Back From The Dark Side
We successfully went to and returned from the Dark Side - the WordPress Database.
Yesterday’s Wizard Weekly call was about the little known about but very important WordPress Database. We had some excellent comments and questions that time did not allow to answer so I will answer them here.
1. I wonder: is there anythng we might have to do, say if the database is messed up somehow?
You can go to the MySQL database tab in CPanel and for each database there will be a ‘Check’ and ‘Repair’ button. Click on ‘Check’ to see if any problems are reported and if there are, click on ‘Repair’ and the database will try to repair itself. Other than that – the data inside phpMyAdmin is editable but I wouldn’t go there alone! It’s a very scary place! It’s fine to go look but when you are modifying stuff in there it is frightening.
The good news is that bad stuff rarely happens to the database itself. Sometimes the connection breaks but the data is still there.
2. When hackers get into a site, is it the database they hack? And what can they do and how to prevent it?
Vulnerability – everything is vulnerable. There are hackers out there who write stuff to ‘inject’ stuff into your database. I’m always on the lookout for stuff like this and will report on it when I find it to be valid. So far – nothing earth-shaking has come up because wp itself is really pretty secure. Stuff happens when you use plugins and themes from unfamiliar (and unverified) places.
Two excellent questions - more in days to come.
I know I stressed the importance of backups so here is the url to get wp-db-backup -
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-db-backup/
Please get this very important plugin, install it, activate it, and USE IT.
cathy on July 3rd, 2008 | Filed under WordPress Wizard | Comment now »
Getting ready for a Trip to Th…
Getting ready for a Trip to The Dark Side on The Wizard Weekly - http://www.TheWizardToday.com
cathy on July 2nd, 2008 | Filed under WordPress Wizard | Comment now »TheWordPress Database - A Trip to The Dark Side
Have you ever wondered what the WordPress database is? What does it do? Where does it live? What’s in there? You now have a chance to go inside the database with me and learn about it in everyday English - NO TECH SPEAK.
Please join me tomorrow on The Wizard Weekly. Sign up just to the right of this post to get all the details. Or if you see this on Twitter - go to http://www.TheWordPressWizard.com for sign up details.
cathy on July 1st, 2008 | Filed under The Wizard Weekly, WordPress Wizard | Comment now »Blogger Block: The Four-Step Program
Annie Binns over at Life in the Fun Lane has a great post called Blogger Block: The Four-Step Program.
What is it? The paralyzing inability to write one more word on your blog.
How do you know if you have it? Here are some of the symptoms she lists:
- You wonder if you have enough plug-ins and start surfing the web for more.
- You Google everyone who leaves a comment on your blog to see if they are incarcerated.
- You read your spam folder. Twice.
- You Google relatives you haven’t heard from in a while to see if they are incarcerated.
- You follow every Twitter link
- You subscribe to more RSS feeds than your total number of blog posts.
- You hand-write encouraging letters to your incarcerated friends and relatives.
Go to her blog to read about the four-step program that “has been proven effective in reducing or eliminating the symptoms of Blogger Block.”
Laugh every day!
cathy on June 30th, 2008 | Filed under WordPress Fun | Comment now »Blogging Tip: ‘Get Smart’ With Your WordPress Blog?
My good friend, Jeff Herring, has an interesting post over on The Great Article Marketing Blog. Here is part of what he says - “imagine what it would it be like if you could have a 300 to 500 word sample of your expertise spread all over the internet working for you 24/7 all over the world”.
Of course, he’s talking about articles but go read his post with your blog in mind too. And - your blog post doesn’t need to be 300 to 500 words! If you have a 300 to 500 word article, you have a LOT of fodder for blog posts. Depending on how many ideas are in those words, you can get from 2 to 5 blog posts!
Head on over to:
Read it thinking about articles AND your blog. Leave a comment. And come back and tell me what you think!
Blog On!
cathy on June 22nd, 2008 | Filed under The Wizard Recommends | Comment now »The Wizard on the AP Blogging …
The Wizard on the AP Blogging Policy: The blogosphere is all abuzz about the Associated Press and.. http://tinyurl.com/6e5o8r
cathy on June 19th, 2008 | Filed under WordPress Wizard | Comment now »Getting ready for The Wizard W…
Getting ready for The Wizard Weekly - my free weekly call on blogging and wordpress. Get details at http://www.thewordpresswizard.com.
cathy on June 18th, 2008 | Filed under WordPress Wizard | Comment now »Figured out camtasia. yay!
Figured out camtasia. yay!
cathy on June 16th, 2008 | Filed under WordPress Wizard | Comment now »The Wizard on the AP Blogging Policy
The blogosphere is all abuzz about the Associated Press and its arcane policy decision about controlling what bloggers can and cannot publish on their sites. TechCrunch had an excellent take on the ‘controversy’. The AP is BANNED from TechCrunch. No ifs, ands, or buts. No legaleeze mumbo-jumbo on what is and is not acceptable use.
This blog isn’t about news but in this case, I cannot remain silent. This ‘ruling’ by the AP affects many bloggers and since it appears that the AP’s rules are tighter than the law, it cannot go unnoticed. If laws are in place, enforce them but don’t put yourself above the law, enacting rules and regulations that are beyond the law.
Having said that, let’s not even engage them. Just ban them from your site. There are plenty of other news sources to quote. You just have to go out and find them.
Let’s get behind TechCrunch and ban the AP from our world.
cathy on June 16th, 2008 | Filed under blogging | Comment now »Checked to make sure all ok on…
Checked to make sure all ok on AlexMandossian.com and am figuring out Camtasia!
cathy on June 15th, 2008 | Filed under WordPress Wizard | Comment now »
