<p>Using Styles from the library, you ensure that your creations match existing UI elements, making it easier to implement.</p>



<img width="632" height="799" src="https://i1.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2021/04/image11.png?resize=632%2C799&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10181" />



<hr class="wp-block-separator" />



<p>To learn more about styles in Figma, I recommend the <a rel="nofollow" href="https://help.figma.com/hc/en-us/articles/360039238753-Styles-in-Figma">official documentation</a>.</p>



<h3><strong>Views and Stickers</strong></h3>



<p>&#8220;Stickers&#8221; are simply arrangements of Components and Styles that have been combined to represent common UI elements. They are not good candidates for full componentization due to their frequent customization needs. Examples of Stickers include the Inspector sidebar and the block inserter:</p>



<img width="632" height="770" src="https://i1.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2021/04/image16.png?resize=632%2C770&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10182" />



<p>Their utility is simple: find the sticker you need, peel (copy) it from the WordPress Design Library, and stick (paste) it into your local file before customizing as needed.</p>



<p><em>Stickers</em> are not Figma features like Components and Styles, but any stickers you copy to a working file will stay up to date by virtue of their underlying assets.</p>



<p><em>Views</em> are arrangements of components, styles, <em>and</em> stickers.</p>



<h2><strong>Designing a Block Using the WordPress Design Library</strong></h2>



<p>Okay, now that we have a handle on the basics of Figma libraries and their features and the utilities of the WordPress Design Library like Stickers and Views, let&#8217;s work through a practical example – designing the UI for a brand new block.</p>



<h3><strong>Getting Started</strong></h3>



<p>All you need to get started is a Figma account added to the WordPress.org Figma organization.</p>



<p>Once you&#8217;ve signed up at<a href="https://www.figma.com/"> Figma</a>, simply join the<a href="http://wordpress.slack.com/messages/design/"> #Design</a> channel on the community Slack and request an invite. Include your Figma username, and a friendly community member will help get you set up in no time.</p>



<p>Now the fun begins!</p>



<p>To create a fresh new design file in Figma, visit the<a href="https://www.figma.com/files/project/1339415/Gutenberg?fuid=652576565531990233"> Gutenberg project</a> and click the &#8220;+ New&#8221; button.</p>



<img width="632" height="395" src="https://i2.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2021/04/image15.png?resize=632%2C395&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10183" />



<p>Now let&#8217;s include the WordPress Design Library in our working file so that we have access to all the goodies we&#8217;ll need:</p>



<ol><li>Open the &#8220;Assets&#8221; panel and click the little book icon to view the available Team Libraries.</li><li>In the modal, toggle the WordPress Design Library on. You can leave the others off for now.</li></ol>



<img width="632" height="341" src="https://i1.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2021/04/image18.gif?resize=632%2C341&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10184" />



<p>After closing the modal, you&#8217;ll notice a number of components become visible in the assets panel. To insert them, they can be dragged on to the canvas:</p>



<img width="632" height="341" src="https://i1.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2021/04/image5.gif?resize=632%2C341&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10185" />



<p>It&#8217;s kind of like inserting a block <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/13.0.1/72x72/1f642.png" alt="🙂" class="wp-smiley" /></p>



<h3><strong>Creating a Pizza Block <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/13.0.1/72x72/1f355.png" alt="🍕" class="wp-smiley" /></strong></h3>



<p>I love to eat pizza, so for fun, I&#8217;m going to design a new block that simply allows the user to display a delicious pizza in their posts and pages. I want the block to include options for a total number of slices and different toppings.</p>



<h3><strong>Work Out the Flow</strong></h3>



<p>I always like to concentrate on individual flows when designing blocks. That is to say, the linear steps a user will take when working with that block. In this case, I want to create visualizations of the following steps/views in our Figma file:</p>



<ol><li>Inserting the block from the Block Inserter</li><li>The Pizza Block placeholder state including options in the block, its Toolbar, and the Inspector</li><li>The configured Pizza Block settings</li><li>The end result – a delicious pizza sitting comfortably on the canvas</li></ol>



<h3><strong>Sketch the New States</strong></h3>



<p>Thanks to the WordPress Design Library, I&#8217;ll be using as many existing UI components as possible, but I still need a rough idea of how they will be composed in the new interfaces that my Pizza block will require. I normally find it helpful to sketch these out on paper.</p>



<p>Here&#8217;s the placeholder state which users will see when they first insert the block. This should be all I need:</p>



<img width="632" height="843" src="https://i1.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2021/04/image2.png?resize=632%2C843&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10186" />



<h3><strong>Prepare the Views and Stickers</strong></h3>



<p>Helpfully, there are Views in the WordPress Design Library I can use for each of the steps in the flow outlined above.</p>



<p>I open the library, navigate to the Views page, find the views I need, copy them, and paste into my working file.</p>



<img width="632" height="374" src="https://i2.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2021/04/image3.gif?resize=632%2C374&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10187" />



<p>It is very important to <strong>copy</strong> (not cut) Views from the library so that they remain intact and other people can still access them. If you cut them, they&#8217;ll be gone forever, so please don&#8217;t do that <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/13.0.1/72x72/1f642.png" alt="🙂" class="wp-smiley" /></p>



<p>I&#8217;m also going to need a block placeholder sticker, so I navigate to the Stickers page, copy the one that most closely resembles my sketch from before, and paste it into my working file.</p>



<img width="632" height="374" src="https://i1.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2021/04/image12.gif?resize=632%2C374&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10188" />



<p>As with views, please only <strong>copy</strong> stickers; do not cut them.</p>



<h3><strong>Gather the Components</strong></h3>



<p>Referring back to the placeholder state I sketched out on paper (it can be helpful to import this into your Figma file), I can see that I&#8217;m going to need some form elements to realize the design.</p>



<img width="632" height="446" src="https://i2.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2021/04/image4.png?resize=632%2C446&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10189" />



<p>I navigate to the Assets panel, locate the components I need, and drag them into my file:</p>



<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/UDyZdtZGo9N0e2qwgyIyz8V3xu9_zwGW9qBbBnozvwmXmVYURZ-ROLANtW7FafWYbQRnPQNWeRupk_9_1nzmKn8gRBlYDMKYR3QpwAubv8ZKAPMS_uV9VaYHsjfPItfqPiY0d1X5" alt="" />



<p>Helpful tip: Once a component has been inserted, you can transform it into another component via its settings panel. Sometimes it is easier to copy/paste a component you already inserted and transform it this way, rather than opening the assets panel over and over.</p>



<h3><strong>Arrange the Views, Stickers, and Components to Create a Coherent Design</strong></h3>



<p>Now that we’ve gathered all the individual pieces we need, it&#8217;s simply a case of arranging them so that they resemble each of the steps of the flow we outlined before. This is done with simple drag and drop.</p>



<p>If you&#8217;re familiar with software like Photoshop, Sketch, and others, this should feel very familiar.</p>



<img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/DVeU3I9ajqRvMD_e5q6G5vctb4TGbgA9CsIR9xYZ3yPqtmPhbDP9cODTHH4KS-I8GB9R4UF2DV6SSsayKpy45AEDvvY2gLbMsCA0ivfsqGcm509OWeTOpaMuQcv7TFz6-xoiKFfo" alt="" />



<p>Once everything is in place, our flow is complete:</p>



<a href="https://i1.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2021/04/image14-1.png?ssl=1"><img width="632" height="97" src="https://i1.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2021/04/image14-1.png?resize=632%2C97&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10238" /></a>



<p>I still find it incredible that we&#8217;re able to do this in just a few short moments.</p>



<h3><strong>Hook up the Prototype</strong></h3>



<p>With each step of our flow created, the last piece of the puzzle is to connect them and form a clickable prototype.</p>



<p>I switch to the Prototype panel and create click behaviors by selecting a layer, then dragging the white dot to the corresponding frame.</p>



<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/i0fLdjWZhRTNFCKvHLLEfUnFx5CIm7p014R1avEV02F_B4DrG1v6Cw-XqYBth9JVYylylM7_mkqcALWEWcUVf0dRhgixJRtmsRIDHyMIZyom2cPdetMAFixgsvsmrqT03Xevync7" alt="" />



<p>There are a variety of behaviors that the Figma prototyping tools support, such as a hover, drag, and click. It is even possible to create smart animations. Perhaps that&#8217;s something we can explore in another tutorial, but for now, I will refer you to the <a rel="nofollow" href="https://help.figma.com/hc/en-us/articles/360040314193-Guide-to-prototyping-in-Figma">Figma documentation</a> for more advanced prototyping.</p>



<p>Now that I&#8217;ve connected all the appropriate elements, I am able to take my prototype for a test drive by clicking the Play <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/13.0.1/72x72/25b6.png" alt="▶" class="wp-smiley" /> icon:</p>



<img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/nBmEr4ohZ8RsjLM5wm4u8UY_zzTE0V1bXj-uoNV79WDibl5bgkZXY64ixl_BgNutg74fvxRZokUtLzWuWVlD46W4tAD_-Dcf-TclgIR9UoO73oCmNxmfcSEmUDgDG0e5WYFJ80tH" alt="" />



<p>You can try it too; just click <a href="https://www.figma.com/proto/BmRYWzfrakFwsmIQa24xqx/Pizza-Block?page-id=0%3A1&node-id=48%3A767&viewport=1792%2C385%2C0.46477335691452026&scaling=min-zoom">here</a>.</p>



<h2><strong>That&#8217;s All, Folks!</strong></h2>



<p>I tried to keep this tutorial fairly simple and concise; even though we only really got to grips with the basics here, you can see the power of Figma and the WordPress Design Library when it comes to trying out new designs.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Wed, 28 Apr 2021 17:52:55 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:15:"Chloe Bringmann";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:31;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:62:"WPTavern: Creative Commons Search to Relaunch on WordPress.org";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=115690";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:169:"https://wptavern.com/creative-commons-search-to-relaunch-on-wordpress-org?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=creative-commons-search-to-relaunch-on-wordpress-org";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:3493:"<p>The <a href="https://search.creativecommons.org/">Creative Commons search engine</a> will soon be part of WordPress.org, as Automattic will begin sponsoring several members of the CC Search team to maintain it. The engine currently offers over 500 million images, audio, and videos, under Creative Commons licenses or the public domain, aggregating more than 45 different sources. </p>



<p>Matt Mullenweg <a href="https://ma.tt/2021/04/cc-search-to-join-wordpress-org/">announced</a> the acquisition on his personal blog, saying that CC Search would be &ldquo;joining the WordPress project.&rdquo; It is a major benefit to the community, providing a valuable resource for finding GPL-compatible images for use in WordPress-derivative products like themes and plugins. Mullenweg hinted at a long-term plan where deeply integrating CC search into WordPress.org is just the first step: </p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>I am eager to give a new home to their open search product on WordPress.org in continued commitment to open source freedoms, and providing this community resource for decades to come. This is an important first step to provide a long-term, sustainable challenger to proprietary libraries like Unsplash.</p></blockquote>



<p>The reference to Unsplash follows the company&rsquo;s <a href="https://wptavern.com/unsplash-responds-to-image-licensing-concerns-clarifies-reasons-for-hotlinking-and-tracking">controversial licensing changes</a>, where it abandoned CC0 licensing in 2017 after making a name for itself by offering images originally shared to the public domain. That body of work was hidden away by Unsplash&rsquo;s refusal to use its API to differentiate these CC0 images going forward. In July 2020, the controversy was renewed after Unsplash launched its official WordPress plugin. Some users are apprehensive about the company&rsquo;s willingness to change its license and terms in the future, especially after <a href="https://unsplash.com/blog/unsplash-getty/">Unsplash was acquired by Getty Images</a>. </p>



<p>Creative Commons search remains one of the few places to find CC0-licensed images that are compatible with the GPL. It will be interesting to see how this news of CC Search finding a new home on WordPress.org will affect Automattic&rsquo;s relationship with Pexels, another image library with even more restrictive licensing than Unsplash. Access to Pexels was <a href="https://wordpress.com/blog/2018/08/02/diverse-stock-photo-library-pexels/">added to WordPress.com in 2018</a> and is also <a href="https://jetpack.com/support/jetpack-blocks/pexels-free-photo-library/">integrated with Jetpack</a>.</p>



<p>&ldquo;When I started CC Search, I always hoped it would become part of the infrastructure of the Internet,&rdquo; former Creative Commons CEO <a href="https://twitter.com/ryanmerkley"></a>Ryan Merkley&nbsp; said. &ldquo;Matt Mullenweg and I first talked about CC Search in 2018, and he immediately saw the potential. I&rsquo;m so happy to see this happen. It&rsquo;s great for WordPress, and great for the Commons.&rdquo;</p>



<p>Mullenweg&rsquo;s announcement said he anticipates CC search will be live and and running on WordPress.org in a few weeks. The new Automattic employees who were hired from Creative Commons will have their contributions sponsored by the company as part of the company&rsquo;s <a href="https://wordpress.org/five-for-the-future/pledge/automattic/">Five for the Future commitment</a>.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Wed, 28 Apr 2021 04:42:03 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:32;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:73:"WPTavern: Churel Is a Colorful and Minimalist Block-Ready WordPress Theme";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=115663";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:191:"https://wptavern.com/churel-is-a-colorful-and-minimalist-block-ready-wordpress-theme?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=churel-is-a-colorful-and-minimalist-block-ready-wordpress-theme";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5311:"<img />



<p class="has-drop-cap">WordPress theme development company Themix released its third free theme to the official directory this week. <a href="https://wordpress.org/themes/churel/">Churel</a> is described as a theme for organizations and businesses that also works for traditional blogging.</p>



<p>The development team has a keen eye for modern color schemes and font families. The theme has a refreshing design that is rare for the free theme directory, at least at first glance. It is the sort of project with just the right amount of eye candy to pull users in.</p>



<p>If that was everything necessary for great design, the theme would land in my top 10 picks from WordPress.org without a second thought. However, after digging deeper, it was clear the design had some issues. They are fixable. It would not take much nudging of a few CSS rules to make this a much better theme, so let&rsquo;s just dive right into the problems before getting into the good stuff.</p>



<p>The theme&rsquo;s most clear-cut flaw is with its typography. Sizing and words-per-line work well enough. The default Open Sans font is rarely a poor choice for readability. However, the line height is far too large for a good flow, and the white space between paragraphs makes it tough to tell where one ends and the other begins. It is almost as if the team got halfway through with fine-tuning the typography and decided to simply stop. It is a glaring issue that makes the theme practically unusable for long-form content, but it could be addressed with two minor style changes.</p>



<ul><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><img />Default body copy.</li><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><img />Adjusted body copy.</li></ul>



<p>For a theme &ldquo;designed to take full advantage of the flexibility of the block editor,&rdquo; it is missing one crucial component: editor styles. It is marked with the official &ldquo;Block Editor Styles&rdquo; tag in the directory and passed through the review process with no mention of it. </p>



<p>This seems like an oversight. Maybe something was lost in the build process or accidentally deleted before submission.</p>



<ul><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><img />Front end design.</li><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><img />Block editor design.</li></ul>



<p>Churel relies on the Kirki Customizer Framework, a requirement for accessing any theme options. Most controls the theme uses are built directly into WordPress. It does not make much sense to tie them to the activation of a third-party plugin, particularly for its simple color options.</p>



<p>Despite its faults, I fell in love with its homepage design immediately. The modern card design coupled with a minimalist page layout and bright colors makes me want to explore. <em>And, you just got to love the ghost in the <a href="https://wp-churel.themeix.com/">demo</a> logo, right?</em></p>



<img />Churel theme homepage.



<p>I also welcome any theme that actually creates a unique design for sticky posts on the homepage. Far too many theme authors either ignore it in whole or relegate it to a last-minute addition. The design team did not go overboard, but they made sure that readers know, &ldquo;Hey, this is important,&rdquo; while keeping it simple.</p>



<p>Other elements are attractive about the theme, such as its subscription/newsletter area in the page footer. The attention to detail when styling the core widgets means everything looks good in the theme&rsquo;s sidebars. And a handful of animations sprinkled throughout the design, such as floating circles and an underline effect on post title links, add an extra dimension without feeling clunky.</p>



<p>Churel is almost a top-tier block-ready WordPress theme. With a handful of trivial CSS changes and &mdash; I will sound like a broken record to regular readers &mdash; some block patterns, it could be.</p>



<p>The theme&rsquo;s &ldquo;Authors&rdquo; page template is an example of a missed opportunity for a block pattern. The page template itself might be perfect for some but not others. It automatically lists administrators and authors along with their profiles. By overlooking other roles that can publish posts, the system is rigid. &ldquo;Authors&rdquo; or, more commonly, &ldquo;team&rdquo; pages are an ideal fit for the block system. Site administrators could quickly create and customize such a page if they merely had a pattern for doing so.</p>



<img />Churel theme &ldquo;Authors&rdquo; page template.



<p>A pattern built from the Columns block with nested Image, Heading, Separator, and Social Icons blocks would make this easy. Throw in an &ldquo;alternating colors&rdquo; block style (or just let users control the colors) for the Columns, and users can build what they want more easily than theme authors doing guesswork about what user profiles should appear.</p>



<p>The block editor exists to solve these problems, and theme authors are leaving half their tools in the bag. <a href="https://wptavern.com/block-patterns-will-change-everything">Block patterns will be a cornerstone</a> of theme design in the coming years.</p>



<p>I may be overusing the term as of late, but this yet another theme that has <em>potential</em>. It is not the best that it can be yet, but it is a decent 1.x launch.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Tue, 27 Apr 2021 21:09:58 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14:"Justin Tadlock";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:33;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:37:"Matt: CC Search to join WordPress.org";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:22:"https://ma.tt/?p=54079";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:54:"https://ma.tt/2021/04/cc-search-to-join-wordpress-org/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:1426:"<img />



<p>The WordPress community has long advocated for a repository with GPL-compatible images, and it’s time to listen to that need. CC Search, a CC0 (<a href="https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/">Creative Commons Zero</a>) image search engine, is joining the WordPress project with over 500 million openly licensed and public domain images discoverable from over 50 sources, audio and video soon to come.</p>



<p>I am a long-time supporter of <a href="https://creativecommons.org/">Creative Commons</a> and their influential work on open content licenses, and when we heard they were considering shutting down their CC Search engine we immediately started exploring ways we could keep it going. I am eager to give a new home to their open search product on WordPress.org in continued commitment to open source freedoms, and providing this community resource for decades to come. This is an important first step to provide a long-term, sustainable challenger to proprietary libraries like Unsplash.</p>



<p>Automattic has hired key members of the CC Search team and will sponsor their contributions as part of <a href="https://wordpress.org/five-for-the-future/pledge/automattic/">our Five for the Future commitment</a>. I look forward to seeing the project grow and welcome them to the WordPress community! Will share in a few weeks when everything is live and running on the site.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Tue, 27 Apr 2021 17:36:15 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:4:"Matt";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:34;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:52:"WordPress.org blog: Curious About Full Site Editing?";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:35:"https://wordpress.org/news/?p=10190";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:67:"https://wordpress.org/news/2021/04/curious-about-full-site-editing/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:2790:"<p>The second major release of the year is right around the corner. You might have heard a <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/04/15/full-site-editing-go-no-go-april-14-2021/">bit of buzz</a> about full site editing around your WordPress circles, so this post will give you some big picture things to know as well as a few wayfinding links for anyone who wants to know more.</p>



<p><strong>For Site Owners and Operators</strong></p>



<p>If you own and operate a WordPress site, updating to version 5.8 should be a seamless experience, just like any other update. All the conversation around full site editing is very exciting, but shouldn’t be alarming—<strong>everything in the next release that relates to full site editing is opt-in</strong>. To experiment freely with it, you need a theme that is built for it. Check the links at the end to see a few examples!</p>



<p><strong>For Agencies and Theme/Plugin Developers</strong></p>



<p>If you extend the functionality of the WordPress CMS for clients, updating to version 5.8 should also be seamless. As always, it’s smart to spot-check custom implementations in a staging environment or fully test when the release candidate is made available. Want to test your products and get everything client-ready? Check out any of the testing options below.</p>



<p><strong>For Contributors and Volunteers</strong></p>



<p>If you contribute time and expertise to the WordPress project, you can join us in the interesting work leading up to the WordPress 5.8 release and update your site with the deep satisfaction of a job well done. There is a lot that goes into every release—from design and development to documentation and translation; if you’ve got some time to spare, and want to help support the project that supports the tool that supports your site (whew!), check out the links below.</p>



<h2>Resources</h2>



<ul><li>A few block themes: <a href="https://wordpress.org/themes/tt1-blocks/">TT1 Blocks</a>, <a href="https://wordpress.org/themes/hansen/">Hansen</a>, <a href="https://wordpress.org/themes/block-based-bosco/">Block-based Bosco</a>, <a href="https://wordpress.org/themes/q/">Q</a></li><li>A few focus areas: <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/04/20/full-site-editing-go-no-go-next-steps/">Gutenberg plugin focuses</a></li><li>A few ways you can test: <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/gutenberg/">Gutenberg plugin</a>, <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-beta-tester/">Beta testing plugin</a>, <a href="https://gutenbergtimes.com/need-a-zip-from-master/#nightly">Gutenberg Times nightly build</a></li><li>A few pieces of documentation: <a href="https://developer.wordpress.org/block-editor/handbook/full-site-editing/">Full Site Editing Overview</a></li></ul>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Tue, 27 Apr 2021 17:26:05 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:7:"Josepha";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:35;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:87:"WPTavern: Will We See In-Person WordCamps in 2021? An Open Discussion on a Path Forward";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=115641";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:217:"https://wptavern.com/will-we-see-in-person-wordcamps-in-2021-an-open-discussion-on-a-path-forward?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=will-we-see-in-person-wordcamps-in-2021-an-open-discussion-on-a-path-forward";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:3613:"<p class="has-drop-cap">Now that COVID-19 vaccinations are becoming more widespread, many hope that in-person WordCamps can once again be a reality. There is no official path forward just yet, and decisions will likely be locally based in the coming months. Angela Jin, a community organizer for Automattic, announced an <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/community/2021/04/26/discussing-the-path-to-in-person-wordcamps/">open discussion around the topic</a>.</p>



<p>Currently, all WordCamps are online-only events. There is no official decision on when in-person events will begin anew.</p>



<p>This is a follow-up to an earlier <a href="https://wptavern.com/wordpress-community-team-discusses-return-to-in-person-events">discussion that began in December 2020</a>. It served as an initial opinion-gathering mission. For communities that have more effectively contained the COVID-19 spread, the Community Team <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/community/2021/02/16/announcement-decision-making-checklist-for-in-person-meetups-now-available/">posted guidelines and a checklist</a> for local Meetups in February.</p>



<p>Most of the ideas from the December 2020 dialogue are at the forefront of the current open discussion. Mandatory masks, restricting the length of events, limiting attendance, and capping attendance according to the venue&rsquo;s capacity top the list.</p>



<p>One of the tougher-to-achieve goals might be setting up safety guidelines around food or drink, which are often steeped in the local culture. It will also be a primary safety concern.</p>



<p>Mandatory registration is on the table. This would allow organizers to contact attendees in case of exposure.</p>



<p>Other suggestions center on maintaining local events, which is what WordCamp is all about. While some of the conferences are held in major cities and draw international crowds and speakers, this could be an opportunity to make sure that events focus directly on their communities. It would also be necessary for containing any spread of the virus or variants to outside populations.</p>



<p>There is one suggestion to recommend that only vaccinated conference-goers attend. This would likely fall under an honor system. Making this mandatory could create potential hurdles based on local jurisdictions. For example, there is a House Bill in Alabama, my home state, that would not allow entertainment events to &ldquo;discriminate&rdquo; based on vaccination status if passed. I have yet to verify if WordCamps fall under the definition of &ldquo;entertainment events&rdquo; like a concert or sports match.</p>



<p>There are still many unknowns at this point, and every potential in-person WordCamp would have to follow local laws. However, we are nearing a time where such events may once again be a reality.</p>



<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m going to get a little more personal here: returning to in-person WordCamps is going to be an emotional experience that is going to affect everyone differently,&rdquo; Jin said in a final note, sharing thoughts that echo throughout the WordPress ecosystem.</p>



<p>&ldquo;The WordPress community has a big range of introverts to extroverts, and we&rsquo;ve gone through major changes to how we interact with each other. For all that I want to hug everyone, it also is strange and a bit frightening to think about all that human contact after a year-and-then-some of this pandemic. Supporting organizers in bringing back WordCamps in a way that acknowledges and accommodates all our excitement and fears, as well as our love of WordPress, is a worthy goal.&rdquo;</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Mon, 26 Apr 2021 20:35:59 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14:"Justin Tadlock";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:36;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:62:"WPTavern: FLoC Blocking Discussion Continues on WordPress Trac";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=115523";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:169:"https://wptavern.com/floc-blocking-discussion-continues-on-wordpress-trac?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=floc-blocking-discussion-continues-on-wordpress-trac";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:4580:"<p>Last week WordPress contributors began a heated <a href="https://wptavern.com/wordpress-contributors-propose-blocking-floc-in-core">discussion regarding blocking FLoC</a> (Federated Learning of Cohorts). Google&rsquo;s experimental alternative to third-party cookies has become a highly contentious topic that made its way into last week&rsquo;s Core developers meeting. </p>



<p>Representatives from the Chrome team also attended the meeting to clear up any confusion and answer questions about how FLoC currently works. They <a href="https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/C02RQBWTW/p1619037652084400">related</a> that during the FLoC Origin Trial (the process by which Chrome introduces new proposed API&rsquo;s for feedback from developers), a page will only be included in the browser&rsquo;s FLoC computation for one of two reasons:</p>



<ul><li>The FLoC API&nbsp;<code>document.interestCohort()</code>&nbsp;is used on the page.</li><li>Chrome detects that the page&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://github.com/WICG/floc/issues/82" rel="noreferrer noopener">loads ads or ads-related resources</a>.</li></ul>



<p>&ldquo;In the final end state, we expect the way FLoC will work is that the only pages that will be relevant to calculating your cohort are the pages that call the FLoC API,&rdquo; Chrome representative Michael Kleber said. &ldquo;So pages will &lsquo;opt in&rsquo; by using some new JS function call.&rdquo;</p>



<p>Since FLoC is still in the the beginning stages, the Chrome team cannot confirm the final behavior for what pages will be included in FLoC calculations. At this point, it seems like it will primarily affect publishers and ad-supported websites in the future.</p>



<p>Although the authors and proponents of the proposal prescribed immediate action, WordPress&rsquo; leadership has determined that an implementation discussion is premature at this time. </p>



<p>&ldquo;I am now amending my posted request for a reworking of the proposal &ndash; I do not want to see another proposal for action in WordPress right now,&rdquo; WordPress lead developer Helen Hou-Sand&iacute; said during the meeting. &ldquo;What we need is a Trac ticket where we track the status of the FLoC trial/implementation and discuss periodically to see if action is needed. I have an opinion, but it&rsquo;s not really relevant at this time, and I think more of us should be comfortable with that idea.&rdquo;</p>



<p>The Chrome team did not expect that many people would be considering FLoC at this point, as Origin Trials generally only attract a handful of people who are curious about the technical details. FLoC gained more widespread attention after the critical <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/03/googles-floc-terrible-idea">article</a> from EFF. The <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/04/18/proposal-treat-floc-as-a-security-concern/#comment-41168">original proposal</a> on make.wordpress.org also attracted media attention due to its confusing approach, premature assumptions, and lack of critical <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/handbook/best-practices/post-comment-guidelines/#peer-review">peer review</a>.</p>



<p>Peter Wilson <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/04/18/proposal-treat-floc-as-a-security-concern/#comment-41168">commented</a> on behalf of WordPress&rsquo; security team after meeting to discuss the issue, stating that it is unequivocally not a security concern:</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>Treating this as WordPress currently treats any other&nbsp;security issue&nbsp;would require releasing 21 versions of WordPress. As identified in other comments on this thread, it would also break the implicit contract of security releases by including an&nbsp;enhancement&nbsp;in the release.</p><p>As a result of these consideration, the security team have concluded that treating this as a security issue is inappropriate.</p><p>Whether this is suitable to be included in WordPress and subsequently released as part of the next 5.7.x maintenance release are discussions for the&nbsp;Core&nbsp;team. The security team do not have a consensus view on these questions.</p></blockquote>



<p>Hou-Sand&iacute; opened a <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/53069">ticket</a> where discussion continues on the implications of FLoC. As more information becomes available from Chrome&rsquo;s Origin Trial, WordPress contributors will be better prepared to discuss how it may affect publishers and whether a core block, privacy setting, or other action is necessary.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Mon, 26 Apr 2021 16:44:18 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:37;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:64:"WordPress.org blog: WP Briefing: Your Opinion is Our Opportunity";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:53:"https://wordpress.org/news/?post_type=podcast&p=10171";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:67:"https://wordpress.org/news/2021/04/your-opinion-is-our-opportunity/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13066:"<p>In this episode, Josepha discusses the importance of co-development and testing for the continued growth and maintenance of the WordPress project.&nbsp;</p>



<p><em><strong>Have a question you&#8217;d like answered? You can submit them to <a href="mailto:wpbriefing@wordpress.org">wpbriefing@wordpress.org</a>, either written or as a voice recording.</strong></em></p>



<h2><strong>Credits</strong></h2>



<ul><li>Editor:<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/dustinhartzler/"> Dustin Hartzler</a></li><li>Logo:<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/beafialho/"> Beatriz Fialho</a></li><li>Production:<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/mkaz/"> </a><a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/cbringmann/">Chloé Bringmann</a></li><li>Song: Fearless First by Kevin MacLeod</li></ul>



<h2>References</h2>



<ul><li><a href="https://wordpress.org/news/2008/10/usability-testing-report-25-and-crazyhorse/">2.5 Usability Testing Report&nbsp;</a></li><li><a href="https://europe.wordcamp.org/2021/">WordCamp Europe 2021</a></li><li><a href="https://www.meetup.com/Pune-WordPress-Knowledge-Exchange/events/277520243/">Pune Work Along (Self Study) Meetup</a></li><li><a href="https://fr.wordpress.org/2021/04/09/le-30-avril-2021-rejoignez-nous-pour-un-nouveau-wordpress-translation-day-fr/">French Mini-Translation Day, April 30, 2021</a></li><li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/04/15/full-site-editing-go-no-go-april-14-2021/">April 14, 2021, Full Site Editing Go/No-Go Demo Recap</a></li><li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/04/20/full-site-editing-go-no-go-next-steps/">Full Site Editing Go/No-Go Next Steps</a></li><li><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/">Test WordPress.org</a></li></ul>



<h2>Transcript</h2>



<span id="more-10171"></span>



<p>0:10</p>



<p>Hello, everyone, and welcome to the WordPress briefing, the podcast where you can catch quick explanations of some of the ideas behind the WordPress open source project and the community around it, as well as get a small list of big things coming up in the next two weeks. I&#8217;m your host, Josepha Haden Chomphosy. Here we go!</p>



<p>0:39</p>



<p>Prior to Gutenberg, our current multi-year project that is changing the way we see WordPress, another multi-year project changed the way we saw WordPress. Starting in 2008, substantial changes to the WordPress interface came in a series of major releases, starting with WordPress 2.5. That was before my time in the project; I&#8217;ve only ever worked with the current dashboard in WordPress. But, from what I&#8217;ve read, the user testing that would have gone into it was a huge undertaking and very well coordinated. Now, WordPress has not taken on that type of robust testing project since, but starting around 2014 or 2015, a community testing practice was started. I&#8217;ve shared these calls for testing frequently, both on Twitter and in this podcast. But you may not really know why I find the testing program so valuable. So today, I&#8217;m going to explore with you the concept of co-developers in open source.</p>



<p>1:52</p>



<p>Open source software, like WordPress, is built by the people who show up. There are a few obvious groups when you think of software, the developers, designers, technical writers, folks who monitor the forums, and really, all the teams you find in our WordPress project. Co-developers or co-creators, if you&#8217;ll join me in making our tent a little bigger, refers to the users of an open source product who actively engage and contribute to the work by using the software and sharing any bugs that they find.</p>



<p>2:25</p>



<p>I mentioned this group in the episode about how WordPress improves. Specifically in that episode, I underlined that if you consider users to be part of the collaborative process, as long as people use your product, those people will have opinions about your product’s needs. And today, I&#8217;m extending that thought a bit further to say that, as long as there are opinions, there are opportunities.</p>



<p>2:51</p>



<p>When you know what isn&#8217;t working, you can focus your attention on a solution, you can focus on making sure that you can make it work. The existence of co-creators is one of the great things about open source. No designer or developer or product owner has to know every sort of user to be able to get feedback from them. If they show up, test the software and get their thoughts written down, then you can start to see patterns and common pain points. It is also, unfortunately, one of the great difficulties of being an open source project. After all, if users don&#8217;t show up, or don&#8217;t test, or don&#8217;t write down their feedback, it&#8217;s impossible to know what worked for them and what didn&#8217;t. And on top of that, with such a large percentage of the web being supported by WordPress in this case, not every problem is part of a pattern. And not all patterns are part of the current priorities.</p>



<p>3:54</p>



<p>Looking beyond that double-edged sword. Let&#8217;s say that this idea of a co-creator makes sense to you. And more than that, you feel like it describes you. What does it mean for you to show up in WordPress? There are lots of good ways to offer this sort of feedback and contribute to those patterns that can help us see through the fog. So I have for you a mini list and, of course, a bunch of links in the show notes for you.&nbsp;</p>



<p>So some good ways. First, you can participate in any of the dedicated calls for testing. They are short and frequently have a guide. I participate in them and generally find them fun. I say generally because sometimes I also find them frustrating. That&#8217;s really okay too; the frustrations helped me to identify that I found a problem. And if I can find a problem, then I have saved someone else from finding that problem in the future. The second thing you can do is file a bug report with information about what happened when you ran into a problem and how someone like me could make your bug happen on their site. Bug</p>



<p>5:00</p>



<p>Reporting is one of the things I&#8217;ve grown to really love in my time and open source; I did not love it. At first, I was really scared to do it. I mostly used to send videos of the bugs that I found to other people and ask them to file the bug reports for me. But then, of course, I never knew whether they got fixed or not. So I was scared to do it at first. But once I figured out what makes a “good report,” I felt like I was helping circle hidden treasure on a map or something. I realized also not everyone&#8217;s excited about finding hidden treasure on a map. But I play video games and finding hidden treasure on maps is, like, a thing.</p>



<p>5:43</p>



<p>A third really great way to contribute like this is that you can join any community meeting to learn more about what&#8217;s happening now and in the future, or just to see what makes WordPress work. As a heads up, these meetings go really fast. And they&#8217;re all in text. And there&#8217;s sometimes, but not all the time, a little bit of jargon that you have to head to your favorite search engine to find. But I sit in on about half of them myself and get a lot of really good information about things that I&#8217;ve been wondering about, things that looked broken, but actually are functioning exactly the way that they should. And I just didn&#8217;t want them to function that way. And more often than not, I found out that something that I thought was broken, was already identified and being fixed. Those are three great ways to show up and help give feedback that helps make WordPress better and more functional for more people.&nbsp;</p>



<p>There are also a few other ways that we see people trying to share that feedback that don&#8217;t work quite as well. And I&#8217;m going to touch on a few of them just because it&#8217;s important to know, as you&#8217;re trying to figure out how to get started with this. The first one is just tweeting your frustrations, and I get it like that&#8217;s literally what Twitter is for.</p>



<p>7:03</p>



<p>But also it&#8217;s hard to create a block from “I am frustrated, behold my hateful rhetoric.” Not that any of you, my dear listeners, ever tweet hateful rhetoric. Still, that is really hard for anyone to figure out what was actually wrong in that moment. Another thing that is not the most functional way to give feedback is review brigading. The Internet rewards this kind of behavior, but I have found at least for WordPress, those false positives and false negatives can be really confusing for our new users. And the third way, that&#8217;s not our best way, and probably is the least best way, is just by giving up and not telling anyone what broke for you.</p>



<p>7:45</p>



<p>I know that I already said it&#8217;s not possible to fix everyone&#8217;s problems. But while it&#8217;s not possible to fix everyone&#8217;s problems the moment they get shared, it&#8217;s also truly impossible to fix any problems that no one knows exist. And so giving up and not sharing an issue so that we can identify it as part of a pattern of problems is probably the least effective way to help us help you get your problem solved.</p>



<p>8:13</p>



<p>This brings me back to the question of the value of WordPress users as co creators in the development process. As WordPress grows, both in usage as a CMS and in participation as a community, it&#8217;s important for us to shed the idea that software creation is only about what literally can be done to code or what literally can be done to core or what literally can be done to the CMS. It&#8217;s also important for us to constantly remind ourselves that the best outcomes are the result of collaboration with the people who use WordPress the most. I know that not every type of user we have is showing up to give us feedback about where WordPress doesn&#8217;t work for them. And I would love to see more feedback that helps us to figure out where our patterns are.</p>



<p>9:03</p>



<p>So the bottom line is this without user feedback that has some clarity of what was expected versus what happened, the work to make a good choice involves a whole lot of guessing. So since open source software is built by the people who show up, I hope this gives you an idea of how you can show up and help improve the tool that powers your sites.</p>



<p>9:32</p>



<p>That brings us to today&#8217;s community highlight every episode or so I share either a great story of WordPress success or a great story of a WordPress contributor who helped some folks along the way. Today&#8217;s <a href="https://twitter.com/trishacodes/status/1357382647274762244">community highlight</a> comes from @trishacodes who shared one of her early to WordPress mentors. She says “@RianRietveld was such an encouragement and helped me find the courage to speak up.” I have had myself many conversations with <a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/rianrietveld/">Rian</a>, and that rings true for me as well.&nbsp;</p>



<p>10:00</p>



<p>That brings us to the moment you&#8217;ve all been waiting for, the small list of big things. It&#8217;s actually kind of a medium list. Today, I&#8217;ve got four whole things to share with you all. The first thing on my list is that WordCamp Europe is coming, that will be June 7th through the 10th. It&#8217;s a multi-day online event. I will share in the show notes a link to the main website; there you can get an idea of what will happen, the schedule, and get your hands on some tickets so that you can get it in your calendar and prepare yourselves.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The second thing I want to share is for all of our polyglots out there. The French team is planning a translation day coming up on April 30. I will share a link to that as well so that you can get an idea of what that takes if you&#8217;re feeling like you want to do some translation work. The third thing I want to share is that the Indian community in Pune actually started a new meetup series. It is a translation work along self-study &#8211; also for all of our polyglots out there. I would love to see as many people as are interested in both learning about how to do translations and certainly translating WordPress get registered for that. A final thing I want to share with you all is that if you are curious about what full site editing features will be included in the 5.8 release, that&#8217;s the WordPress release that&#8217;s coming out in the middle of July, you can check out my recap and recording of the demo that was held with Matt, Matias, and the rest of the team. There’s are also a number of other posts of next step ideas that I will share in the show notes as well.</p>



<p>11:51</p>



<p>That, my friends, is your small list of big things. Thank you for joining in today for the WordPress briefing. I&#8217;m your host, Josepha Haden Chomphosy. I&#8217;ll see you again in a couple of weeks!</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Mon, 26 Apr 2021 15:24:28 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:15:"Chloe Bringmann";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:38;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:106:"WPTavern: Companies Running Competitive Ads Against WordPress May Soon be Banned from Sponsoring WordCamps";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=115353";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:257:"https://wptavern.com/companies-running-competitive-ads-against-wordpress-may-soon-be-banned-from-sponsoring-wordcamps?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=companies-running-competitive-ads-against-wordpress-may-soon-be-banned-from-sponsoring-wordcamps";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:4644:"<p>The WordPress Community Team is <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/community/2021/04/19/discussion-companies-who-run-competitive-ads-against-wordpress-and-apply-to-sponsor-wordcamps/">discussing</a> banning companies from sponsoring WordCamps if they advertise competitively against WordPress. A WordCamp organizing team recently brought the concern to community deputies regarding a potential sponsor that is advertising its product in such a way that it puts WordPress in &ldquo;an unflattering light.&rdquo;</p>



<p>This particular instance is prompting community leadership to clarify expectations for how sponsors advertise WordPress derivative products &ndash; products built on top of WordPress, such as themes, plugins, or distributions.</p>



<p>Cami Kaos published a list of the existing expectations for sponsors and those who want to participate in the community&rsquo;s events program. These include items such as no discrimination, no incitement of violence, respecting the WordPress trademark and licensing, and others from the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/community/handbook/wordcamp-organizer/planning-details/fundraising/local-wordcamp-sponsorship/">WordCamp Organizer Handbook</a>. Kaos posed the following two questions to the community:</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p><strong>Should the WordCamp and&nbsp;meetup&nbsp;programs accept sponsors, speakers and organizers who engage in&nbsp;competitive marketing against WordPress?</strong></p><p><strong>How should competitive advertising be defined in the WordPress space?</strong></p></blockquote>



<p>The discussion post did not specify the potential sponsor in question but <a href="https://wptavern.com/elementor-raises-eyebrows-with-google-ads-targeting-full-site-editing">recent campaigns from Elementor</a> meet the criteria of advertising against WordPress with a negative slant. The ads insinuate that WordPress isn&rsquo;t user -friendly or intuitive and that without this particular product WordPress is frustrating. The company has also run ads that co-opt the term &ldquo;full-site editing&rdquo; on Google searches, with Elementor representatives claiming that it is a generic industry term.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><img /></div>



<p>Elementor has sponsored events in the past. If the community guidelines are changed to explicitly prohibit advertising that puts WordPress in a negative light, then the company may be required to pull all of its ads that violate the new requirements in order to become a sponsor. </p>



<p>Bluehost is another company that might come under the microscope for its <a href="https://wptavern.com/bluehost-misuses-wordpress-trademark-reigniting-controversy-over-recommended-hosts-page">recent trademark misuse</a>. Although the company had a meeting to resolve matters with WordPress&rsquo; executive director Josepha Haden, Bluehost still has <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCURv2b4zbEiwN626-T321HQ">multiple ads</a> running with the <a href="https://youtu.be/eqQORI5Ehd0?t=15">same issue</a>. </p>



<p>Feedback so far has been minimal. One participant in the discussion mistakenly thought the proposal was referring to competition in general. Andrea Middleton clarified in the comments.</p>



<p>&ldquo;The question is whether WordPress events should co-promote or endorse people and companies that are competing&nbsp;<strong>against WordPress itself</strong>,&rdquo; Middleton said.</p>



<p>&ldquo;For example, if someone is running ads saying &lsquo;WordPress is terrible, use our product instead,&rsquo; or even &lsquo;WordPress is terrible, but our&nbsp;plugin&nbsp;makes it good&rsquo; do we want to include them as a sponsor for WordPress events?&rdquo;</p>



<p>Defining competitive advertising to exclude all forms criticism may be too strong of a line but there should be guidelines that cover more egregious cases where a company is disparaging WordPress for the purpose of exploiting its community. </p>



<p>&ldquo;Criticism can be healthy and good marketing when done in good faith and with a tool that truly addresses a user need,&rdquo; Mark Root-Wiley said. &ldquo;What makes criticism objectionable is when it strays past details of software and into harmful criticism of people and communities, and it seems like the existing standards cover that.&rdquo;</p>



<p>The <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/community/2021/04/19/discussion-companies-who-run-competitive-ads-against-wordpress-and-apply-to-sponsor-wordcamps/">discussion</a> will be open until April 29, 2021, when comments will be closed and the discussion will move to final review. </p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Fri, 23 Apr 2021 22:01:30 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:39;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:78:"WPTavern: Plausible Analytics Adds Statistics Dashboard to the WordPress Admin";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=115526";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:201:"https://wptavern.com/plausible-analytics-adds-statistics-dashboard-to-the-wordpress-admin?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=plausible-analytics-adds-statistics-dashboard-to-the-wordpress-admin";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5460:"<p class="has-drop-cap">Earlier this week, <a href="https://plausible.io/">Plausible Analytics</a> released version 1.2 of its <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/plausible-analytics/">WordPress plugin</a>. The update includes a missing feature that should make it more appealing to end-users. The plugin now supports an &ldquo;embedded mode&rdquo; that displays a site&rsquo;s stats directly in the WordPress admin interface.</p>



<p>Without counting the self-hosted users of its open-source project, Plausible Analytics recently surpassed 14,000 users on its hosted service. That is a step forward in its two-year path toward making a dent in the analytics market.</p>



<p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve taken 1.4 billion pageviews directly from Google Analytics to date,&rdquo; said Plausible&rsquo;s co-founder Marko Saric&rdquo;. We&rsquo;re about to reach 3,000 paying subscribers by the end of the week.&rdquo;</p>



<p>It is an exciting moment for the small, EU-based team. However, the work does not stop there. The plugin has gained 500 active installs after its recent launch. It is a small number, but Saric seems happy that the plugin is simply showing up in the directory when people search for &ldquo;web analytics&rdquo; at this point, hoping that it will bring more WordPress users around to a privacy-first solution.</p>



<p>It is a slow burn and organic growth. However, WordPress users are stepping up and filing tickets through the plugin&rsquo;s <a href="https://github.com/plausible/wordpress/issues">GitHub repository</a> now. Activity and feedback are the lifeblood of young products, giving developers goals to reach toward.</p>



<p>The latest version of the Plausible Analytics plugin gives users access to their stats dashboard from the WordPress admin. Hooking it up is as simple as generating a shared link via the service&rsquo;s website.</p>



<img />Generating a shared link from the Plausible Analytics site.



<p>Earlier versions of the plugin did not include this functionality because the team was still building their public API, a necessary feature for sharing the data outside of their system.</p>



<p>The new stats API is not just for the plugin. Developers can build on top of the system, retrieve stats, and present them however they want. <a href="https://dailytics.com/">Dailytics</a>, a third-party service, already integrates with it and sends out daily analytics emails.  The team has <a href="https://plausible.io/docs/stats-api">detailed documentation</a> on using it.</p>



<img />Realtime stats embedded into the WordPress admin.



<p>The latest version of the self-hosted Plausible script is available too. It features all of the same capabilities. However, the WordPress plugin does not yet support embedded mode for analytics just yet.</p>



<p>&ldquo;The development of the WordPress plugin started before this self-hosted release was completed, so WP dashboard for self-hosters is not part of the 1.2 plugin release, unfortunately,&rdquo; said Saric. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve now spoken with Mehul Gohil, who is the WordPress developer that has helped us with the plugin, and we will try to do a mini-release of the plugin in the upcoming days to allow the self-hosters to get their stats within the WordPress interface too.&rdquo;</p>



<h2>Version 1.3 and Beyond</h2>



<p class="has-drop-cap">Saric said his team already has a roadmap for the next version of the plugin. Several new features should land in version 1.3, such as excluding authors and editors being counted in the stats. This option exists for administrators at the moment.</p>



<p>&ldquo;The second one is a widget that gives a quick overview of the most import metrics such as unique visitors and pageviews, so you don&rsquo;t need to go into the analytics section if you don&rsquo;t want to,&rdquo; he said.</p>



<p>The team is also looking at out-of-the-box integration with some popular third-party plugins to support event tracking. At the moment, this is primarily a developer-friendly feature because it requires a bit of JavaScript to track signups and conversions. Making it work by default is the goal.</p>



<p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve already done some work to make it easier, such as the recent introduction of the ability to group pages,&rdquo; said Saric. &ldquo;For instance, you can now group WooCommerce checkout pages for your eCommerce, so now we just need to enable that out of the box in the plugin.&rdquo;</p>



<p>They are shooting for a self-hosted or proxied version of their script from the plugin in the long term. This would allow users to run the script from their domain directly as a first-party connection, providing more accurate data. This is a manual process right now, but the team wants the process to be easy for those users going down the self-hosted path.</p>



<p>&ldquo;Obviously, in addition to the WordPress-specific improvements, we&rsquo;re constantly working on improving Plausible Analytics itself,&rdquo; said Saric. &ldquo;WordPress users automatically get all of those into their dashboard as we improve and update the main site. No need to wait for WordPress plugin updates for those to make it into the WordPress dashboard. One metric we&rsquo;re hoping to release over the upcoming weeks is the inclusion of states and city data in addition to the countries that we have now. Many of our users have asked for this, so we&rsquo;re prioritizing it in our development.&rdquo;</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Fri, 23 Apr 2021 15:49:57 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14:"Justin Tadlock";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:40;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:81:"WPTavern: With Some Hits and Misses, the Guten Blog WordPress Theme Has Potential";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=115543";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:205:"https://wptavern.com/with-some-hits-and-misses-the-guten-blog-wordpress-theme-has-potential?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=with-some-hits-and-misses-the-guten-blog-wordpress-theme-has-potential";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:5677:"<p class="has-drop-cap">Any time I see a new block-ready WordPress theme, I am like a toddler in a toyshop. I cannot wait to bring it home, rip off the packaging, and play with it. Sometimes it is the type of fun that will create lasting, years-long memories. Other times, the toy is not all it is cracked up to be. It does not deliver on the promises on its packaging. It is too hard to play with or just not what you expected. You discard it and move on to one of your other trusted toys, ones with guaranteed fun built-in.</p>



<p>The latter feeling is where I am at with <a href="https://wordpress.org/themes/guten-blog/">Guten Blog</a> by Avid Themes. I want to love it. It has many elements that could make for a great theme. At first glance, I even believed it could be one of only a handful of quality, block-supported themes in the directory.</p>



<img />Guten Blog default demo homepage.



<p>However, I was that kid all over again, let down by the shiny veneer of colorful packaging. The upside is that there is potential. It has all the elements needed to be among the great blogging themes. With more work, it could go from mediocre to top-10 material.</p>



<p>The most disappointing thing about the theme is the following homepage section:</p>



<img />Common three-box design pattern.



<p>It is a typical design on the web today &mdash; a section containing some intro text with three boxes. I do not dislike the design. The problem is how it is handled by the theme. It relies exclusively on the <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/gutentor/">Gutentor plugin</a> to build this, and there are zero reasons to do so. The block editor is capable of handling this on its own.</p>



<p>This would have been an easy win for the theme to package this section design as a custom block pattern.</p>



<p>For some blocks, I get it; WordPress&rsquo;s built-in blocks do not cut it yet. For example, the various post-related blocks do not exist yet. Of course, the Query block is slated to land in WordPress 5.8. That would be an opportune moment to make the switch.</p>



<p>However, the above section is representative of all the imported demo content. Everything from columns to quotes to paragraphs &mdash; yes, paragraphs &mdash; is built with Gutentor&rsquo;s blocks.</p>



<p>One of my primary fears with theme developers is that they will continue to over-rely on plugins for basic features that exist in WordPress. This teaches end-users to also rely on these plugins, and it is a shame. This creates less flexibility for users, tying basic content to a third-party tool.</p>



<p>There are some stunning <a href="https://avidthemes.com/preview/?product_id=gutenblog-free-1">pre-made demos</a> that users can import. In total, the theme offers 18 options. Seven of those are available for free. The other demos are part of the <a href="https://avidthemes.com/guten-blog-pro/">&ldquo;pro&rdquo; package</a>, ranging from $49.99 to $79.99 depending on the number of sites the customer wants support and updates.</p>



<img />Pre-made, importable demos.



<p>In particular, I am a fan of its third free option for lifestyle-type blogs:</p>



<img />Lifestyle-type free, importable demo.



<p>The importable demos are the bright spot of the theme, most of which showcase various homepage options. The development team simply bypassed the tools available in core WordPress. There are no block styles or patterns, and the demos offer a plethora of opportunities to flesh out custom designs for users to insert with one click.</p>



<p>The theme technically works without extra plugins. It is billed as a blogging theme, so the hope is that it holds up in that regard. With a content size between 730 &ndash; 800 pixels and text of 16 pixels, it does not. The text is practically unreadable when it comes to long-form content. It may as well be a jumbled mass of words where you continually lose your place from line to line.</p>



<p>This is not <em>Justin-is-having-a-bad-day-so-let&rsquo;s-dump-on-a-theme</em>. I genuinely love the potential Guten Blog has. I want it to be better. The overall design is something I could imagine myself using on various websites I am involved with. Its font choices, minimalist layout, and generous use of whitespace are right up my alley.</p>



<p>However, it has some issues. For example, it updates a database option for a third-party plugin on every page load (I am not sure how that made it through the review process). It also missed a lot of opportunities to showcase the core block editor.</p>



<p>Other issues are with the theme&rsquo;s primary admin notice. The small text that reads &ldquo;Clicking on get started will activate Advanced Import&rdquo; felt shady. Literally, the text was intentionally styled with a 10-pixel font size, which was incredibly difficult to read, so tough that I did not catch it until I unwittingly began installing a third-party plugin. It also installed Gutenblog Demo Import and the Gutentor plugin without authorization at that moment.</p>



<p>These are fixable issues. I hope the theme development team can take my complaints and build something that eventually exceeds my expectations. The potential is there.</p>



<p><strong>Update (April 26):</strong> I did not notice during the initial review, but I have since confirmed that this theme changed my site title to &ldquo;WP GutenBlog&rdquo; at some point in the process, likely during the demo import.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator" />



<p><strong>Disclosure:</strong> This theme makes use of a library I built for breadcrumbs. It is using a version that is at least three years out of date.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Thu, 22 Apr 2021 23:12:46 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14:"Justin Tadlock";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:41;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:113:"WPTavern: Google Delays Page Experience Ranking Signal Rollout until June 2021, Adds New Report to Search Console";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=115367";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:269:"https://wptavern.com/google-delays-page-experience-ranking-signal-rollout-until-june-2021-adds-new-report-to-search-console?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=google-delays-page-experience-ranking-signal-rollout-until-june-2021-adds-new-report-to-search-console";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:2764:"<p>Google <a href="https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2021/04/more-details-page-experience">announced</a> this week that it will be delaying the rollout of the new page experience ranking signal to mid-June 2021. Page experience will be included along with existing search signals like&nbsp;mobile-friendliness,&nbsp;safe-browsing,&nbsp;HTTPS-security, and&nbsp;intrusive interstitial guidelines. The rollout, previously planned to begin in May, will be gradual and page experience will not be in full force as a ranking signal until August.</p>



<p>In the meantime, Google has been elaborating on <a href="https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/10218333">how page experience is evaluated</a> and has published an <a href="https://support.google.com/webmasters/thread/86521401">FAQ</a> page with common questions they have been answering:</p>



<ul><li>If I built AMP pages, do they meet the recommended thresholds?</li><li>Can a site meet the recommended thresholds without using AMP?</li><li>Is there a difference between desktop and mobile ranking?</li></ul>



<p>Google also announced a new&nbsp;<a href="https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/10218333">Page Experience report</a> in the Search Console that displays the percentage of URLs with good page experience and search impressions over time. Currently, page experience only applies to mobile search. Good URLs refers to the percentage of mobile URLs with both&nbsp;Good&nbsp;status in Core Web Vitals and no mobile usability issues according to the Mobile Usability report.</p>



<img />



<p>Google News will also be getting some important AMP-related updates during the rollout, with the removal of the AMP badge icon and the inclusion of non-AMP content in the mobile apps:</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>As part of the page experience update, we&rsquo;re expanding the usage of non-AMP content to power the core experience on&nbsp;<a href="https://news.google.com/">news.google.com</a>&nbsp;and in the Google News mobile apps.</p><p>Additionally, we will no longer show the AMP badge icon to indicate AMP content. You can expect this change to come to our products as the page experience update begins to roll out in mid-June.</p></blockquote>



<p>Non-AMP pages will also be eligible to appear in the Top Stories carousel as another planned part of this update.</p>



<p>Google Search has been updated to include support for signed exchanges (SXG) on all pages, previously only available on AMP-generated pages. This allows for pre-fetching resources, such as HTML, JavaScript, CSS, images, or font, in order to render pages faster. <a href="https://web.dev/signed-exchanges/#tooling">Web.dev</a> has a guide and tools for monitoring and debugging SXG.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Thu, 22 Apr 2021 14:26:45 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:42;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:96:"WPTavern: Themes Set Up for a Paradigm Shift, WordPress 5.8 Will Unleash Tools To Make It Happen";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=115466";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:235:"https://wptavern.com/themes-set-up-for-a-paradigm-shift-wordpress-5-8-will-unleash-tools-to-make-it-happen?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=themes-set-up-for-a-paradigm-shift-wordpress-5-8-will-unleash-tools-to-make-it-happen";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:9813:"<p class="has-drop-cap">For much of WordPress&rsquo;s history, the foundational elements of building a theme have been slow to change. Every so often, developers would get a new feature, such as child themes, featured images, nav menus, and template parts. Each of these was epic in its own way. However, theme authors had ample time to adapt to these single feature introductions.</p>



<p>When the block editor landed, it did so with a bang. Love it or hate it, it shifted how we think about design for the web. It was not one of those one-off enhancements, regardless of how many times we were told it would &ldquo;just work&rdquo; with any theme. It sometimes does not <em>technically</em> break things. Support and integration are necessary for an ideal user experience, and theme authors have been slow to catch up.</p>



<p>With WordPress 5.8, theme authors are gearing up for another paradigm-shifting set of changes. Josepha Haden Chomphosy, WordPress Executive Director, announced last week that several Full Site Editing (FSE) sub-components will begin <a href="https://wptavern.com/full-site-editing-is-partly-a-go-for-wordpress-5-8">shipping with the next release</a>.</p>



<p>In the <a href="https://wptavern.com/podcast/2-anne-mccarthy-on-how-full-site-editing-will-impact-wordpress">latest episode</a> of the WP Tavern Jukebox podcast, Nathan Wrigley hosted guest Anne McCarthy. He asked her to calm people&rsquo;s fears over upcoming changes. &ldquo;So, as an example, let&rsquo;s imagine that we&rsquo;re a theme developer. We may be getting concerned that themes are going to become a thing of the past, that the livelihood that we&rsquo;ve created for ourselves is going to disappear before our eyes.&rdquo;</p>



<p>It is a common question. Since the inception of Gutenberg, particularly its features that fall under FSE, themers have wondered if there would be a place at the table for them. If WordPress is moving toward a grander page-building experience, where do themes fit in? If users can change the layout or manipulate all of the styles, what is the theme&rsquo;s job?</p>



<p>These questions are finally getting some answers. We can see the real-world changes introduced in recent months. They paint a much clearer picture, defining the role of themes in WordPress&rsquo;s future.</p>



<p>&ldquo;And for theme authors, themes are going to be so important in a full site editing world,&rdquo; said McCarthy. &ldquo;And one of the things I am so excited about is that there&rsquo;s going to be a ton of what they&rsquo;re calling&hellip;the idea of these hybrid universal themes that can work with, for example, template editing.&rdquo;</p>



<p>She is referring to a <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/29024">recent discussion</a> that <a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/29024#issuecomment-792796711">makes some distinctions</a> between universal and hybrid themes. Essentially, universal themes would work in both a classic or block editor context, depending on what the user chose. A hybrid might support parts of the block experience but have a path to becoming a universal theme that fully caters to any user down the road.</p>



<p>While this does not wholly address theme authors&rsquo; concerns, these are the building blocks that Gutenberg contributors are thinking about. First and foremost, they want a solid user experience. However, the discussions show that they also recognize that theme developers need to opt into new things at their own pace, supporting features as they understand them and learn how to implement them. This provides a path forward for traditional themes to transition into the new era and be built from scratch with new tools.</p>



<p>Themes may well be more vital to WordPress&rsquo;s future than they were in the past.</p>



<h2>New Tools Coming in WordPress 5.8</h2>



<img />



<p class="has-drop-cap">The site editor and global styles features are not planned to ship with WordPress 5.8. However, the upcoming release is set to introduce some powerful tools for theme authors. This will be a pivotal moment for theme development companies that want to make their mark in the space. The right team with a forward-looking mindset stands to disrupt the market and make millions. And, there is room for the authors who just want to build cool stuff.</p>



<p>It all starts with the new template-related blocks that should be enabled in the next major update. In particular, the Query block provides an alternative to what was formerly only possible via code and carefully constructed theme options. Coupling it with existing features opens us to a world of possibilities.</p>



<p>For example, I chose a theme from the most popular list on WordPress.org that looked to have one of the most complex query and loop setups of the bunch. The following is the homepage of <a href="https://wordpress.org/themes/enternews/">EnterNews</a>:</p>



<img />EnterNews WordPress theme homepage.



<p>Anyone familiar with theme development can tell you that it would take at least eight different queries to create that homepage design without looking at the code. The only way to build that and allow users to customize which posts appear is through a series of theme options (probably category-based dropdown select boxes).</p>



<p>If the Query block ships with WordPress 5.8 as expected and is also enabled for any theme, this layout is suddenly possible directly from the block editor &mdash; <em>no site editor necessary</em>. Via block patterns, users can insert these &ldquo;sections&rdquo; of different Query blocks in their page and reorder them. However, it requires buy-in from the theme author.</p>



<p>As I said earlier, theme authors have been slow to adopt block-related features as a whole. Undoubtedly, the system for the EnterNews homepage is already getting the job done. And, if it works for the theme&rsquo;s current user base, there may seem to be little incentive to change.</p>



<p>However, there are real benefits from a development angle to transitioning to a new system. The most obvious is that it requires little code compared to the PHP needed for building customizer options. Block patterns are little more than HTML with bits and pieces of JSON configuration in the mix. Developers can literally build them from the editor and copy/paste the code part.</p>



<p>By writing less code, it lowers the potential for security issues and other bugs. Theme authors can also be less rigid in their design, allowing users to move pieces of the layout around.</p>



<p>The Query block is not the only one slated for inclusion in 5.8 outside of a block-based theme context. The Navigation, Site Title, Site Logo, and more are ready to ship. Most such blocks are vital components for building an entire page. Theme authors could start handing over the tools for building complex landing pages on launch day this July.</p>



<h2>Stepping Stones</h2>



<img />



<p class="has-drop-cap">Not every theme author needs to step up and attempt to revolutionize the theme space &mdash; though I am looking forward to those who do. Others might want to take a more measured approach. FSE is a set of many sub-components, some of which are shipping with WordPress 5.8. Many of these do not require developers to opt into them. They will &ldquo;just work.&rdquo; <em>Sort of. Mostly.</em></p>



<p>Users will be able to switch to a template-editing mode directly from the block editor. From there, they can create entire page templates of their choosing. Theme authors can either stand in their way by not styling for blocks or make the experience more enjoyable.</p>



<p>The widgets screen and customizer will allow end-users of traditional themes to insert blocks in any of their sidebars. Some theme authors will need to account for this in their designs. The HTML output might throw off some layouts. For those who are not ready, they should disable block-based widget support.</p>



<p>The most crucial tool, however, is entirely optional for theme authors. That is the introduction of <code>theme.json</code> support. The <code>theme.json</code> file is the cornerstone of future theme development. It acts as a config file for block settings and styles, allowing theme authors to set up the defaults for anything.</p>



<p>In a nutshell, theme developers can set up any of the block options from this file, and those options are automatically handled in the editor and on the front end.</p>



<p>Themes can also define defaults for block options that do not yet exist in the interface. The system will automatically output these as styles, even if users cannot change them in 5.8.</p>



<p>Again, this means less code work for themers in the long run. While there will likely always be a place for custom CSS, some themes could essentially be built from <code>theme.json</code> configurations. That is not possible today. However, theme authors can start taking advantage of this tool.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator" />



<p>Themes are not going the way of the dinosaur. All of that overly complex PHP code work necessary in the past might just be. The shift is putting themes back into their proper place: design. Previously available tools such as patterns and styles coupled with the new pieces like <code>theme.json</code> and template-related blocks will be the backbone of the new system. It is all starting to come together.</p>



<p>The transition will take some time, and each themer will need to decide for him or herself how much they want to take on. But, the time is near. I might even crank up the old code editor and start putting together a project myself. There has never been a better time to be excited about theme development than now.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Wed, 21 Apr 2021 23:32:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14:"Justin Tadlock";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:43;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:69:"WordPress.org blog: Become an Early Adopter With the Gutenberg Plugin";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:35:"https://wordpress.org/news/?p=10164";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:85:"https://wordpress.org/news/2021/04/become-an-early-adopter-with-the-gutenberg-plugin/";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:4168:"<p><strong><em>Copy by Anne McCarthy (<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/annezazu/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>annezazu</a>) and Design by Mel Choyce-Dwan (<a href="https://profiles.wordpress.org/melchoyce/" class="mention"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>melchoyce</a>)</em></strong></p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://i2.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2021/04/Frame-1.png?resize=632%2C354&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10165" width="632" height="354" /></div>



<p>In WordPress circles (whether it’s your local meetup, a trusted publication, or your networking group), you may have heard terms like Core Editor, Gutenberg, and the Block Editor used interchangeably over the last four years. And if you’re following contributor work on the project itself, you may also have heard some additional nuances—Gutenberg plugin, Gutenberg, or Block Editor.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It can get a little confusing, so let’s take a look at four terms that will help you find your way:&nbsp;</p>



<ul><li>WordPress &#8211; WordPress refers to the open source software but also to the community that surrounds it.&nbsp;</li><li>Gutenberg &#8211; Gutenberg is the code name for a multi-year project to update editing areas for the WordPress software.</li><li>Editor &#8211; The editor refers to a section of the software that allows you to update content on your site’s posts and pages.&nbsp;</li><li>Gutenberg Plugin &#8211; The Gutenberg plugin is where early work to update the editor is shared.</li></ul>



<h2>The Gutenberg Plugin</h2>



<p>Now that we’ve cleared up the definitions, let’s talk about the plugin. When might you use it? What would you use it for? You can think of it as an early access program or a “WordPress lab.” The plugin is updated every two weeks, which means that bugs that have been reported are often fixed and that what you see changes rapidly.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The Gutenberg plugin also contains features that aren’t yet ready for their WordPress debut but are ready for curious users to test and provide feedback. This is a common practice that allows stable features to make it to your site in WordPress releases while allowing experimental features to be tested and refined. To get a sense of whether using the Gutenberg Plugin might be something you want to explore to get access to earlier features, check out the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/gutenberg-new/">“What’s New” release posts </a>and the <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/core-editor-improvement/">Core Editor Improvement post series</a>. </p>



<h2>Do I Need the Plugin to Use Gutenberg?</h2>



<p>It depends on your comfort level! Generally speaking, it is not recommended to use the plugin on a site that has launched and is actively in use unless you’re very comfortable with the code side of WordPress. Fortunately, each WordPress release comes ready to go with <a href="https://developer.wordpress.org/block-editor/handbook/versions-in-wordpress/">multiple versions of the Gutenberg plugin</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>But if you are a keen beta tester who loves reporting feedback, or you feel comfortable navigating how to opt-in/out of the experimental aspects of the plugin, here are a few reasons you might want to dig into what the Gutenberg Plugin has to offer:</p>



<ul><li>Test new features and give helpful feedback. For example, you can use the plugin to <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/handbook/full-site-editing-outreach-experiment/how-to-test-fse/">help test Full Site Editing</a>.&nbsp;</li><li>Get early access to the latest &amp; greatest while navigating when to opt-in or out of experimental features.&nbsp;</li><li>Prepare for the future whether you’re a theme author, plugin developer, agency owner, etc.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<p><em>Do you use the Gutenberg plugin and </em><a href="https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues"><em>share feedback on GitHub</em></a><em>? Thank you! This kind of feedback is what helps ensure stability in what’s shipped in WordPress releases.&nbsp;</em></p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator" />



<p></p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Wed, 21 Apr 2021 21:03:47 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:15:"Chloe Bringmann";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:44;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:77:"WPTavern: #2 – Anne McCarthy on How Full Site Editing Will Impact WordPress";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:48:"https://wptavern.com/?post_type=podcast&p=115391";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:197:"https://wptavern.com/podcast/2-anne-mccarthy-on-how-full-site-editing-will-impact-wordpress?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2-anne-mccarthy-on-how-full-site-editing-will-impact-wordpress";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:68360:"<h2 class="is-style-default">About this episode.</h2>



<p>So the podcast today features Anne McCarthy. Anne is Developer Relations Wrangler for Automattic. Her work is focussed on the WordPress.org space, and she is leading the Full Site Editing Outreach Program.</p>



<p>Full Site Editing is an endeavour to make it easier to manage how your WordPress website works. It&rsquo;s hoped that tasks which once required a fairly technical understanding of the WordPress code, will become available to all. Creating headers and footers, deciding what information to pull from the database and where it should be displayed. These will become part of the Block Editor interface. Complexity replaced by simplicity; or at least that&rsquo;s the goal.</p>



<p>This, as you might imagine, is not an easy task. Now that WordPress is pushing beyond 40% of the web, there&rsquo;s a lot to consider, and that&rsquo;s what Anne is doing. She&rsquo;s part of the team trying to work out how this might look, how it should work and when it will be ready.</p>



<p>We start off with an introduction from Anne and how she became involved with WordPress and the Full Site Editing initiative in particular.</p>



<p>Then the discussion moves to an explanation of what Full Site Editing hopes to achieve. Which areas of a website are intended to be made available with Full Site Editing?</p>



<p>We then get into the specific details of what constraints the project faces; and there are many points to consider. Backwards compatibility, accessibility and how commercial and free plugins feed into the project roadmap.</p>



<p>Towards the end of the podcast we get into the process of how Full Site Editing is moving forwards, who is making the decisions and how the WordPress community can get involved in shaping WordPress&rsquo; future through endeavours like Anne&rsquo;s Outreach Program.</p>



<p>It&rsquo;s a very timely episode. Many of the areas discussed will be landing in WordPress soon.</p>



<p>If any of the points raised here resonate with you, be sure to leave a comment below.</p>



<h2 class="is-style-default">Useful links.</h2>



<p>Full Site Editing is moving fast. Since the recording of this episode, there&rsquo;s been some movement. To get the latest information and learn more, see the following links:</p>



<p><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://make.wordpress.org/test/handbook/full-site-editing-outreach-experiment/" target="_blank">Full Site Editing Outreach Program</a></p>



<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPPzATDkHzg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Full Site Editing for WordPress Overview</a></p>



<p><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/04/15/full-site-editing-go-no-go-april-14-2021/" target="_blank">Full Site Editing Go/No Go | April 14, 2021</a></p>



<p><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/04/20/full-site-editing-go-no-go-next-steps/" target="_blank">Full Site Editing Go/No Go: Next steps</a></p>


Transcript<div><div class="chat-transcript"><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"><div class="chat-author chat-author-nathanwrigley vcard"><cite class="fn">Nathan Wrigley</cite> [00:00:00]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>Welcome to the second edition of the Jukebox podcast from WP Tavern. My name is Nathan Wrigley. Our aim here is to create a podcast and transcript for people who are interested in WordPress and the WordPress community. We&rsquo;re going to create one episode each month, for the time being, but that might change in the future.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"> <div class="chat-text"><p>We&rsquo;d love to hear your feedback about the podcast. Perhaps there&rsquo;s a subject that you&rsquo;d like us to feature, a person who you think would make a great guest or anything else that comes to mind. We&rsquo;re very open to suggestions so long as it&rsquo;s to do with WordPress and the wider WordPress community. You can do that by going to WP Tavern dot com forward slash contact forward slash jukebox. And there you&rsquo;ll find a contact form for you to complete. Once again, WP Tavern dot com forward slash contact forward slash jukebox, and thanks in advance if you reach out.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"> <div class="chat-text"><p>Okay, so the podcast today features Anne McCarthy. Anne is a developer relations wrangler for Automattic. She focuses on the wordpress.org space and is leading the full site editing outreach program. Full site editing is an endeavor to make it easier to manage how your WordPress website works. It&rsquo;s hoped that tasks, which once required a fairly technical understanding of the WordPress code will become available to all. Creating headers and footers, deciding what information to pull from the database and where it should be displayed.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"> <div class="chat-text"><p>These will become part of the block editor interface. Complexity replaced by simplicity, or at least that&rsquo;s the goal. This, as you might imagine, is not an easy task. Now that WordPress is pushing beyond 40% of the web, there&rsquo;s a lot to consider, and that&rsquo;s what Anne is doing. She&rsquo;s part of the team, trying to work out how this might look, how it should work and when it will be ready.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"> <div class="chat-text"><p>We start off with an introduction from Anne and how she became involved with WordPress and the full site editing initiative in particular. Then the discussion moves to an explanation of what full site editing hopes to achieve, which areas of a website are intended to be made available with full site editing.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"> <div class="chat-text"><p>We then get into the specific details of what constraints the project faces, and there are many points to consider. Backwards compatibility, accessibility, and how commercial and free plugins feed into the project roadmap. Towards the end of the podcast, we get into the process of how full site editing is moving forwards, who is making the decisions and how the WordPress community can get involved in shaping WordPress&rsquo;s future through endeavors like Anne&rsquo;s outreach program.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"> <div class="chat-text"><p>It&rsquo;s a very timely episode. Many of the areas discussed will be landing in WordPress soon. If any of the points raised here resonate with you, be sure to head over and find the post at wptavern dot com forward slash podcast, and leave a comment there. And so without further delay, I bring you Anne McCarthy.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"> <div class="chat-text"><p>I am here with Anne McCarthy, Anne welcome to the podcast.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"><div class="chat-author chat-author-annemccarthy vcard"><cite class="fn">Anne McCarthy</cite> [00:03:55]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>Thank you so much for having me.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"><div class="chat-author chat-author-nathanwrigley vcard"><cite class="fn">Nathan Wrigley</cite> [00:03:57]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>You&rsquo;re very, very welcome. Now it&rsquo;s a regular question, I often ask them at the beginning of such podcasts, but I think it&rsquo;s important that we lay the foundations of who you are and how you&rsquo;ve come to be on the podcast.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"> <div class="chat-text"><p>Would you mind giving us a little bit of backstory about how it is that you came to be on this podcast today? What&rsquo;s your relationship with WordPress and perhaps tell us what the role is that you have currently?</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"><div class="chat-author chat-author-annemccarthy vcard"><cite class="fn">Anne McCarthy</cite> [00:04:20]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>Great question. It&rsquo;s hard to succinctly sum up who I am, but I&rsquo;ll give it a try. I first got started with WordPress in 2011 as a freshmen in college, and I was using blogger for many years before that to get out all my feelings on the internet as a millennial does.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>And eventually, it turned into three years working at the university and their ITS department, which led me eventually to finding out about Automattic. In 2014, I joined them as a happiness engineer and very recently, almost exactly a year ago, switched into a developer relations wrangler role focused on the wordpress dot org community. And currently part of why I&rsquo;m here today is cause I&rsquo;m spearheading the full site outreach program. So I&rsquo;m here to talk about that and talk about full site editing and all the fun stuff that&rsquo;s happening. Cause I know it&rsquo;s a lot to keep up with.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"><div class="chat-author chat-author-nathanwrigley vcard"><cite class="fn">Nathan Wrigley</cite> [00:05:08]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>Yeah, there is a lot to keep up with, but it is a really interesting episode.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"> <div class="chat-text"><p>There&rsquo;s an awful lot to say when we&rsquo;re recording this, in the month of April 2021, this episode will probably air shortly after we record it, and there&rsquo;s an awful lot that has been going on, but there&rsquo;s an awful lot to happen during the course of the rest of this year. And we know that there&rsquo;s a lot of change coming.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"> <div class="chat-text"><p>First of all, just rewinding the clock. Would you just like to try and sum up what the ultimate ambition of the full site editing project is? I know that there may be things about that roadmap which change things you wish had been included that probably won&rsquo;t get included, but just sum it up. What is the full intention of the project?</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"><div class="chat-author chat-author-annemccarthy vcard"><cite class="fn">Anne McCarthy</cite> [00:05:48]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>That&rsquo;s a great question. I would simply say it&rsquo;s to empower users more and bring WordPress to the future. There&rsquo;s a reason these projects are taking so long. It really is about planting seeds for decades to come. And it&rsquo;s something that Matt, the co-founder I really admire in him as he thinks about those decades.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>And so this is a part of that push into using blocks as a paradigm into empowering users, more and bringing WordPress to the future.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"><div class="chat-author chat-author-nathanwrigley vcard"><cite class="fn">Nathan Wrigley</cite> [00:06:10]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>Okay. So it&rsquo;s all about creating websites with blocks. What kind of areas is it getting into? What is it going to empower us to do? What things in the future will we be able to do inside the block editor?</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"><div class="chat-author chat-author-annemccarthy vcard"><cite class="fn">Anne McCarthy</cite> [00:06:24]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>Yeah, so everything you can edit any part of a global style on your site. So if you want to have every font color, be one thing, you can quickly change it. Even by block, you&rsquo;ll be able to change things by block, which is really exciting to have a global point of view of your site, and to be able to actually customize it to your liking unlocks things.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>There was recently a test that we did around, the 404 page. Normally that&rsquo;s something that a theme author decides. And you&rsquo;re locked into it, and if you want to change it, you have to go digging through the code. With full site editing, you can actually go straight ahead and customize it to your liking, make it real fun, make it really clever and make it really serious.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>Like you can do whatever you want with that. So a lot of template editing that normally you wouldn&rsquo;t have access to. So even editing, like if you land on your blog page, you can actually adjust how that looks, what shows up, what doesn&rsquo;t, in a really powerful way. I try and talk about the tangible aspects of it, but there&rsquo;s also a lot underneath the hood.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>So there&rsquo;s a lot of design tools for theme authors as well. That there&rsquo;ll be able to hook into that ideally will make it much easier to create themes and to focus more on the aesthetics and the experience rather than on coding up the basics. So there&rsquo;s a lot that I think across the board, whether you&rsquo;re a user or a theme developer or a plugin author, there&rsquo;s a lot to be excited about in the future.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"><div class="chat-author chat-author-nathanwrigley vcard"><cite class="fn">Nathan Wrigley</cite> [00:07:34]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>One of the things that keeps coming on my radar is the comparison between what we&rsquo;ll call page builders, these plugins, or perhaps it&rsquo;s a theme we&rsquo;ve seen lots of commercial and free products available in the WordPress community, which enables you to achieve many of the goals that the full site editing hopes to achieve. So templates for this templates for that. Headers, footers, you can have global color palettes and all of the things, and it can be done within their interface. I guess the thing about those products is they are created by a team of developers and they are released presumably when they&rsquo;re mature and they&rsquo;re ready to go and the company believe that it&rsquo;s now suitable and people will purchase it or use it and deploy it. Now you&rsquo;ve got a very different set of constraints that you have to work within. And I think highlighting what those constraints are, would be really useful to give people some context as to why it isn&rsquo;t where some of these other solutions might be, because you&rsquo;ve got many, many things to be thinking about in the background. So if we just get into that, maybe one thing at a time, do you want to just rattle off a list of things that you&rsquo;ve got to be concerned about that perhaps we didn&rsquo;t know you needed to be concerned about.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"><div class="chat-author chat-author-annemccarthy vcard"><cite class="fn">Anne McCarthy</cite> [00:08:48]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>Yeah. I&rsquo;ll start with the most obvious ones, which is we&rsquo;re building things so that other people can build upon it, including page builders. So I think that&rsquo;s something that often gets overlooked. Like some of our audience members are these page builders. So it&rsquo;s an interesting dynamic there because it really is about that foundational level. Anyway, 40%, the internet, just the diversity of ways that people use WordPress, whether it&rsquo;s multi-site or what have you, there&rsquo;s a lot to consider.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>Then you add in internationalization, which is part of like future phase four. Accessibility is a huge issue. Something that really needs to be thought about including backwards compatibility, and that&rsquo;s another. A lot of page builders could easily say, hey, update to this version after this, x Y and Z will no longer be supported. Doing that with 40% of the internet is huge.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>Just recently actually, I did some outreach because in 5.2, which is many releases ago, some smaller APIs were deprecated. We&rsquo;re finally removing them from the Gutenberg plugin. And there were still three plugin authors who were using these APIs, and I reached out to them, let them know and made sure they were aware that this was coming, but that&rsquo;s something that a page builder is not building the same APIs that are going to be used across the internet in the same way.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>So there&rsquo;s a lot of just scale that I think has to be thought of, which is partly why things get pulled from releases until they&rsquo;re ready. But it&rsquo;s also why sometimes we have to include things in releases in order to get feedback in order to, hear from people what needs to be improved and what we haven&rsquo;t thought of, because inherently you can&rsquo;t talk to 40% of the internet at once.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>You just can&rsquo;t. So part of that is that dance of, hey, this is coming up, hey, this is what&rsquo;s new. And seeing how 40% response. What did we miss and how can we do better next time? And the way I think of it as it&rsquo;s this nice chance with every single release of thanks for making me better. Thanks for making the web better.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>And when the feedback comes in, that&rsquo;s what it is. Whereas I think page builders and site builders have a unique position where they might have a very large user base, but it&rsquo;s not going to be 40% of the internet. You know, there&rsquo;s just a huge difference there.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"><div class="chat-author chat-author-nathanwrigley vcard"><cite class="fn">Nathan Wrigley</cite> [00:10:42]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>So some of the constraints that you mentioned there were the audience size, 40% of the internet, you&rsquo;ve got to be mindful of the fact that they are going to expect things to break as little as possible.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"> <div class="chat-text"><p>You&rsquo;ve got accessibility and so on. And there were probably two or three other things that you mentioned there as well. In real terms, how does this constrain the development? How do these factors slow you down? Do they have a material impact in the amount of time it takes you to do things because you have to ask for more consultation or you have to receive feedback from various people before you can get the green light to push that and move onto the next thing.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"><div class="chat-author chat-author-annemccarthy vcard"><cite class="fn">Anne McCarthy</cite> [00:11:18]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>What you described is very, very accurate. I&rsquo;ll give a specific example. So the widgets editor, which is bringing blocks to the widgets editor. Originally, it was slated for 5.5. I&rsquo;m pretty sure. And it&rsquo;s gotten pulled from 5.5 from 5.6. Wasn&rsquo;t even considered for 5.7 and is now hopefully going to be slated for 5.8.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>And a big part of this was originally, it was just going to be a separate editor, separate from the customizer and with feedback, it became very clear, customizer is a key interaction that we need to prioritize. How do we bring blocks to the customizer, which is a whole unique experience to think about.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>And this is where the 40% of the internet comes into play, right? Because we understand that you&rsquo;re releasing new things, that&rsquo;ll cascade to new people. But what about the person who&rsquo;s had a site for five years? What benefits can we bring to them? Not just brand new users who are going to be using WordPress for the first time, because the majority of the users are people who have been using WordPress and who have trusted the community and the people building WordPress, with their site, with their, who knows what is their story, their business.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>So there&rsquo;s a level of thought that has to go into play with that, and I think part of it is why Gutenberg, the plugin does bi-weekly releases. And I think there&rsquo;s about 300,000 active installs, which is a much smaller compared to the 40% of the internet. And it allows us to test things out, have experiments, go do outreach, like the outreach program I&rsquo;m running, get the feedback that we need, reach out to specific plugin authors. And in the case of the widgets editor, it became clear with each release, it just wasn&rsquo;t ready. It wasn&rsquo;t in the place that it needed to be. It wasn&rsquo;t as stable as it needed to be. It wasn&rsquo;t refined, it wasn&rsquo;t intuitive enough.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>And in many ways, one of the things that slowed us down was wanting to have it in the customizer, which I think is a huge win. It&rsquo;s a main interaction that people are used to. It&rsquo;s something that people trust. So how can we go where people trust and extend that and provide an experience that they can also in the future trust and have actually unlock more things because when you&rsquo;re able to use blocks in the customizer, you&rsquo;re now able to add way more stuff than you would be able to and do way more things than you&rsquo;d be able to when it was just the customizer, which is pretty exciting. So it&rsquo;s both like trying to get user trust, but then also providing value at the same time and going to areas that people feel familiar with and slowly incrementally having stepping stones towards this eventual idea of full site editing, where everything is through a block paradigm, and you&rsquo;re able to extend your site, however you want.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"><div class="chat-author chat-author-nathanwrigley vcard"><cite class="fn">Nathan Wrigley</cite> [00:13:35]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>Do you ever get feedback from people who use these tools? That sort of question I&rsquo;m trying to frame is something along the lines of. How do you cope with people who wish that it were already something that their current tool can do? Take the example of a commercial page builder. There&rsquo;s several, you could pick the names of, and they&rsquo;ve got this tool and they&rsquo;re quite happy with it. And it does all of the things that they would wish to achieve. And then they come over and they look at the project that you&rsquo;re involved with, the full site editing, and they see a real difference. They see that this tool over here, which I&rsquo;m familiar with that works. I&rsquo;m very happy with it and it works and it does all these things that you are, you&rsquo;re still trying to put together. How do you bridge the gap between what their expectations are and what you&rsquo;re trying to build? Do you have conversations with people? In fact, you even download some of these commercial products and check them out and see what it is that people get excited about, about them.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"><div class="chat-author chat-author-annemccarthy vcard"><cite class="fn">Anne McCarthy</cite> [00:14:33]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>I definitely check them out. I actually love, love, love hearing about new plugins because I do, I actually test full siting every single day. I have been, it&rsquo;s been a challenge of mine like last couple of weeks, but I do also love when people flag things and say, hey, this new page builder or this new plugin provides a really interesting experience.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>One of the recent ones, I actually went back and checked out was the Iceberg plugin that simplifies the Gutenberg editor. And I recently checked that out again cause I was actually talking to someone in a completely different, it was a developer relations, a Slack community, and I have an alert word set up, anytime someone says, WordPress, I love doing that&rsquo;s my favorite little hack, life hack for everyone just joined a bunch of communities and then set up alert words. Yeah. He was just like, oh, man, this editor sucks. I don&rsquo;t know what to do with it. I immediately reached out to him and said, hey, no pressure. If you&rsquo;re game to talk about this, I&rsquo;d love to hear your concerns are what features are missing or what has you blocked? And I ended up sharing the Iceberg plugin with him and then went back through and tried it out again. And I bring this up because I think something to be said is that, the hope is that WordPress can provide common tools so that people, for example, aren&rsquo;t locked into one single page builder.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>Like you can move around, and I get the rush to say man, I want to use the core system, but right now I&rsquo;m relying on this page builder, and we&rsquo;re frustrated with that too. There is a sense of urgency and Matias and Josepha touched on that in a WP Briefing podcast very recently that there&rsquo;s this urgency of getting features out to people now, because we know that it will benefit them.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>And I think that as a really exciting position to be in. I know where we&rsquo;re coming&hellip; It&rsquo;s going to come, I promise, hang in in there. Which I think is a neat space rather than this impatience or hesitancy, which I also think happens, but I do seek out feedback like that, and I do enjoy talking to people whenever they explicitly have a bad experience. And one of the best questions that I ask is, what features about this page builder do you really like, what would you want to see in the core experience. And then from there, I can be honest with them and say, oh yeah, we&rsquo;re working on that. That&rsquo;s going to be like, here are a couple of Github issues that you might be interested in that this is the design. This is whatever it is. But then on the flip side, There is also going to be a role that plugins have to play into the future. Same with the Gutenberg editor right now, and the core editor right now with Iceberg, for example, like where it simplifies the editor.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>I imagine in the future with full site editing, there will be both plugins that really open up the options in the settings, and I also can imagine there&rsquo;ll be plugins that really simplify things and make it really easy for certain users to use it and people can pick and choose and customize as they&rsquo;d like, same to what we see with plugins now, anyway. And the biggest thing I often say to people whenever they talk about page builders, I&rsquo;m like, that&rsquo;s fine, if you&rsquo;re not ready to switch, that&rsquo;s totally fine. But at the end of the day, when you&rsquo;re starting with new client or you&rsquo;re starting a new site, or you&rsquo;re redoing your site at some point, you&rsquo;re going to have to learn something new, and it&rsquo;s better to learn the sure thing. Doesn&rsquo;t mean you only have to learn this your thing. I can imagine a world where people have these like hybrid experiences for some time, but the hope is that we can provide common tools so that people are not locked into one single page builder. Ideally the page builder is actually build alongside full site editing and the editor tools that we have. And then from there, people can customize to their liking either having more options show up or having less, and I do love hearing, what do you want? What&rsquo;s missing? Cause it helps sharpen our thinking, and oftentimes I hear about things that I would never think of. That&rsquo;s the beauty of having 40% of the internet is it&rsquo;s like, whoa, I never thought about that. You&rsquo;re right. That is a really interesting use case.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>Like someone recently a good example with the custom 404 test, as part of the outreach program, we had people build fun, custom 404 pages and someone reached out and said, well right now, it&rsquo;d be really awesome to have different templates depending upon how the person landed on the 404, having some level of customization of what you present.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>So maybe you have four different 404 templates and it cycles through them. They were like, is this possible? I would want to put a feature request in. And it was pretty easy for me to say, you know what? That probably will be done by a plugin. So, that&rsquo;s a great idea. That&rsquo;s a really interesting use case, and I do think that&rsquo;s something that&rsquo;s desired, but this is also where plugins will still play a role. And being able to tell people that, so that expectations are in line as much as possible, I think is really important. There are going to be aspects that will not be covered by the site editor and that&rsquo;s good.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"><div class="chat-author chat-author-nathanwrigley vcard"><cite class="fn">Nathan Wrigley</cite> [00:18:39]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>Commercial page builders if you like, the process which I often see is they&rsquo;ll release a statement out into their email list or what have you, and they&rsquo;ll describe the features that they have been working on that have now been released and so on. And so in many cases you don&rsquo;t really know what is happening unless you probably take great interest in their team and what have you. So I&rsquo;m curious to know what is the actual process that is going on in the background that iterates your project, the full site editing project. How did the little leaps forward get made? Who is involved? How can people get involved? How can they find out what it is that you&rsquo;re working on currently? And ways in which they can help you. And there&rsquo;s a lot in that question, so probably the first thing I&rsquo;ll just rewind a little bit and say, could we just concentrate on how the full site editing, the team that&rsquo;s behind that, how does it actually work? What is it that you do? How do you communicate with each other? How do you ensure that things are being built that people want to have in.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"><div class="chat-author chat-author-annemccarthy vcard"><cite class="fn">Anne McCarthy</cite> [00:19:38]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>Yeah, that&rsquo;s a great question. To start, I would say Matias is kind of, I think Josepha described him as the spark behind Gutenberg, and I really love that title, so I&rsquo;m going to use it, reuse it. He is the project architect. So imagining multiple steps ahead, thinking about where we need to go, thinking about truly the infrastructure of what&rsquo;s being built, APIs, is design tools, all that sort of stuff. And really thinking about based on many, many, many years of experience in the WordPress community, what do we know for sure that people need? And then from there, a lot of it is just this back and forth with the community, releasing stuff, doing calls for testing. The outreach program is a big part of that. So getting feedback from the outreach program, but one of the things that I recently came up that I am working on doing a better job of communicating is the outreach program is bringing in feedback, but that feedback and the high level, top feedback items are likely going to be different than what are the top issues to solve for full site editing if that makes sense. So there&rsquo;s the feedback there&rsquo;s actually using the tool, and then there are, these are the things that have to be solved and sometimes there&rsquo;s overlap where sometimes some of the feedback becomes a top issue. But not all the time. And that&rsquo;s partly because the MVPs is a work in progress.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>And as those things get clear, for example, I think after April is gonna be a jam packed month, but once there&rsquo;s that decision point that go no go date, there will be a time where the full site editing outreach program can start switching into a more narrowed experience of testing. And I&rsquo;m really excited for that, where it&rsquo;s okay, here&rsquo;s the MVP. Here&rsquo;s what we&rsquo;re thinking for 5.8 which are two separate goals, by the way, there&rsquo;s like building MVP, and then there&rsquo;s, what&rsquo;s going to go in 5.8 and I think that&rsquo;s important to keep in mind as well. And yeah, one of the biggest ways that we get feedback and figure out what needs to be done next, especially now that we&rsquo;re in a more refinement period is through the outreach program is through people filing feature requests and just doing as much testing as possible. Ideally this is also where a theme authors start exploring what it&rsquo;s like to build block-based themes and give feedback on that experience. So, yeah, there&rsquo;s a lot of ways that the feature development goes on. I will say a lot of the work happens in Github and then every, probably I think, a two month cadence, there&rsquo;s some high-level posts about full site editing, whether it&rsquo;s about a specific release or just like a check-in post, or if it&rsquo;s about FSE and themes. There have been various posts over the last six months and I expect to see a lot more in the coming months leading up to 5.8 so that people are aware and they don&rsquo;t have to pay attention to the day to day with Github. Another really good post to keep an eye out on is the what&rsquo;s next post. And that&rsquo;s posted each month and kind of defines, this is what the team is working on next.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>And a lot of that does come down to, what issues of have come up in testing, what issues does Matias think are high priority to solve? What else is remaining in the MVP that&rsquo;s been discovered previously? And one thing that I think is really easy to miss with full site editing, and it almost feels weird to just say. This monolithic full site editing when actually it&rsquo;s this really diverse set of projects, and each is further along than others.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>So there&rsquo;s this very interesting battle that goes on in my mind, whenever I talk about full site editing, cause what I really want to do is talk about a specific piece of full site editing, but that also can get too granular in a way that can be really confusing. But it&rsquo;s something I like to mention where if you try out the experience and one part seems really good and one part you&rsquo;re like what&rsquo;s happening here, that&rsquo;s on purpose. Because at the end of the day, I don&rsquo;t expect the entire experience to go into 5.8. I expect certain things to fit in and for there to be a drip campaign, probably through even the 6.0 release, who knows, but definitely through the 5.9.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"><div class="chat-author chat-author-nathanwrigley vcard"><cite class="fn">Nathan Wrigley</cite> [00:23:02]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>Let&rsquo;s say somebody is listening to this and they&rsquo;ve got no experience contributing to any software project, and they&rsquo;re interested, they like the idea of full site editing and they&rsquo;ve got a few things they&rsquo;d like to get off their chest and they want to be of some help. What are the most effective things that can help to push the project forward right now? That could be an answer as to which website to go to, and get involved in, or it could be, well, actually, no, we need help about this specific thing right now over the next month or two, you can take that in any way you like.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"><div class="chat-author chat-author-annemccarthy vcard"><cite class="fn">Anne McCarthy</cite> [00:23:35]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>I mean the simplest answer that I would love to see is people joining the Core Editor meeting. If you can. If you can&rsquo;t reading the notes and starting there, which you can see them posted on make.wordpress.org backslash core, there&rsquo;s actually a tag for the Core Editor meeting. But I would start there, and I say that partially because we&rsquo;re in a pandemic. Most places in the world, you can&rsquo;t meet up in person. So getting connected with the people behind this work before you step into Github, before you step into anything else, I think is really important. There are humans doing this work. There are humans who are listening, who are caring, who are staying up late, thinking about problems. So join the meetings if you can, if you can&rsquo;t asynchronous contributions are very welcome. So if you can comment on the post with a question and have it answered, but I want to start there with the human element, especially right now. So my answer, you&rsquo;re listening to this many years in the future, hopefully we&rsquo;re beyond this, but for now I really want to connect people with other people. And then from there, start as simple as just testing, get a test site up, try things out. There&rsquo;s another make site, which is where we communicate in the project, make.wordpress.org backslash test. That&rsquo;s where I post a lot of the stuff around this outreach program. So if you just want dip your toes in, that&rsquo;s a great place to start. It walks you through, there&rsquo;s instructions on how to set up everything, what to use what to pay attention to, how to actually go through the call for testing. It&rsquo;s very purposely constrained right now, so that it makes it easy for people to jump in. But if you&rsquo;re more advanced, I would just say, start scrolling th through Github. Look at different labels. There&rsquo;s a really good label that I check regularly, the overview label. So if you want to get a sense of the top issues, or I guess the summarized issues, the overview label is my jam. I love going through that and seeing what&rsquo;s new and also just seeing the status of things. It&rsquo;s a really great way to dig into the project, but not too deeply. And if you&rsquo;re someone who&rsquo;s been around WordPress for awhile I would say starting to, try to create a block plugin or build a block based theme.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>We&rsquo;re going to need to see the community in the future, really adopt these things and starting early while things are almost refined, I think is super helpful because it helps us define them in a place that there&rsquo;s early enough for things to shift. Getting that feedback is pretty key so that we are creating tools that you can actually use, because the whole point is this is all being built, so other people can use it. Other people can&rsquo;t use it, and we don&rsquo;t know that. That&rsquo;s a problem and it&rsquo;s hugely helpful and valuable to do that.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"><div class="chat-author chat-author-nathanwrigley vcard"><cite class="fn">Nathan Wrigley</cite> [00:25:48]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>You highlight the fact that you obviously need help with the things that you just described. All those technical areas. If I was to be listening to this and I am a more casual user of WordPress, I use it to create blog posts and I&rsquo;m good at writing, but I&rsquo;m not really into the code, and that side of things is of no interest to me, are there avenues that would still be open to me to assist with this?</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"><div class="chat-author chat-author-annemccarthy vcard"><cite class="fn">Anne McCarthy</cite> [00:26:09]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>Yeah, I would actually say the testing should be pretty basic enough that you can dig into it. I&rsquo;m saying this as the person who writes the test, I purposely try to make them very contained, so anyone can jump in and if they want to spend five minutes, ten minutes, that&rsquo;s great. You don&rsquo;t need to spend hours on this. Some people do, some people really like to go deep with it, but the whole point is that it&rsquo;s something that anyone can jump into.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>And even if a call for testing is passed, it&rsquo;s still great to go back through previous calls for testing and I actually have videos as part of the calls for testing so that you can see me walk through it. So if you get stuck, if you&rsquo;re reading my instructions and you&rsquo;re like, what is this person saying?</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>You can watch the video and watch me go through it. And even just watching that and giving feedback and saying, hey, this is really weird, or, I really like when my page builder does this , do you all have plans for that? And another thing that&rsquo;s actually coming up that I plan to do that anyone can participate in is another big call for questions. So there was a lull in testing. I was waiting for a new Gutenberg release and a couple of months ago, I did just, anyone could ask anything about full siding and I would find the answer for it. And we ended up getting, I think it was 46, 47 questions, which was fantastic. And I grouped them into different chunks, answered them, all, publish them, pass them on to the documentation team, the marketing team, but that allowed people where if they don&rsquo;t have time to test, but they&rsquo;re nervous about it, or they&rsquo;re curious about it or they&rsquo;re excited for it, or they&rsquo;re impatient, whatever their emotional state is. Ask any question and I&rsquo;ll answer it. And I plan to do those, another round of that definitely in the future. Probably at the end of April, and if that&rsquo;s of interest paying attention to the, make.wordpress.org backslash test as the best place to pay attention or in Slack there&rsquo;s in wordpress.org Slack, there&rsquo;s a FSE hyphen outreach hyphen experiment that you can join, and you can just sit back and listen to me update you as I go, but that&rsquo;s also a great way is asking questions, sharing concerns. That is actually hugely helpful. It sets the foundation for documentation. It helps the people building it know what the points of confusion are likely to be. So yeah, if you just want to ask a question by all means that&rsquo;s a very easy pathway to jump into.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"><div class="chat-author chat-author-nathanwrigley vcard"><cite class="fn">Nathan Wrigley</cite> [00:28:10]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>Thank you. I&rsquo;ll be sure to take those links off you before we finally hang up the call today and we&rsquo;ll make sure they make it into the show notes. Do you feel that you have. Enough people giving you feedback to justify the decisions that you made. I mean obviously in any software development, the answer I guess, is going to be, well, it would be great to have more. Do you feel that there is enough people assisting you at the moment so that you can be confident in the direction that you&rsquo;re going? We&rsquo;re doing this, we&rsquo;ve got some feedback, but curious whether or not, if we have more feedback, we&rsquo;d go in a different direction or not.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"><div class="chat-author chat-author-annemccarthy vcard"><cite class="fn">Anne McCarthy</cite> [00:28:44]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>That&rsquo;s a great question. I am always someone who wants more people involved. I don&rsquo;t think I&rsquo;ll ever be happy with the numbers. Right now we have between 10 to 15 people with each test. And one of the things I actually recently consulted some of our design team with an Automattic, and I asked, I said, with usability testing what kind of numbers do you look for when you all did this with 5.0 what did you look for how many people? And a lot of times I got feedback saying, Oh my gosh. Anne, five to 10 people, it was great. You can calm down. It&rsquo;s fine. I&rsquo;m like, no, no, no. I need like 50, you know, it is this weird sense of no, no, I want more and more and more. And I can tell you, I don&rsquo;t think we can ever get too much feedback, especially if it&rsquo;s relevant and its&hellip; I mean, obviously there&rsquo;s like irrelevant feedback where it&rsquo;s make WordPress like Facebook. I mean, whatever, it could be something outrageous. That&rsquo;s not terribly helpful, you know? But imagine if we just got completely inundated with feedback in the outreach program, that would be amazing. My goal, my personal goal that I&rsquo;ve been trying to say outwardly in hopes it encourages people is I would love to have 20 to 25, really dedicated, diverse testers, each release and not each release each call for testing. That&rsquo;s my ideal. And the reason I mentioned engaged testers is because I want people who are along for the journey a little bit,ideally. Obviously I think it&rsquo;s great if people jump in and out, I think there&rsquo;s something to be said for really new perspectives and I love when people comment saying, hey, this is my first time using full site editing and here are my thoughts. That&rsquo;s excellent. But the idea of quality over quantity, I think is really key, for this phase of testing. I think when things actually get merged into core and certain aspects get merged into core, that&rsquo;s when things can open up and be a bit more, having 2000 people give feedback, but yeah, I don&rsquo;t think there&rsquo;s ever enough testing and honestly, I do worry about that.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>And it&rsquo;s something, one of the things I&rsquo;ve been very intentional about is reaching out to the accessibility team to try and get people to help give feedback so that we&rsquo;re thinking about accessibility needs and reaching out to folks in the polyglot space so that we have translations of these posts so that people can participate. I only speak English and I had been in countries where all of a sudden, you see something in English and it&rsquo;s like this it&rsquo;s like such a relief to have a menu in English. Like, Oh yes, this is so nice. And I want that outreach to happen because I think sometimes the software development I&rsquo;ve seen this like arrogance of, oh well, we&rsquo;ll just be doing the work and if they&rsquo;re curious, they can come to us. And I actually think this is one of those situations where we need to go to them. And that&rsquo;s what the outreach program is all about is meeting people where they are doing the outreach. Bringing people along with us and learning from them as we go. Part education, part feedback loop, and part, hey, here&rsquo;s a really easy way to get involved and walk you through what&rsquo;s coming.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>I would love to see more engagement from folks who are non-English speaking. We&rsquo;ve had Italian, Spanish and Japanese translations very consistently. I&rsquo;m so grateful for the people who&rsquo;ve done that. I think it&rsquo;s just, oh, I&rsquo;m so bad at languages that it just amazes me. I also think everything looks better in a different language. So it&rsquo;s neat to see my own words translated, which is a kind of a wild experience that I never thought would happen, but I&rsquo;d love to see more engagement. In those polyglot and local spaces, because the last thing you want is for all of a sudden it to land and only a specific audience benefits or sees this or understands it or knows what&rsquo;s coming, right. There&rsquo;s a big responsibility for 40% of the internet. And I&rsquo;ll never forget the day that Matt at a State of the Word said that non-English downloads passed English downloads. And so when you think about that 40% I think a lot of us English speaking, Western world think of a certain type of person, but really it&rsquo;s much more expansive than that.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>So I&rsquo;ve been really hammering the polyglot space as much as I can, as much as volunteer time people can give to translate those posts and to try and get feedback. But it&rsquo;s something that I&rsquo;d love to see more of.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"><div class="chat-author chat-author-nathanwrigley vcard"><cite class="fn">Nathan Wrigley</cite> [00:32:22]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>I&rsquo;m curious actually, if you&rsquo;ve got a really nice concrete example of an instance where somebody&rsquo;s feedback turned into something actual. It was realized off the back of a piece of feedback, which you passed on to the team, and somebody reached out said, I would like this. And you were able to provide this, Hearing those stories. Ah, it is possible.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"><div class="chat-author chat-author-annemccarthy vcard"><cite class="fn">Anne McCarthy</cite> [00:32:44]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>Yeah, I can think of a really specific example that I was actually thinking about this morning when I was making coffee. A blind developer, I got connected with her through actually posting in a different Slack community. So, you would not believe how many Slack communities I&rsquo;m a part of and how much I try to drop links and engage people in different spaces. And I got connected because someone said, hey, I have a friend she&rsquo;s blind, she&rsquo;s a WordPress developer, and she cannot use full site editing. And I was like, whoa, tell me everything.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>How can I get in touch, and got in touch, her name&rsquo;s Taylor. And she very kindly jumped on for about 30 minutes. We recorded the session so that I could pass along the feedback. She just walked me through the experience of both using of using two different screenreader tools. And. It was fascinating. It was awesome.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>We found so many bugs. It was one of those things where I think the biggest, the most jarring one that I keep thinking about that I actually want to see if we can get some development in on ASAP, is that the save button, and the saving process for full site editing right now is pretty non-intuitive, it&rsquo;s a little bit clunky and it&rsquo;s something that&rsquo;s come up with sighted folks as well. What is the saving process, how does it work? But for people who rely on screen readers, it&rsquo;s really impossible to save. Like you basically have to search for the phrase save in order to find the save button because there isn&rsquo;t an aria label. And so that&rsquo;s a big one that came up and on top of that in just the session, I worked with her another piece of feedback that came up with the columns block.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>So if you have columns and you&rsquo;re imagining, let&rsquo;s say two columns and you are using a screen reader, it doesn&rsquo;t tell you which column is which. So all of you here just announces column, column it doesn&rsquo;t say like column one or column two or right column or left column. There&rsquo;s no identifier for how to navigate.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>And so that&rsquo;s actually, there&rsquo;s a PR right now that&rsquo;s underway. I actually just filed it for the accessibility team last week to see if someone could review and someone already stepped in to offer some thoughts to fix that, to actually announce, I think they&rsquo;re going with like column one and column two and column three rather than right and left due to internationalization. And that&rsquo;s going to be a huge improvement because right now Taylor was just like, columns block is so confusing. This is almost useless. Another one is the spacer block. I&rsquo;d love to hear. If you use a screen reader, I&rsquo;d love to hear your experiences with the spacer block, because that&rsquo;s a really confusing block for people I&rsquo;m relying on screen readers.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>And I opened up an issue for that, and we&rsquo;ve had some discussion back and forth about improvements that need to be made there as well. So those are some of the, and I can tell you, there&rsquo;s probably about. I think six issues I opened just from that 30 minute conversation. Some are like a work in progress, but this was very recent and something I keep thinking about, especially as we start to refine things and decision points come up because we don&rsquo;t want to release something that has such blatant problems with it.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"><div class="chat-author chat-author-nathanwrigley vcard"><cite class="fn">Nathan Wrigley</cite> [00:35:24]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>It marks a very big change for WordPress this last couple of years have been really extraordinarily different, the experience that we&rsquo;re all going through, but in particular, around full site editing How do you calm people&rsquo;s fears that things in the future are going to be going in the direction that they wish it to go in. So, as an example, let&rsquo;s imagine that we&rsquo;re a theme developer. We may be getting concerned that themes are going to become a thing of the past that the livelihood that we&rsquo;ve created for ourselves is going to disappear before our eyes. People concerned that the way that they&rsquo;re working with at the moment, the way that they&rsquo;ve taught their clients to work, this is how WordPress works, and this is how you can manage your website for yourself, and so on. What do you say to people? What is the golden light on the hill? The thing that you draw attention to, to say, look, all of this will be worth it. How do you keep people focused on the positives and not worrying about all the different things that are going on left right and center?</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"><div class="chat-author chat-author-annemccarthy vcard"><cite class="fn">Anne McCarthy</cite> [00:36:20]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>Yeah. The biggest thing I say is there&rsquo;s a reason that the last milestone is gradual adoption. And one of the things that I also love to talk about is the fact that full site editing is a bunch of sub projects actually gives us the flexibility to ship reliable items rather than shipping it all at once.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>Yes, they&rsquo;re interdependent. Yes. And some cases they rely on each other and there needs to be probably a certain order or approach to releasing things. But by having so many different tools that provide value. It actually gives us the ability to step back and say, okay, what&rsquo;s ready. And that should be a big relief to people.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>It&rsquo;s not like there&rsquo;s going to be this on-off switch full savings here is taking over your site. Good luck. That&rsquo;s not going to happen. Gradual adoption is the game plan. It is the final step. And I imagine right now, a gradual adoption as a milestone is not fleshed out. But I imagine, especially you have to 5.8, that will become a much more fleshed out milestone in the same way you see other milestones, I think, Josepha has talked a lot about this, and I really love the way she basically says we want to fulfill the WordPress promise. We want to keep that trust and we want to release things in the best state possible while at the same time, recognizing that there&rsquo;s this urgency to offer tools that people are just lacking right now, at some point, we need to get those out in front of people and to provide value and making that determination is super tricky. But the good news is like I was saying earlier, we have that flexibility built into the fact that these are all sub projects and that many of them can be shipped independently.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>And for theme authors, Themes are going to be so important in a full siding world. And one of the things I am so excited about is that there&rsquo;s going to be a ton of what they&rsquo;re calling. I .. the idea of these hybrid universal themes that can work with for example, template editing.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>So going and being able to edit like your single page template, your homepage template, or your 404 template. You could have a theme, that&rsquo;s a classic theme or traditional theme, whatever you want to call it. And you could use template editing. You could update your theme to hook into the tools have been made to allow for template editing.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>Same thing goes for global styles. You could just use one part of the full site editing machine, so to speak and all the projects and slowly integrate, more and more, as you want to, like theme authors will have a lot of control of what they opt into and what they opt out of. And for us building it, it&rsquo;s on us to make it so desirable to opt in.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>Right, and that&rsquo;s where the gradual adoption, so many pathways are going to be created. And I&rsquo;m actually really excited to see people move from this framework of anxiety to looking out across the space and going, hmm, what can I use? What is it that I hear from people all the time that I can integrate into this and moving into an exciting creative space rather than thinking, hh, I got to get caught up, I&rsquo;m behind. This is so bad. Like that kind of feeling, which I hear from a lot of people was like, I don&rsquo;t have time to get up to speed. And the ideal is that we&rsquo;re actually providing tools that save you time and add value. And that makes me really excited. I fully understand the fear. I fully understand the fear.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>I don&rsquo;t say that lightly. As someone who is thinking about like how it&rsquo;s going to land in 40% of the internet and who every single day is talking to people who are giving feedback about, what&rsquo;s not quite there, I don&rsquo;t spend a lot of time talking to people who are just like, oh, I&rsquo;m so excited about this.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>People don&rsquo;t go out of their way to tell you that you often hear from the people who are upset or something&rsquo;s missing or promises broken or whatever it is. And it&rsquo;s something I think about a lot. And I understand why there is panic there, especially with livelihood in the situation that we&rsquo;re in.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>And I have a lot of empathy for that. And I think in the future, and one of the things that I think you&rsquo;ll hear from leadership and you&rsquo;ve, everyone&rsquo;s priority heard this from leadership. It&rsquo;s just that we are purposely moving slowly and things get pooled for a reason. And it is to fulfill that promise and to think about backwards compatibility, but at the same time, balancing that with wanting to provide value for users and empowering users, especially in a day and age, when a lot of tech companies are actually taking away a lot of the power, whether it&rsquo;s in the form of privacy or what have you.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>I think open source and the way WordPress is working is actually trying to resist that and really focus on giving everything we can to the user, to build the site that they want and to have the experience that they want. And also to free them up, to focus on what the site actually gives them, whether it&rsquo;s a business or platform.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>I think that&rsquo;s the part that makes me&hellip; that hopefully makes other people excited. And that makes me really excited.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"><div class="chat-author chat-author-nathanwrigley vcard"><cite class="fn">Nathan Wrigley</cite> [00:40:26]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>Speaking to that. You&rsquo;ve done an incredible job answering all of my questions and you&rsquo;ve obviously got to wear the Automattic hat during a discussion like this. I&rsquo;m curious if we cast away the Automattic hat just for a moment and we ask you personally, what in the next six months to a year, what&rsquo;s the one single thing, the thing that you are most excited about, the thing that you most want to see happen, the thing that gets you personally switched on about the project.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"><div class="chat-author chat-author-annemccarthy vcard"><cite class="fn">Anne McCarthy</cite> [00:40:54]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>It&rsquo;s a great question. I would have to say block patterns, because we&rsquo;re talking about all these tools and features and things coming along, but ultimately as a user, it&rsquo;s like, what can I do, and what can I do quickly? And block patterns will really be the glue that ties together all these projects. You can insert a block pattern, manipulate it as you want to. And when you&rsquo;re manipulating it, you probably won&rsquo;t be thinking about the fact that you might be using global styles or that the block pattern is relying on block styles or whatever it is.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>But the power of that. And the promise of that, I think is just such a high impact, such a high impact feature that will really be like a cherry on top. And we&rsquo;ll bring together a lot of the things that we&rsquo;re talking about in a way that will be really tangible. And especially in this world of, you know, we&rsquo;re not able to gather in person we&rsquo;re not able to have those moments.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>I think having something that is easy to understand almost the point of being, so intuitive that it&rsquo;s like, why didn&rsquo;t we do this years ago? That&rsquo;s what I want the feeling to be. And that&rsquo;s when I had someone in design, tell me this one time. And it always stuck with me as like the best ideas are the ones where you&rsquo;re like, well, no, duh, like, yeah, of course.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>And that&rsquo;s what block patterns I think you&rsquo;re going to feel like, and I think it&rsquo;s really gonna fulfill a lot of these things and bring a lot of these things that we&rsquo;re talking about together in a way that will be really fun to play with. And also people will be able to submit to the block pattern directory, ideally in the future, similar to the block plugin directory.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"><p>So personally, I&rsquo;m most excited to see the marriage between block patterns and full site editing along with these hybrid themes.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"><div class="chat-author chat-author-nathanwrigley vcard"><cite class="fn">Nathan Wrigley</cite> [00:42:24]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>I know there will be no metric to judge this, but it would be fascinating in a couple of years time. Were we able to measure it, to see just how much of humanity&rsquo;s time has been saved by something like block patterns, the fact that you don&rsquo;t have to do things over and over again. Yeah. I completely understand why you&rsquo;ve selected that one. We have gone through so many questions. If somebody at the end of this, has been listening to this and thinks I would like to help, but I want to contact Anne directly before I go to these Slack channels and Github repos and so on. How might somebody get in touch with you should they wish to?</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"><div class="chat-author chat-author-annemccarthy vcard"><cite class="fn">Anne McCarthy</cite> [00:43:01]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>I would say go to my website. I am a weird millennial without social media. I jump on and off of Instagram. That&rsquo;s my one holdout. I love photography too much, but yeah, my website is nomad.blog and I have a contact page and I truly welcome to hear from anyone seriously. All I ask, and this is on my website as well. I like to do pen pal. Kind of writing back and forth. I think we don&rsquo;t rely, I think email, I&rsquo;ve read too many books about this, but I think email has ruined our ability to relax and unwind, and I refuse to opt into this always responding world. So as long as you&rsquo;re patient with me, and if I get a bunch of emails, as long as you&rsquo;re patient with me responding, I promise I will respond genuinely with a lot of thought. I do not like to do short, low quality responses. So if you&rsquo;re willing to engage there, that would be awesome to hear from you. I&rsquo;m also an annezazu in WordPress dot org Slack, if you end up joining there as well.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-1"><div class="chat-author chat-author-nathanwrigley vcard"><cite class="fn">Nathan Wrigley</cite> [00:43:53]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>Well, thank you very much. I appreciate all of the hard work that you and everybody connected in the project is doing. It&rsquo;s making great inroads into our editing experience in WordPress. Greatly appreciated. Thanks for coming on the podcast.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"><div class="chat-author chat-author-annemccarthy vcard"><cite class="fn">Anne McCarthy</cite> [00:44:06]</div> <div class="chat-text"><p>Of course. Thank you so much for having me.</p>
</div></div><div class="chat-stanza chat-row chat-speaker-2"> <div class="chat-text"></div></div></div></div>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Wed, 21 Apr 2021 14:00:00 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14:"Nathan Wrigley";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:45;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:60:"HeroPress: You Don’t Have To Want What Everyone Else Wants";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:56:"https://heropress.com/?post_type=heropress-essays&p=3539";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:166:"https://heropress.com/essays/you-dont-have-to-want-what-everyone-else-wants/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=you-dont-have-to-want-what-everyone-else-wants";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:6215:"<img width="1024" height="512" src="https://heropress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/042121-min.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Pull Quote: You don't have to want what everyone else wants." /><p>I launched a WordPress-based business sometime around 2013. Starting a business is a goal for a lot of people, but it was never something I intentionally set out to do. I was in university at the time and blogging about books &#8212; just doing something I loved. But then I had an idea for a WordPress plugin that would make book bloggers’ lives easier. Although I did decide to sell it instead of releasing it for free, making a lot of money was never my goal. I thought maybe I’d make $500 overall if I was lucky. But three months in I’d already made nearly $1500 and those numbers would only continue to climb.</p>
<p>By the time I graduated university, this little business of mine was already fully paying my bills. I went straight from graduation to running a full time business. Over the next few years, I sold pre-made plugins, built custom plugins, launched custom websites for authors and bloggers, dipped into the managed WordPress hosting space, and created WordPress e-courses. Objectively, business was great.</p>
<blockquote><p>But by 2016, I was waking up every morning and thinking, <i>“What the hell am I doing?”</i></p></blockquote>
<p>The more my business grew, the more I was afraid it was about to crash and burn.</p>
<p>The more I diversified, the less confident I felt about what I was doing.</p>
<p>Above everything, I was <i>tired</i>.</p>
<h2>Turns out, I’m not a businesswoman</h2>
<p>I was tired of selling, of marketing, of advertising, of promoting. I was tired of asking myself <i>“will this sell?”</i> before I started a new project. I missed creating just for the sheer fun and joy of it, which was how my very first plugin even came to be. I just wanted to build cool things and quietly release them into the wild. I love to <i>create</i> but I don’t love to <i>sell</i>.</p>
<p>Perhaps I could have hired people to help me with the aspects of my business I didn’t enjoy, but although business was going well for a one person show, I didn’t feel like it was going well enough to hire more people and confidently feel like I could pay their salary every month. And the thought of having that responsibility just brought me even more anxiety.</p>
<blockquote><p>I felt stuck and, honestly, ashamed of how I felt about my business. Was I being ungrateful?</p></blockquote>
<p>I had this incredible thing going for me &#8212; I was paying all my bills, working flexible hours (and from home!), and calling all the shots. This is what other people aspire to have, and I had it! I was embarrassed to admit that maybe I didn’t like it anymore. I didn’t want to be in charge. I didn’t want to have the entire success or failure of a business resting on my shoulders.</p>
<p>I remember looking through job listings trying to imagine myself doing something else &#8212; anything else. But another problem I had was that running my own business straight out of school had spoiled me. I didn’t want to be in charge, but I also still wanted to work from home. I still wanted flexible hours. I didn’t want to sacrifice my 3pm gym session. I still wanted a certain degree of freedom in what I did each day. I wanted all the benefits of running my own business, without any of the downsides I had come to dread.</p>
<h2>A well timed opportunity</h2>
<p>In late 2016, sheer luck and good timing brought me to Sandhills Development. I was offered a job at a company that could amazingly check every box on my dream list. I could work from home, set my own hours, have a weird schedule, still make the gym at 3pm, and most importantly: my job would just be <i>one</i> thing. I could focus on building really cool stuff, and nothing else. I wouldn’t have to think about marketing or sales or profit.</p>
<p>It’s been over four years since then and I’m now the lead developer for Easy Digital Downloads &#8212; the plugin I originally used to sell my first product. So I think things are going pretty well! My old business does still exist, but in a very low key way. I still work on and maintain the products out of love and passion for them, but with zero pressure to actually make sales or be successful.</p>
<blockquote><p>The biggest difference is the boundaries I’ve been able to create in my life.</p></blockquote>
<p>When running my own business, I didn’t work all day long, but I did tend to think about work all the time. Growth was always on my mind because making that happen was purely up to me. I was putting so much pressure on myself to do well, that I couldn’t stop thinking about it. But now, work goes away as soon as I decide I’m done for the day. I don’t think about it after hours. There’s comfort in the fact that although I care about the company, it’s not <i>my</i> company, and the success &#8212; or failure &#8212; of the company isn’t purely up to me; if something does go wrong when I’m gone, there’s someone else capable of handling it.</p>
<h2>What works for someone else may not work for you</h2>
<p>Some people would consider it a downgrade to go from business owner to employee, but it was absolutely the right move for me. Running your own business is often glamorized, but not everyone is cut out to wear all the hats that a one-person business requires, and not everyone has the drive to grow a business into something larger. And that’s okay. At the time, it was immensely hard for me to admit that out loud because I thought it would make me a failure.</p>
<p>There is no “one size fits all” dream job and I learned that being the owner of a company is not mine. If what you’re doing now isn’t working then there’s absolutely no shame in bowing out, even if you’re currently living someone else’s dream.</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://heropress.com/essays/you-dont-have-to-want-what-everyone-else-wants/">You Don&#8217;t Have To Want What Everyone Else Wants</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://heropress.com">HeroPress</a>.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Wed, 21 Apr 2021 08:27:00 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Ashley Gibson";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:46;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:62:"WPTavern: WordPress Contributors Propose Blocking FLoC in Core";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=115316";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:169:"https://wptavern.com/wordpress-contributors-propose-blocking-floc-in-core?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wordpress-contributors-propose-blocking-floc-in-core";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:7493:"<p>WordPress contributors are <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/04/18/proposal-treat-floc-as-a-security-concern/">proposing</a> the project take an active position on Google&rsquo;s Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoC). This particular mechanism is Google&rsquo;s alternative to third-party cookies that doesn&rsquo;t require collecting users&rsquo; browsing history. The <a href="https://github.com/WICG/floc">GitHub repository for FLoC</a> explains how Google will group people together and label them using machine learning:  </p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>We plan to explore ways in which a browser can group together people with similar browsing habits, so that ad tech companies can observe the habits of large groups instead of the activity of individuals. Ad targeting could then be partly based on what group the person falls into.</p><p>Browsers would need a way to form clusters that are both useful and private: Useful by collecting people with similar enough interests and producing labels suitable for machine learning, and private by forming large clusters that don&rsquo;t reveal information that&rsquo;s too personal, when the clusters are created, or when they are used.</p></blockquote>



<p>WordPress contributors are proposing blocking FLoC in core, citing the Electronic Frontier Foundation&rsquo;s article titled &ldquo;<a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/03/googles-floc-terrible-idea">Google&rsquo;s FLoC Is a Terrible Idea</a>.&rdquo; </p>



<p>&ldquo;WordPress powers approximately 41% of the web &ndash; and this community can help combat racism, sexism, anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination and discrimination against those with mental illness with a few lines of code,&rdquo; the proposal states.</p>



<p>One of the more controversial aspects of the original proposal was that it was spectacularly miscategorized as a security concern, clouding the issue at hand. It identified FLoC as a security issue for the sake of getting it into core on a more aggressive timeline, which was outlined as follows:</p>



<ol><li>Include the&nbsp;patch&nbsp;the next&nbsp;minor release, rather than waiting for the next&nbsp;major release;</li><li>Back-port the patch to previous versions of WordPress.</li></ol>



<p>The proposal was later revised to clarify that treating FLoC like a security concern referenced only the timeline of accelerated development and back-porting.</p>



<p>Although blocking FLoC seemed to have wide support in the comments on the post, the premature suggestion of treating it as a security concern weakened the proposal. </p>



<p>WordPress core committer Ryan McCue said that while he is in agreement with the overall sentiment, rolling it out like a security updatet would abuse users&rsquo; trust in automatic updates:</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote"><p>The implicit contract with users for security autoupdates is that they are used in order to protect the user from their site (data or codebase) being compromised imminently. This isn&rsquo;t the case with FLoC, and may in some cases damage the site&rsquo;s behaviour.</p><p>More concretely: as someone who operates a hosting service where we keep users up-to-date with security patches, this changes our approach substantially. Right now, we can confidently roll out security updates trusting the update has minimal effect outside of purely security changes, but breaching that barrier means that now scrutiny needs to be applied to every security update in order to avoid rolling out potentially breaking changes to our clients.</p><p>That erosion of trust would ultimately hurt WP&rsquo;s users.</p></blockquote>



<p>The proposal has started an active discussion with more than 100 commenters, including participation from the Chrome DevRel team who added more context on the current status of the experiment.</p>



<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s also worth noting that because this is an origin trial it means that nothing is set in stone &mdash; this is an experiment to gather feedback,&rdquo; Chrome Developer lead Rowan Merewood said. &ldquo;The API may change, the opt-out mechanism may change, the eligibility criteria may change. Any code changes relating to an origin trial should also be treated as temporary and experimental.&rdquo;</p>



<p>Those who were critical of the proposal consider FLoC a personal privacy issue that is not WordPress&rsquo; problem to solve. Others believe a proposal to block FLoC is reactionary at this point, since Google has not yet finalized its FLoC experiment. </p>



<p>&ldquo;Thinking about users&hellip; i.e. the readers of a&nbsp;blog, they deserve choice,&rdquo; Andy Beard commented.</p>



<p>&ldquo;They can choose which browser they use.<br />&ldquo;They can choose settings in the browser.<br />&ldquo;They can choose some overall options on a Google privacy site.<br />&ldquo;They can install a multitude of plugins.</p>



<p>&ldquo;Alternatively, if WordPress blocks FLoC by default, that actually removes a choice &ndash; the choice of a user to see more relevant advertising.&rdquo;</p>



<p>Several participants in the discussion were opposed to FLoC but also not supportive of a WordPress core effort to block it.</p>



<p>&ldquo;While I&rsquo;m not pro-FLoC (and won&rsquo;t have my browsers using it) I certainly wouldn&rsquo;t expect a website to make the choice to opt-out for me, and I can&rsquo;t see why the majority of WordPress users and people visiting WordPress sites would expect that either,&rdquo; WordPress lead developer Dion Hulse commented.</p>



<p>&ldquo;Perhaps more importantly, would WordPress also continue to opt out all future browser protocols too? Once you delve into blocking one, you&rsquo;ve either got to block them all, or you&rsquo;re playing favorites.&rdquo;</p>



<p>Mika Epstein, who also expressed her opinion as anti-FLoC, said she is not in support of backporting a block due to the practicality of such an effort.</p>



<p>&ldquo;If the decision is made to include this, I would support it as a&nbsp;<em>filterable privacy&nbsp;enhancement</em>&nbsp;only, not security,&rdquo; Epstein said.</p>



<p>&ldquo;That said, I do&nbsp;<strong>not</strong>&nbsp;support backporting with the precedent that we did not&nbsp;backport&nbsp;the GDPR exporting stuff. Having it exist as a&nbsp;plugin&nbsp;(there are three already) is sufficient for those who are on older versions. The undue strain of increased backporting needs to be minimized, not maximized in my opinion.&rdquo;</p>



<p>Others commented on the harm to independent publishers whose main source of revenue is often advertising.</p>



<p>WordPress lead developer Helen Hou-Sandi requested the proposal be re-written to clarify the differences between disabling FLoC on a site level vs the browser level as a consumer. She also discouraged referring to the matter as a security issue and recommended the proposal&rsquo;s proponents justify the work required to backport the block. Hou-Sandi recommended opening a trac ticket as a more appropriate avenue of discussion regarding core implementation and inclusion, as contributors have not yet reached a consensus.</p>



<p>The topic will be up for discussion at the next core developers&rsquo; chat on Wednesday, April 21, 2021. Representatives from the Chrome team <a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2021/04/20/dev-chat-agenda-for-april-21-2021/#comment-41165">will also be attending</a> to answer any questions about FLoC.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Wed, 21 Apr 2021 05:17:56 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:47;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:114:"WPTavern: Patchstack Whitepaper: 582 WordPress Security Issues Found in 2020, Over 96% From Third-Party Extensions";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=115396";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:267:"https://wptavern.com/patchstack-whitepaper-582-wordpress-security-issues-found-in-2020-over-96-from-third-party-extensions?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=patchstack-whitepaper-582-wordpress-security-issues-found-in-2020-over-96-from-third-party-extensions";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:4647:"<p class="has-drop-cap">Patchstack, which recently <a href="https://wptavern.com/webarx-rebrands-to-patchstack-combines-services-to-focus-on-wordpress-plugin-and-theme-security">rebranded from WebARX</a>, released its <a href="https://patchstack.com/wordpress-security-2020/">2020 security whitepaper</a>. The report identified a total of 582 security vulnerabilities. However, only 22 of the issues came from WordPress itself. Third-party plugins and themes accounted for the remaining 96.22%.</p>



<p>&ldquo;These are all security issues disclosed by the Patchstack internal research team, Patchstack Red Team community, by third-party security vendors, and by other independent security researchers,&rdquo; said Oliver Sild, Patchstack founder and CEO. &ldquo;So it includes all public information about vulnerabilities.&rdquo;</p>



<p>Patchstack is a security company that focuses on third-party extensions to WordPress. Its <a href="https://patchstack.com/database/">vulnerability database</a> is public and available for anyone to view.</p>



<p>In the second quarter of 2020, Patchstack surveyed nearly 400 web developers, freelancers, and agencies about web security. &ldquo;Over 70% responded that they were increasingly worried about the security of their website, and the top reason was &lsquo;vulnerabilities in third-party plugins,'&rdquo; according to the whitepaper. &ldquo;About 45% of respondents saw an increase in attacks on websites they were managing, and 25% had to deal with a hacked website in the month prior to participating in the survey.&rdquo;</p>



<p>Ranking at the top, 211 of the vulnerabilities found were Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) issues, 36.2% of the total.</p>



<p>&ldquo;XSS in WordPress plugins almost always happens because user input data is directly printed onto the screen without any sanitization,&rdquo; said Sild. &ldquo;<code>esc_html</code> would be used to convert certain characters to their HTML entities, so it will be literally printed onto the screen. Then you also have <code>esc_attr</code> for user input variables, which need to be used in HTML attributes. There are many good resources published by <a href="https://owasp.org/">OWASP</a> (The Open Web Application Security Project), such as the &lsquo;Secure Coding Practices.'&rdquo;</p>



<p>Injection vulnerabilities ranked second with 70 unique cases. It was followed by 38 Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) issues and 29 instances of sensitive data exposure.</p>



<p>&ldquo;The vulnerabilities found in plugins and themes tend to be more severe than those found in WordPress core,&rdquo; wrote Sild in the whitepaper. &ldquo;What makes matters worse is that many popular plugins have millions of active installations, and the numbers aren&rsquo;t pretty when we look at how many websites are affected by the vulnerable plugins.&rdquo;</p>



<p>The total number of active and vulnerable theme and plugin installations throughout the year was 70 million. <a href="https://central.wordcamp.org/about/">According to WordCamp Central</a>, WordPress is installed on 75 million websites. Many sites likely had more than one vulnerable plugin during 2020 rather than 70 million individual sites being at risk.</p>



<p>Patchstack surveyed 50,000 websites and found that they averaged 23 active plugins at a time. About four on each site were outdated with an upgrade available, which often increases the risk of a security issue.</p>



<p>WordPress plugins accounted for 478 vulnerabilities in the report. However, there were only 82 unique theme issues. While themes are typically far more limited in scope, they can do anything a plugin can do with a few exceptions.</p>



<p>It is not surprising to see that number lower for themes. However, one has to wonder if the <a href="https://wptavern.com/upcoming-changes-and-steps-for-an-overhauled-wordpress-theme-review-system">ongoing plan</a> to loosen the WordPress.org theme directory review guidelines will factor into that in the coming year or two. Currently, reviewers for the official directory perform extensive code checks that may be more likely to catch issues before themes arrive in users&rsquo; hands. If the trade-off is better automation, it could also mean stricter coding standards and fewer security issues that human reviewers might miss.</p>



<p>&ldquo;Vulnerabilities from third-party code remain as one of the biggest threats to websites build on WordPress,&rdquo; concluded Sild in the report. &ldquo;We already see a growth in unique vulnerabilities reported in the WordPress plugins and themes comparing 2020 with the beginning of 2021.&rdquo;</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Tue, 20 Apr 2021 20:47:15 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14:"Justin Tadlock";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:48;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:87:"WPTavern: Recreating the Classic Wedding WordPress Theme Homepage With the Block Editor";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=115369";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:219:"https://wptavern.com/recreating-the-classic-wedding-wordpress-theme-homepage-with-the-block-editor?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=recreating-the-classic-wedding-wordpress-theme-homepage-with-the-block-editor";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:6345:"<p class="has-drop-cap">I simply do not understand it. For at least the better part of a decade, theme authors have asked for the tools to create more complex layouts with WordPress. They have asked for the ability to allow end-users to more easily recreate their demos. They have wanted methods to bypass the &ldquo;restrictive&rdquo; theme review guidelines.</p>



<p>Over the past couple of years, WordPress has consistently delivered features that theme authors have asked for. Yet, themes that use them are few and far between.</p>



<p>During my weekly perusal of the latest themes to land in the directory, a new <a href="https://wordpress.org/themes/classic-wedding/">wedding theme</a> caught my attention last week. Of course, I downloaded, installed, and activated it only to find that I had no idea how to recreate the homepage design. There were no instructions. The theme options in the customizer seemed to make little sense. Nearly all of the decorative images were non-existent in the theme folder.</p>



<p><em>Did I need to upgrade to the pro version to get what was in the screenshot?</em> There seems to be a plan for such a version, but it is not available yet.</p>



<img />Classic Wedding theme screenshot.



<p>I am no rookie, but I was stuck. I liked the simplicity of the design. However, I could not imagine setting up a wedding site with this theme. From a user&rsquo;s standpoint, it should not take more than a few mouse clicks. After that point, it should only be a matter of customizing the content.</p>



<p>I recognize that there is still a sort of love/hate divide for the block editor in the <em>inner</em> WordPress community. However, theme authors are not doing any favors for the overall WordPress user base by not taking advantage of the tools available.</p>



<p>So, I recreated the Classic Wedding theme homepage from scratch. Using the block editor. With a theme that supports it.</p>



<h2>Creating a Wedding Homepage</h2>



<p class="has-drop-cap">My goal was simple. There was no demo to work from, and all I had to go on was an 800-pixel wide screenshot from the <a href="https://www.theclassictemplates.com/themes/free-wedding-wordpress-theme/">theme page</a> on the author&rsquo;s site. Like I <a href="https://wptavern.com/recreating-the-music-artist-wordpress-theme-homepage-with-the-block-editor">recreated the Music Artist homepage</a> several weeks ago, I wanted to do the same for Classic Wedding. With a couple of exceptions, which could have been handled by the theme, I was successful.</p>



<p>Because Classic Wedding does not support the block editor itself, I could not recreate its homepage via the block editor while using the theme. It was not happening &mdash; I tried. I knew that the <a href="https://wptavern.com/eksell-portfolio-theme-now-available-in-wordpress-themes-directory">Eksell WordPress theme</a> had a &ldquo;canvas&rdquo; template that allowed users to edit the entire page, so it was an easy choice.</p>



<p>I also loaded the Kaushan Script and Lora fonts to more closely match the original theme. This was unnecessary for the experiment, but I wanted my recreation to at least look somewhat similar.</p>



<p>I immediately knew that I would have one hurdle to overcome. The theme used an image that overlapped both the section above and below it. This requires margin controls, particularly the ability to add negative margins. Unfortunately, this is a missing component of the block editor today. It does not mean that theme authors cannot do it with custom block styles or patterns. It simply means that end-users are unable to control it from the interface.</p>



<p>Because I did not want to spend my time writing the code for this, I leaned on my usual safety net, the <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/editorplus/">Editor Plus</a> plugin. While it can be a little clunky sometimes and feel like overkill, it does include those missing features like margin options.</p>



<img />Adding negative margin to an image.



<p>I used <code>px</code> units there because it was easy. In a real-world project, <code>%</code> or <code>rem</code> would have been better. But I was just doing a quick proof-of-concept.</p>



<p>Everything else in the content area was straightforward. I needed a Cover block with an Image, Heading, Paragraph, and Button tucked inside. I needed a Group block as a container for Image, Heading, and Paragraphs in the bottom section.</p>



<p>Because the theme did not package its decorative images &mdash; <em>again, how would users recreate the homepage without them?</em> &mdash; I opted for a simple striped SVG background instead of the flowers in the original. Since I already had Editor Plus installed, I added an SVG from <a href="https://heroicons.com/">Hero Icons</a> as the main background.</p>



<img />Wedding page content recreation.



<p>My original idea was to recreate the &ldquo;content&rdquo; part of the homepage only. However, it was a bit boring on its own. Therefore, I transformed everything into a Columns block and added the sidebar. I recreated the primary elements using the Image, Heading, Paragraph, and Navigation blocks. Then, I added a Social Icons block for fun.</p>



<img />Full wedding homepage design.



<p>I did hit one snag with the Navigation block. WordPress does not currently offer a method of centering each link in the list when using the vertical block variation. I had to write a couple of lines of CSS to make this happen. This seems like an oversight and one area where the block editor failed to meet my expectations. Of course, this could be handled on the theme side of things.</p>



<p>Overall, this was a relatively simple project. However, this experiment added some complexities that were not present when I recreated the Music Artist homepage. Margin controls and vertical Navigation block alignments are must-haves. Using a third-party plugin and writing custom CSS is not ideal, and these were requirements to make this happen straight from the editor.</p>



<p>All of this is possible from the theme end. Each piece of this design could have been packaged as a block pattern. The overlapping image effect would have made for a neat block style. I just wish that theme authors would start utilizing the features that are being hand-fed to them.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Mon, 19 Apr 2021 21:42:32 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:14:"Justin Tadlock";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}i:49;a:6:{s:4:"data";s:13:"
	
	
	
	
	
	
";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";s:5:"child";a:2:{s:0:"";a:5:{s:5:"title";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:69:"WPTavern: Automattic Launches Jetpack Boost: A New Performance Plugin";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"guid";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:30:"https://wptavern.com/?p=114913";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:4:"link";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:181:"https://wptavern.com/automattic-launches-jetpack-boost-a-new-performance-plugin?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=automattic-launches-jetpack-boost-a-new-performance-plugin";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:11:"description";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:4877:"<p>The Jetpack team has been quietly testing a new plugin called <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/jetpack-boost/">Jetpack Boost</a>, which addresses website owners&rsquo; performance and SEO concerns. Version 1.0 was released today, one month after the final pre-release came out in March.</p>



<p>Boost is a separate plugin under the Jetpack brand and it does not require Jetpack core to work. The first iteration bundles three performance modules:</p>



<ol><li><em><strong>Local Critical CSS</strong></em>&nbsp;generates optimized styles for the homepage, posts, and pages to display content faster, especially for visitors on mobile devices.</li><li><em><strong>Defer Non-Essential Javascript</strong></em>&nbsp;moves some tasks to after the page loads, so visible items load faster.</li><li><em><strong>Lazy Image Loading</strong></em>&nbsp;loads images as the visitor scrolls them into view. </li></ol>



<div class="wp-block-image"><img /></div>



<p>Once the plugin is installed, users can toggle the modules on or off. Optimizing the site&rsquo;s CSS can be a lengthy process but it shows a progress bar and alerts you if are trying to navigate away from the page before it&rsquo;s finished. Jetpack Boost displays an initial score when it&rsquo;s first installed and will update after optimizations are put in place. </p>



<p>Here&rsquo;s an example score from a relatively unoptimized simple blog with 20 active plugins:</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><img /></div>



<p>After installing Jetpack Boost, there was a significant improvement on scores in the dashboard. It&rsquo;s not a magic wand but it&rsquo;s a fairly user-friendly way to tackle some basic performance issues that may translate into a better visitor experience. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><img /></div>



<p>Checking the before and after scores on <a href="https://web.dev/measure/">web.dev</a> demonstrates a noticeable improvement on the Core Web Vitals assessment. For some websites this could mean the difference between passing or not (meaning 75% of pages on the domain pass).</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><img />Before installing Jetpack Boost</div>



<img />After installing Jetpack Boost



<p>Automattic engineer Nauris P&#363;&#311;is, who worked on the project, said one reason the plugin was created was to help users &ldquo;get their Web Vitals up and make the web a better place.&rdquo;</p>



<p>Google Search will be <a href="https://wptavern.com/google-search-to-add-page-experience-to-ranking-signals-in-may-2021">adding Page Experience to ranking signals</a> in May 2021, and WordPress sites need all the help they can get. Page Experience is measured by a website&rsquo;s <a href="https://web.dev/vitals/#core-web-vitals">Core Web Vitals</a>&nbsp;metrics, but these scores are not easy to improve without some technical knowledge and troubleshooting.</p>



<p>Despite Jetpack already including so many different, varied features, Automattic opted to put the Boost modules in a separate plugin. </p>



<p>&ldquo;We want Jetpack Boost to have a life of its own &ndash; focused on performance and make it available to everyone, including people who don&rsquo;t want to use the main Jetpack plugin,&rdquo; P&#363;&#311;is said.</p>



<p>The plugin was built with the same modular structure as Jetpack core, so users can easily deactivate modules they don&rsquo;t want to use. This is helpful for ensuring compatibility with other performance or caching plugins that website owners may already be using.<br /><br />&ldquo;You&rsquo;ve probably noticed that both Jetpack and Boost have lazy loading images &ndash; it&rsquo;s the exact same module,&rdquo; P&#363;&#311;is said. &ldquo;If the user happens to have both Jetpack and Jetpack Boost active &ndash; it&rsquo;ll just use the most recent version of Lazy Loading Images.&rdquo;</p>



<p>The features in version 1.0 are just the beginning of Automattic&rsquo;s plans for Jetpack Boost. The project appears to be on track to become a full-blown performance plugin that may even migrate some of Jetpack core&rsquo;s performance-related functionality.</p>



<p>&ldquo;Version 1.0.0 is being released the &ldquo;<a href="https://ma.tt/2010/11/one-point-oh/">one-point-oh</a>&rdquo; way,&rdquo; P&#363;&#311;is said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re releasing as early as we can call it stable &ndash; but there&rsquo;s so much that we want to do. Starting with simple modules that package up other typical optimization techniques (like concatenation, minification, maybe even photon?) &ndash; all the way to more advanced ideas like performance tracking, intelligent performance suggestions, etc.&rdquo; </p>



<p>P&#363;&#311;is said none of these ideas are set in stone and the team is open to exploring and building modules that will have the highest performance impact after getting more feedback.</p>";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}s:7:"pubDate";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:31:"Mon, 19 Apr 2021 17:37:43 +0000";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}s:32:"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/";a:1:{s:7:"creator";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:"data";s:13:"Sarah Gooding";s:7:"attribs";a:0:{}s:8:"xml_base";s:0:"";s:17:"xml_base_explicit";b:0;s:8:"xml_lang";s:0:"";}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}s:4:"type";i:128;s:7:"headers";O:42:"Requests_Utility_CaseInsensitiveDictionary":1:{s:7:"*data";a:8:{s:6:"server";s:5:"nginx";s:4:"date";s:29:"Tue, 18 May 2021 15:23:31 GMT";s:12:"content-type";s:8:"text/xml";s:4:"vary";s:15:"Accept-Encoding";s:13:"last-modified";s:29:"Tue, 18 May 2021 15:00:08 GMT";s:15:"x-frame-options";s:10:"SAMEORIGIN";s:4:"x-nc";s:9:"HIT ord 2";s:16:"content-encoding";s:2:"br";}}s:5:"build";s:14:"20201016172007";}