WordPress 2.6 Released — Check the Compatibility Pages Before Updating!
Just a quick heads up that WordPress 2.6 has been officially released. It is almost a month ahead schedule. If you have been waiting for this, it is time to check that out. Not yet!
When logging into your Dashboard, you will notice WordPress tells you to update your blog to the most recent version. But, be warned!
As of this writing, the plugin compatibility page still lists about 26 compatible plugins. I would be very hesitant to upgrade unless I know for sure all plug-ins that I use work flawlessly.
If you are using a free theme, also check the theme compatibility page. Check support if you use premium or custom design theme.
Highlight of the Features
Visit The WordPress Development blog for more detail.
Here are the overview of what’s new in WordPress 2.6:
- Post Revisions: Wiki-like tracking of edits
- Press This!: Post from wherever you are on the web
- Shift Gears: Turbo-speed your blogging
- Theme Previews: See it before your audience does
This version also include word count, bulk management of plugins, ability to move wp-config file and wp-content directories to a custom location.
My Comments
WordPress 2.6 has two huge improvements, in my opinion. The Post Revisions are useful for frequently updated pages. Now you don’t have worry to look for a backup when you want to rollback to previous version of the document. Now it is getting closer to a full-blown Content Management System (CMS).
The Press This feature allows you to display video, images, quote text in any web page you are viewing. This helps speed up blogging tremendously.
Theme previews would be nice if you are redesigning your blog. Use this feature to preview before going live. Your blog visitors won’t see the change until you click on the Activate link in the upper right corner of the preview page.
The ability to move wp-config file and wp-content directories make the update process easier. If you don’t know that you can install WordPress on the root of your domain while keeping the WordPress files in a separate directory, here is a detailed instruction on how to do it.
Finally, play safe! It is okay to wait for a few days or even weeks before updating your installation, especially if all your installed plugins are critical and you doubt they will be compatible with 2.6.
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