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Unlike 2.7 or 2.7.1 WP took a bold new approach to the Admin side of widget management. We all know that most of those widgets are based on Plugins. I’ve already sent out an ALERT on the Simple Sidebar Navigation plugin. It is one I know many RE Bloggers use extensively on their blogs. I love the way you can build a custom top nav menu with this plugin.
It seems quite a few plugins with compatibility issues are due to not following standards for plugin development, called “hacks” or “custom” code they can become “broken” whenever the crew at WP Central releases a new version. A good place to check out your plugins is the WordPress Plugin Compatibility Checker
Widget & Plugin Admin Pages
WP 2.7 and 2.7.1 were great fun. The one site I’ve upgraded to 2.8 has a pretty typical look and feel till you get to “Widgets” There it all changes. The Plugins page has changed as well.
Theme Plugin Editors Color & Line #’s
The built in code editors for Theme and Plugins now have color and line count. Pretty nice considering the editor always resets to the top of the page when you save. (It still does that). Auto Indent is now in the editor making it easier to follow code. The Plugin editor is the same but finding the files is now a drop down. More on this later. But for the most part I wouldn’t recommend editing plugins.
Add a New Theme
This seems a little gimmicky. More like a feature you would expect for the casual blogger that gets bored easily. I don’t see an serious blogger using this functionality to find a new theme.
I have just begun checking out this latest version. But have already found enough going on I have to say WAIT a little while on this one before you activate.
From the dashboard read the “Other WordPress News” Posts.
Thanks Dave! Agree completely about the new theme switcher thing… don’t really see the point in that “enhancement”. Love the color for the code editors. But I’m holding off upgrading. Broken plugins are no fun.
Jay Thompson ´s last blog post..Joining First American Title’s Eagle University
I hate when the “upgraded” version makes you want to keep the old one. Kind of like having Windows Xp on your machine and having everything work great. Then you upgrade to Vista and half of your programs no longer work. I think I’ll wait for another version before taking the plunge as well.
Charles Richey ´s last blog post..Las Vegas Housing Market: Foreclosures Down, Sales Up
I’m with ya on this Dave. There’s a progression of the WP release. First the release, then the bug fixes, then the hackers, then the hacker fixes, then the remaining bug fixes. After the progression, I’ll upgrade!
Joe ´s last blog post..Kennewick WA Homes for Sale
I’m holding off on this update as well. A little nervous about what it could do to my site.
Brad Officer ´s last blog post..Drayton Park Townhome For Sale – Short Sale
Thanks Dave, good heads up. I have upgraded several blogs to the 2.8 without any issues and the syntax highlighting is great but I know several other people who have had problems with plugins no longer working.
WordPress.org has a list of supported and problem plugins for 2.8 at http://codex.wordpress.org/Plugins/Plugin_Compatibility/2.8
Gabe,
I included the link to the Plugin Compatibility in the post. But, it isn’t up to date. I know of several plugins on that list which have been updated to 2.8 compatibility which are still showing as NOT Compatible. If you have plugins on that list you use, DON’T GO BY THE LIST, check the plugin author’s site.
I’ve updated one blog. I’m waiting for the 2.8.1 to come out before I do the next one. I’m still not a fan of the editor changes. Yes the line number are nice, and so is the color highlighting, BUT and this is a big but for for me. I don’t like having to scroll the editor to see the code.
That SUCKS. And I’m not pleased with the change. At least there should be an option to have the code NOT Scroll so I can see it all on screen. I’d rather have that than numbers or colors.
I installed 2 new sites 2.8.6 sites yesterday and the syntax/code highlighting/coloring in the theme editor is gone. Anyone else experience that? My 2.8.5 version still shows it.
.-= Scott Ficek´s last blog ..Best Property for First Time Investor =-.
Scott – I don’t use the theme editor, nut I checked my 2.8.6 install and there is no color coding.
Of course since I don’t use tha teditor, I can’t really say that it was there before either…
.-= Jay Thompson´s last blog ..Your Loan Officer Is Not Your Friend =-.