WordPress 2.9 has just been released and it’s another great step in the right direction.

I’ve already upgraded two sites using the automatic update from within the WordPress Dashboard and everything went off without a hitch. 🙂

There are a slew of new features and under-the-hood optimizations making WordPress even more pleasurable to develop with and use.

Check out the new WordPress 2.9!

This web-based tool written in PHP makes it easy to search and replace text strings in a MySQL database.
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These notes correspond with my WordCamp Seattle 2009 presentation of the same name. You can also view video of this presentation at WordPress.tv.

What Does “Bulletproof” Mean to me?

A bulletproof site is:

• Usable
• Accessible
• Secure

Most importantly, a bulletproof site provides both your users and you with a satisfying experience, regardless of browser type, network speed, physical abilities, or preferences.

I’m going to highlight some easy tools to help you:

1. Keep on top of backup and maintenance
2. Tighten up security
3. Speed up performance
4. Identify usability & accessibility issues
5. Increase usability by improving search

Read more…

The first official WordCamp Seattle is now open for registration and you can save on registration fees before September 1, 2009.

WordCamp Seattle is September 26th, 2009 and there’s already an impressive line-up of speakers.

WordCamps are informal conferences where you can learn about the world’s most popular blogging platform, WordPress.- WordCamp Seattle

I’ve registered – if you’ll be there and want to connect, contact me.

More details at www.wordcampseattle.com

Edit: I’ll be giving a 5 minute Ignite presentation at WordCamp Seattle entitled “5 Free Ways to Bulletproof Your WordPress Site” – hope to see you there.

While working on a redesign of our WordPress-powered business site, I endeavored to find a way to make WordPress’s search results more relevant and robust.

Relevanssi - WordPress Search Reborn

I’ve never been crazy about WordPress search, often preferring to use Google to search a site, rather than use WordPress built-in search. This goes for WordPress.org too – it’s always much easier for me to find answers in the WordPress Codex using Google searches.

WordPress search is intended for the average blog and it works alright, but when constructing a more fully-featured site, or using WordPress as a CMS, the simple, unweighted, reverse-chronological results that WordPress search provides just don’t cut the mustard.

I tried several different plugins and hacks before finding Relevanssi, a plugin by Mikko Saari, which singlehandedly fixes WordPress search, providing more relevant search results and several options to tailor result presentation.

Since I began using Relevanssi last month, Mikko has been actively developing and improving the plugin with some help from the community, and it’s quickly become one of my top five WordPress plugins. Heck, I’m even using Relevanssi on sewmyheadon.com, if you’d like to give it a try.

Relevanssi is an indispensable WordPress plugin and I encourage anyone using WordPress to try it and support its development. Trust me, you’ll never go back. 🙂