Posted by Kyle Wiebalk on Jan 14, 2009 in
social media,
web design 
WordPress is a web publishing platform with typical applications ranging from blogging to a solid content management system (CMS) for more business-oriented websites. The best part is that WordPress is focused on what is lacking in most web frameworks (and hence so many websites): aesthetics, web standards, and usability. It’s all open source (free) and centered around a huge development community, which means you’ll receive constant updates to improve features, security, etc.
Rockable Press, publisher of How to Be a Rockstar Freelancer, has just released a book all about making WordPress websites as useful and impressive as possible. $29 is money well spent on building out such a powerful website, especially considering the cost of professional web development.
Read more…
Tags: blog, cms, rockable press, rockstar, wordpress
Posted by Kyle Wiebalk on Dec 8, 2008 in
tools,
web design,
workflow 
Watch this fascinating interview by Robert Scoble of FastCompany.TV with Matt Mullenweg, founder of popular online publishing software Wordpress. An increasing number of content creators and publishers are using Wordpress, which is so much more than a blogging platform. Check out my portfolio here, which is also based on Wordpress. It looks like lots of changes are ahead…
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Tags: fast company, matt mullenweg, robert scoble, web pusblishing, wordpress
Posted by Kyle Wiebalk on Oct 8, 2008 in
web design After deciding to breathe new life into my several-years-old HTML portfolio website, I changed to a better host and installed Wordpress after hearing so many people raving about it. After a little experimentation, I realized how powerful the engine really is. I use the technology to power my blog, as well as my portfolio website (less uncommonly used just as a CMS). It can be customized however you want it to look–there are so many great examples of this (see below).
For those hosting their blog on a site like blogger.com, seriously consider switching it to a domain of your own. I use Dreamhost as an inexpensive and reliable host, after many horrors attempting to use GoDaddy. Wordpress is so flexible and fast, it’s actually fun to work on. Follow these 6 simple steps and give it a try for yourself:
1. Set up a subdomain or folder on your server
2. On the Dreamhost left-hand menu, click on “Goodies,” then “One-Click Installs”
3. Choose “Install new website software (advanced mode).”
4. Make sure the Wordpress button is checked, and the subdomain or folder is shown in the install window.
5. Enter a name under “Database Name” field, and choose the correct subdomain under the “Hostname” field.
6. Click on the “Install” button at the bottom, and follow (and bookmark) the login link sent to you in the welcome email.
That’s it! Choose a theme and you’re off and running. Take a look at these helpful links toward great Wordpress theme templates:
Tags: blog, dreamhost, template, theme, wordpress
