Workshop 2010
Sunday 18 April – CMU 302 – 9 am – 4 pm
LAMP : Linux [Danielle], Apache [Janna], MySQL [Kathy], PHP : [Helen]
CSS : [Leslie]Books:
- WordPress Visual Quick Start Guide
- HTML, XHTML and CSS
9:00 : Getting Started
- Overview of the day; software check (FTP clients needed)
- What is Linux (Danielle) and Apache (Janna)?
- Explanation of WordPress (Kathy, WQGWP, p xiii)
- Demo 5-minute install? (Lara)
- Everyone does a one-click install (where everyone is hosted)
- Walk through dashboard [Ch 2, p 21]
Begin customizing WordPress installation [Appendix A, p 227]
- Settings -> Permalinks : change permalink structure (factors to consider)
- Users -> Authors & Users : Set up new admin and disable default admin privileges (discuss security) – [Ch 3, p 47]
- Settings -> General : Title/Subtitle; Time-zone (UTC-8); date format; time format
- Settings -> Writing : Disable “Post Via Email” and “Remote Publishing” unless you plan to do these things. “Remote Publishing” must be on to use ScribeFire
- Settings -> Writing : Update Ping List
- Settings -> Writing : Disable “convert emoticons” (recommended)
- Settings -> Discussion : Review settings/make recommendations
10.30 : Break
10.45 : Moving on to Appearance
- What are themes?
- Anatomy of a theme [screencast]; difference between posts and pages.
- Free theme sites (download one or two themes)
Install (long-division!)
- Download themes to your computer (remember location)
- Connect with your host via FTP
- Navigate to the folder where WP is installed (discuss WP file structure)
- Find the wp-content/themes folder
- Upload themes to this folder
- Double-check “Appearance” in dashboard to confirm that the theme was uploaded
- Activate one of them!
Find a theme from WordPress and install (short-division!)
LUNCH
1.00 : Essential HTML
- Explore the HTML view of a post or page
- What is CSS? (Leslie)
Code basics
- The Anchor Tag
- The Image Tag (position an image)
- The Head Tag (how to use)
- Customize the appearance of one paragraph in a post using inline CSS
Explore the style sheet; CSS basics
Make a change on the style sheet (using WP editor or with text editor + FTP)
2.30 : Break
2.45 : Essential PlugIns
What is MySQL (Kathy) and PHP (Helen)?
What is a plugin (and a widget) and how do I install one? [Ch 9, p 145]
Must-Haves:
- Akismet [configure – get API key]
- All in one SEO Pack
- Feedburner Feedsmith (first, set up Feedburner account)
- Google Analytics for WordPress
- Google XML Sitemaps
- No Self Pings
- Slideshare
- WP DB Manager (discuss backup!)
- WP-typography
- WordPress.com Stats
- YouTube Brackets [download and install]
Sharing (pick one!)
Twitter (pick one!)
Other PlugIns to consider:
- Antivirus for WordPress
- BuddyPress
- bbPress
- Post Editor Buttons
- Subscribe To Comments
- WPtouch iPhone Theme
- WP-polls
3.15 : Using WordPress As A CMS
- Difference between a post and a page
- Making the home page static
- Page Hierarchies (parent-child relationship)
- Multiple authors (permissions)
- Need for Style Guides
Examples:
- Big Gov Health, Government Website
- Boys & Girls Club of the Midlands: Nonprofit
- E-Commerce Website: Etsy
- Etsy – ecommerce
- Groupon: E-Commerce
- In 140 seconds or less, Entertainment Website
- It’s Smashing! Media Website
- Live Strong, Non-Profit Website
- Nordstrom – E-Commerce Web Site
- Seattle Public Libraries – Government Website
- Taproot Foundation – Not-for-Profit
3.45 : Using WordPress As Your Web Persona
Thinking about registered visitors