WordPress 2.6 Review
First of all, I updated WordPress to its new version as soon as I was able. I’ve been very excited to see some of the new features they’ve added, and I have my list of the top ones to look foward to. There aren’t any major interface changes this time, but (just like any great application) the best changes come on the inside. Also if you like to read product reviews then check out reviewsfield.com, they review tech products.
1) Google Gears
At first, I passed this one off to the “Who cares” file. But, being a believer that everything has a use, I popped in the Turbo charger and enabled Google Gears to see what a difference it would actually make.
Holy. Crap.
What took 10-15 seconds before to load a page now takes only 2-3 (5 at the absolute most). All of the WordPress images and scripts are stored locally, meaning they execute immediately instead of being downloaded. This storage really, truly does speed up the interface. I was surfing between two or three sections faster than I usually end up actually getting to one page without the Turbo enabled.
2) The Plugin Interface
It’s been needing to be done for a while now, but the plugin screen has been given a major overhaul. First, your active plugins all get moved to the top in a section by itself, while the inactive ones get shuffled to the bottom. Secondly, and probably more importantly, you now have the ability to activate and deactivate multiple plugins at once. Great for when you upgrade with the WordPress Automatic Upgrade Plugin because it deactivates all your plugins.
3) Batch Selecting
You can now use shift-click (a la Vista’s Explorer) to select multiple check boxes at once. Combine this with the ability to batch activate plugins, and you have a super quick way to set up all your favorite plugins on a new blog. It’s great (once again) when you do the Auto-Upgrade as you can get your blog back up to full speed much quicker.
4) Post Versions
I’m super excited about this one as well. Have you ever been writing a post when you make a drastic change, but then wish you could go back and retrieve it? WordPress’ auto-save is a lifesaver anyway, but now you can head down to the bottom of the post and restore a previous version of any post that’s been (auto)saved while you were working on it.
It’s very Wiki-esque, and will offer more power to writers who like to 1) write and re-write material or 2) people who collaborate on posts and want to see who edited what.
5) Press-This!
Oh, WordPress bookmarklet, how I’ve missed thee… er, you. And my, how you’ve grown! Now, if you drag the Press-This bookmarker (located below the options in the post screen) to your toolbar, you have access to a full-on post editor that you can post URLs in (as well as make comments!), take and re-host pictures and images, and even embed video from the page! It’s quite a bit more powerful than the last time we saw it, and its new features make for a great way to quickly share your favorite links, pictures, and video in a snap.
6) Theme Preview
Thank God! I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. Now, before you activate a theme in the selection screen, an overlay will come up letting you see exactly how your blog will look in the new theme, before you activate it. It’s better thank risking three people seeing three different versions of your blog with three different themes while you debate on which one to use.
So yeah, WordPress may look exactly the same on the outside, but the creamy nougat center has been given a caffeinated kick in the pants. With Gears support, batch plugin activation, and the ability to select multiple checkboxes, your administration has just gotten a bit of a boost. And now, WordPress makes it even easier to share your interests.
So, what are you waiting for? Go dowload it!