WordPress News: Widget API, Bye-Bye Kubrick, Query_Posts Plugin, and Template Tag Plugin
New WordPress Widgets API Feedback Wanted: The WordPress developers are seeking testers and feedback on the new Widgets API which will be released with WordPress 2.8.
Time to Say Bye-Bye to Kubrick? Weblog Tools Collection asks if it is time for Kubrick to retire. Known as the Default WordPress Theme that comes with every installation of WordPress, many have been calling for a replacement.
Integrating bbPress with BuddyPress: While many are working with WordPressMU to integrate bbPress, Trent Adams writes about integrating bbPress with BuddyPress.
WordPress 2.8 News and Development: The WordPress Development team has confirmed that WordPress 2.8 will be released in April. Articles and features worth noting on WordPress 2.8 development include:
- New Screen Options have been announced for posts, Pages, Categories, and other Administration Panel views.
- WordPress 2.8 image header cropping will now use Jcrop from Deep Liquid.
- Lester Chan covers the new WP_Widget Class for WordPress 2.8.
- The new WordPress Widgets API will include converting all default WordPress Widgets to work with the new API.
- Optimizing Script Loading improved with tips in part 2 and part 3.
- Lester Chan has tips for using JavaScript in WordPress Plugins for WordPress 2.8.
- Changes to WordPress Themes include new functions and body classes, automatic_feed_links, and more.
- A new template tag, the_modified_author(), has been added.
- Matt Mullenweg says that OpenID and OAuth will be in upcoming versions of WordPress, possibly WordPress 2.8.
- Maggie is being replaced by SimplePie.
Query_Posts WordPress Plugin: Query_Posts WordPress Plugin by Justin Tadlock uses the query_posts template tag to generate a variety of post lists. There is now a video tutorial on WordPress.tv.
Template Tag Shortcodes in a Plugin: Justin Tadlock has created the Template Tag Shortcodes WordPress Plugin to insert WordPress template tags into blog posts and Pages so they will initiate the PHP or WordPress code function.
WordPress on Your Calendar
- Austin, Texas – The Austin WordPress Meetup Group – April 7, 2009
- WordCamp Tokyo (English) – April 7, 2009
- Ft. Lauderdale, Florida – South Florida WordPress April Meetup – April 8, 2009
- New Orleans, Louisiana – WordCamp NOLA – April 10-11, 2008 (Twitter)
- Chennai, Tamil Nadu – WordPress Garage (Tech Camp for WordPress) – April 18, 2009
- Long Beach, California – Southern California WordPress Group – April 18, 2009
- Los Angeles WordPress Users Group at Farmers Market – April 19, 2009
- Greater Charlotte Area WordPress Group Meetup – “How to Create a Custom WordPress Theme” – April 25, 2009
- Atlanta, Georgia – Atlanta WordPress Users Group Meetup – April 25, 2009
- Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas – DFW WordPress Meetup – April 25, 2009
- Alameda, California – The East Bay WordPress Meetup – April 26 , 2009
- Edmond, Oklahoma – OKC WordPress Users Group – April 27, 2009
- Chicago – Successful and Outstanding Bloggers Conference (SOBCon) – May 1-5, 2009
- WordCamp Toronto – May 8-10, 2009
- Richmond, Virginia – WordCamp RVA – May 9, 2009
- Los Angeles WordPress Users Group at Farmers Market – May 10, 2009
- Ohio – WordCamp Columbus – May 16, 2009
- Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia – WordCamp Mid-Atlantic – May 16, 2009
- Milan, Italy – WordCamp Milan 2009 – May 22-23, 2009
- WordCamp San Francisco 2009 – May 30, 2009
Past WordPress News Reports
- WordPress News: WordPress 2.8, Summer of Code, PodPress Returning, iPhone Update
- WordPress News: iPhones Up, WordPress Widgets API, 2.8 Delayed, International WordPress.tv, and More
- WordPress News: Plugins Reach Milestone, New WordPress Community Project, Help to Search for WordPress Help
Each week, the Blog Herald features WordPress News, a weekly column by Lorelle VanFossen of Lorelle on WordPress featuring the news from around the WordPress Community. You can follow more WordPress news, WordCamp and WordPress Event information, WordPress tips and help, see Lorelle on WordPress and her Twitter account, @lorelleonwp, where she posts a WordPress Plugin and WordPress Tip daily. If you have a WordPress news item or tip to suggest, please contact her at: lorelleonwordpress@gmail.com
