WordPress 2.7 Release Candidate 1
This is it, folks: the first release candidate of WordPress 2.7 is available for download. The new icons of the admin panel are in, and 280 commits have been made since WP 2.7 beta 3.
We’re one step closer to the final release of WP 2.7, and it’s only a matter of time.
10+ siginifcant new features in WordPress 2.7
Aaron Brazell of Technosailor has listed ten or so significant feature improvements that are coming in WordPress 2.7. If you’re scrambling to get up to speed with the pending WP release and don’t want to hop from one blog post to another, this is a great read! Here’s a rundown of what to expect from the article:
- Vertical Menus
- Dashboard
- QuickEdit and wp-admin Comment Reply
- Configurable Layouts
- Threaded Comments and Comment Paging
Media Page(this was introduced in WP 2.6)- Complete Plugin Installation and Management
- Sticky Posts
- Template Tags
- Comments API
- And Bonuses!
WordPress 2.7 Beta 3
Beta 3 of WordPress 2.7 is out! According to Word Munger, it was actually released live during WordCamp Charlotte. Read the list of changes here.
WordPress 2.7 icon survey
Once again, the Automattic team is letting the WordPress community help out with the design of the WordPress 2.7 admin interface. This time it’s about the icons that will be used in it.
So now we need to choose a direction. For each of the icon sets, we’ll show you the set itself, the designer’s introduction, and some feedback from the lead developers. After you’ve reviewed all five, place your vote for the set you think has the visual style that is the most suitable for WordPress 2.7. This will be followed by additional votes on specific icons, so if you like the specific image used in one set but like the style of another, you can vote to change the metaphor for a given icon. You’ll also be able to leave general feedback throughout the voting process. When voting has concluded, we’ll review the comments and the votes, and will declare a winner.
Aside from the survey results, the “winner” will be decided by the following people: Ryan Boren, Andrew Ozz, Mark Jaquith, Peter Westwood, Jane Wells, Matt Thomas, and Matt Mullenweg.
Be sure to look at the full-size image of the admin dashboard before proceeding, especially if you haven’t tried out the WP 2.7 beta.
Take the icon survey here. (The form will be open for only 48 hours.)
WordPress 2.7, now with promotional video and slogan
If you’re still on the fence about the completely revamped design of the WordPress 2.7 administration interface, this video might help:
It ends with a slogan of sorts for WordPress: “this time, it’s personal”. WP 2.7 is all about making the user experience better, so don’t fret!
Oh, and forget to vote which feature in the sneak peek you think is the best.
WordPress 2.7 Beta 2
Just a few days after releasing the first beta, WordPress 2.7 Beta 2 is now out! Based on the announcement, it looks like bug fixes were the focus of this beta release.
And since you can automatically upgrade to the latest version of WordPress from within the admin panel, check it out:
If you have already installed beta 1, you can update to beta 2 via the Tools -> Update menu. Beta 1 does have a bug in the automatic upgrade that breaks certain setups, so be prepared to download and install Beta 2 manually if you experience problems.
Keep this in mind even if you haven’t installed the beta yet, but plan to upgrade to WP 2.7 in the future.
Keyboard shortcuts in WordPress 2.7
Here’s another great feature to expect in WordPress 2.7: keyboard shortcuts. Though WordPress already has several shortcut keys for the Write Post page (documented here and here—the Visual Editor must be turned on), new keyboard shortcuts will be available for managing comments:
- j - next comment/down
- k - previous comment/up
- a - approve comment
- s - spam comment
- d - delete comment
- u - unapprove comment
- r - reply to comment (Esc to cancel reply)
- q - quick edit comment
You’ll have to activate them first in your user profile page, and then you’re all set.
10 new useful features in WordPress 2.7
Demetris of op111.net has written about 10 exciting new things in WordPress 2.7—11, actually! Here’s the shortlist:
- Mass-edit posts and pages
- Modular edit/write pages
- Paginated comments
- Quick Edit (Inline Edit)
- QuickPress
- Recent drafts in Dashboard
- Reply to comments from the administration area
- Show/Hide modules and columns (“Screen Options”)
- Sticky posts
- Threaded comments
- Widgetomodularized Dashboard
I think blog entries like these are must-reads for anybody who’s wondering if they should take the plunge when WordPress 2.7 comes. It’s best to read up on what’s coming as early as now to avoid FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt).
WordPress 2.7 Beta 1
The first beta of the much-awaited WordPress 2.7 version is out! Prepare for a completely revamped admin interface and all the new features we’ve been raving about the past few months.
Several things to note: WP 2.7 Beta 1 works best in Firefox and Safari (for now). And the final WP 2.7 release is 2 weeks behind schedule.
The downside is more waiting; the upside is the team isn’t rushing to get it out but to polish it the best way possible. It’s slated for November 10th, and while the developers are still trying their best to get it done by that date, a release candidate should be out by then. End of November seems more like the WP 2.7 final release.
WordPress 2.5 and Crazyhorse admin panel usability report
Jane Wells has posted a report on the usability testing of two WordPress admin panels: the one found in version 2.5 and the newer, rapidly-prototyped Crazyhorse (demo-ed in WordCamps worldwide).
Take note that this Crazyhorse is different from the WP 2.7 interface designs we’ve seen lately, which are a lot more polished. Still, you’ll see from the PDF that the redesign was a welcome change to the users, compared to the 2.5 interface.
I’m impressed at how transparent Automattic is about these things. For the casual WordPress user it may be a bit too much, but for the hardcore fans, it’s great seeing the whole story!
Favorite Actions in WordPress 2.7
planetOzh writes about a neat little feature coming in WordPress 2.7 called “favorite actions”. It gives you quick access to sections of your admin panel that you frequent the most. This dropdown menu links to “Add New Post”, “Add New Page”, and “Manage Comments” but as mentioned in the blog entry, this can theoretically be modified with a plugin.
Yet another hint of what’s to come in November!
WordPress 2.7 looks pretty!
Since WordPress 2.7 is all about an admin redesign, it’s high time we see what it will really look like. The wait is almost over! The WordPress development team teases us once more with a couple of screens for the new admin panel.
This week at the Automattic team’s semi-annual offsite meeting (offsite since we have no office), the visuals you have been craving were finally created and approved. We hope you like them. Mad props to Matt Thomas and Andy Peatling for their visual talents. You can expect these designs to be extended to the rest of the 2.7 screens and implemented over the coming weeks.
WordPress 2.7 - New Post screen
WordPress 2.7 - Admin Dashboard screen
I’ll be honest: I’m slightly irked that it’s got touches of the Apple look. And I kind of wished they hadn’t resorted to using rounded corners here. But if you’ve been following the saga of WordPress 2.7 admin dashboard redesign long enough, you’ll definitely agree that this design looks like the prettiest yet!
Read more about it here. Expect even more hype about the arrival of WordPress 2.7 within the coming weeks.
WordPress 2.7 on “feature freeze”
Ryan Boren has just announced at the WP-Hackers mailing list that the upcoming version of WordPress has gone into feature freeze, meaning there will be no new features added from now on until the official release. Read more details about the new features at this blog post from Performancing.
Jeff Chandler also mentions in there that the admin panel demo by Chris Johnston is still up, so if you want to check out what WP 2.7 currently looks like without having to download and install it for yourself, just login (username: admin; password: demo).
Wireframes of the WordPress 2.7 dashboard
One of the biggest things the WordPress development team is working on for the 2.7 release is the admin dashboard. And they’ve released a PDF containing wireframes of that interface.
WordPress 2.7 is a work in progress. These wireframes attempt to document the current state of or plans for the application. In some cases, elements may change as development proceeds, either because of technical issues or to address usability issues. In addition, elements may change during the visual design stage. These wireframes are a guide for development that will be updated as necessary, and are not set in stone.
We’ve seen demos of Crazyhorse before, but the PDF file explains in more depth what to expect in terms of the layout and functionality of the administration interface.
Take the 2nd WordPress UI Survey now
The 2nd part of the WordPress 2.7 UI Survey is out. It asks for opinions regarding the placement of the search box, the favorites button, and the future publishing feature.
It will automatically close after 5000 responses, so if you want to be part of the decisionmaking process for the interface WordPress 2.7—no matter how minor—answer the survey now!
More previews of WordPress 2.7
We’ve got two more previews of the highly-anticipated new version of WordPress, slated to be released by November:
Stalking the Wild 2.7 by Ryan Boren and A Peek at WordPress 2.7 by Mae Paulino. One’s a list of the features that are sure to be included in WordPress 2.7, and the other’s a screen-by-screen tour of what you get when you install WP 2.7 right now.
It’s hard to point out all the notable features of WordPress 2.7 because almost all of them are significant improvements, and that’s not including even more ones they want to sneak in. WP 2.7 is sure to be a major upgrade on your blog, if you don’t already know. So be ready!
As always, keep track of real-time progress by the team at the WordPress Development Updates blog.
Sticky Posts for WordPress.com users
As Matt Mullenweg had mentioned in a demo of WordPress 2.7 “Crazyhorse” during WordCamp’s State of the Word, there will be a new feature called Sticky Posts. It turns out that feature is already installed on WordPress.com blogs. This is patterned after forum posts which you want to keep at the top of the page for everyone to see.
Chances are WordPress.org users have a blog at WordPress.com, so be sure to try out that feature as we await WP 2.7!
Early preview of WordPress 2.7
Although WordPress is still a long way from being released, Weblog Tools Collection has posted several screenshots of WordPress 2.7 that reveal changes that improve upon the last major interface upgrade from WordPress 2.5. Here are some quotes from the blog post:
- “There is now a left hand side navigational column.”
- “The Write Panel in WordPress 2.7 has gone through an overhaul as well. I think you’ll really enjoy the fact that drag and drop elements are back.”
- “Browsing and installing plugins from the respository looks to become even more convenient now that you can do both from the WordPress back end.”
- “You can now configure a large image size, default image size, default image alignment, and default image links. Very nice, time saving options.”
Looks like another exciting release in the history of WordPress. Watch out for more developments at the WordPress Codex page dedicated to WordPress 2.7.
WordPress Admin Dashboard to be updated in 2.7
The admin dashboard is an essential part of what makes WordPress really work, which is why the Automattic team continues to tweak it to ultimate user interface perfection. In the upcoming version 2.7 (nicknamed “Crazyhorse”), WP FUN shares a glimpse of what the new dashboard will look like:
Each of the menu items on the left open and close as needed. Templates contains everything that is in the design tab now. Utilities features the new inbox (which seems to include notifications about WordPress and maybe new comments, but it doesn’t do anything yet) and some of the contents of the manage menu.
The recently-concluded WordCamp also demo-ed Crazyhorse. You can find more pictures here. See the “Riding the Crazyhorse” talk by Liz Danzico of Happy Cog, the company who redesigned the admin interface in WordPress 2.5.
A video courtesy of socialTNT is also embedded below:
Finally, CalinSoft has also posted an in-depth walkthrough of Crazyhorse, though unfortunately it’s in Spanish. (Try Google’s translation here.)
The dashboard is just a critical part of a blogger’s workflow, so it’s a good thing that WordPress is really working hard to continuously improve it.
What’s coming in WordPress 2.7
The new features planned for WordPress 2.7 are spreading around in the blogosphere, so here’s what to expect:
Proposed New Features
This is a WordPress Codex article on what will “definitely be in 2.7″. Since it’s in the Codex, it must be pretty official.
Features Planned for WordPress 2.7
This is a report from Weblog Tools Collection based on the discussions at the Codex and informal meetings in the IRC. As WordPress Garage has noted, it appears that WP 2.7 will be “heavily based on existing plugins”. See also Quick Online Tips
WordPress 2.7 Theming May Change Everything
This is a project by Ian Stewart on Parent and Child Themes. He’s put up a Trac proposal and it seems to be working well with the bleeding edge version of WordPress.
Sneak peeks of WordPress 2.6 features
Although we’re still a few months away from the next major release of WordPress, we can’t help being curious and excited about what’s coming up, can we?
Milestone 2.6
WordPress 2.6 is set to come out on August 7, 2008, according to the WordPress Trac page. Progress is currently at 7%, clearly a long way from completion.
Curious about other releases? Here are the tickets for WP 2.5.2 and WP 2.7.
2.6 Test Run
A live installation of WP 2.6 is up at Chris Johnston’s demo site. Username is admin, password is demo. If you want to test them on your own server, check out the Nightly Builds through the WP testers mailing list.
WordPress 2.6 Features
Several bloggers have brought up some of the major improvements with WP 2.6:
Post revisions
Keep track of a blog post’s revision history.
Identicons, MonsterID, and Wavatar support
Generate special gravatar icons for commenters who have none.
Google Gears support
Add Google Gears functionality for offline blogging.
wp-config.php location can be moved one level higher than WP install
Add sorting to gallery items
Integrate the Reorder Gallery plugin to the 2.6 core.
SHIFT+Click checkbox selection
Select multiple rows of posts, categories, comments, tags, etc. Gmail-style.
Press This bookmarklet
Quick posting bookmarklet that disappeared in 2.5 and will return to 2.6.
Further Reading
More information can be found at the following websites: Quick Online Tips, WordPress Expert, planetOzh, The Blog Herald.
Also visit the Codex page for WordPress 2.6 for further updates.
