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WordPress Changes – Your Poll #1 – Herded ?

Others in this series are Start – Herded ? Kept in the Dark (Why this is really happening) ? Valued Customer ? and more to come. Workarounds are here. My standby blog is http://freedfromtime.blogspot.co.uk/

This is your opportunity to vote on the recent changes to WordPress and there are two vital reasons to do so.

Firstly, the survey is unlikely to be published, so this is your opportunity to be heard.

Secondly, it is now evident that by ourselves it is unlikely that we can bring about improvement but, investors and allied businesses do not like mismanagement that alienates it’s customers and fails in new endeavours. They can make a difference and bring about the only solution available to us which is a change of management. With enough support there will opportunity to refer this matter to tech-journalists. The more who attend, the better chance we have. So please Link to here, Share, Reblog, or spread the word however you think fit.

Herded ?

The Reader: However one gets to the Reader, there is no way out except via the new Stats interface. The Reader lost it’s small drop-down menu late last year, which offered a link back to one’s Dashboard and a Sign Out. That loss paved the way to confinement.

The standard login (via wordpress.com) now goes directly to the Reader.

Almost every link to “Stats” goes to the new Stats interface. There is only “View All” beneath the Dashboard graph that still goes to the original statistics page. Other than this, one had to endure the nuisance of scrolling all the way down the new Statistics interface to find the only other link.

The New Editor was almost impossible to avoid until one has loaded it and then chosen “Classic Editor”. Then an opt-out cookie was placed with your browser. But, it expired after six weeks and was only useful if one was willing to keep WordPress cookies between sessions (more on those later). There is was no knowing how short it’s expiry date may be in the future. That option has been removed and one can only access the classic editor via direct links.

Taken all together, do you feel herded by nuisances, towards the new user interface and it’s editor.

How to vote: Beneath you will find two comment boxes.

One is for: Yes – I do feel herded into the new Stats interface.

The other is: No – I do not feel herded into the new Stats interface.

Please click on the small blue . ⭐ Like . in the box of your preference. You can withdraw your like at any time by clicking on it again.

Comments on this topic can be added in the usual way. And, thank you for taking the time to read. 🙂

* Automattic employees may comment but may not vote. * I have not used PollDaddy because it is owned by Automattic. * I regret the loss of Reply levels, but need to keep this simple. * Comments can be a testament to the extent (or not) of nuisance or whatever you may wish to add.

⇐ About WP Changes ……. Kept in the Dark ? ⇒

Posted by Graham in Hats | February 8, 2015 | Categories: WordPress Changes | Tags: About Wordpress Changes, About WP Changes, Help with WP Changes, Matt Mullenweg, New Editor, New Notifications, New Stats, Recent Changes to Wordpress, Recent Changes to WP, Recent WordPress Changes, Recent WP Changes, wordpress changes, WP Changes | 49 Comments

Forum Topic Moved

The forum topic “Classic Stats – How to Set” has been closed. We continue here:- Upgraded Stats ~ for those who are not happy about it.

Posted by Graham in Hats | February 5, 2015 | Categories: WordPress Changes | Tags: About Wordpress Changes, About WP Changes, Help with WP Changes, Matt Mullenweg, New Editor, New Notifications, New Stats, Recent Changes to Wordpress, Recent Changes to WP, Recent WordPress Changes, Recent WP Changes, wordpress changes, WP Changes | 8 Comments

WordPress Navigation Links – Improved

Using the Old Facilities and Avoiding the New

Revised 11th April 2015.

A roundup of other methods, which includes using a redirect script in your Browser is here.

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Using Bookmarks is quite simple once you get the hang of it. By creating and using a few Bookmarks/Favourites you can move from anywhere to anywhere without delay.

All that you really need is to open your Dashboard (WP-Admin) and keep it open in a tab so that you can return to it.

Log-in to your WP Dashboard:-

Type or paste the following in your browser’s address bar, placing your blog name where indicated. Then you can Log-in to your dashboard.

https://YourBlogName.wordpress.com/wp-admin/

You only need to do this once and then Bookmark/Favourite it for future use.

Using the Dashboard and keeping it open

Right click on a button/link/menu item and choose “Open in new Tab”. Thus:-

For the usual “classic” facilities such as the Editor, use the left hand sidebar and Right click your choice for “Open in a New Tab”. You might then Bookmark/Favourite anything for future use (i.e. Dashboard, All-Posts, Classic Editor, etc). It is better to use the left sidebar for all functions except switching blogs. You can reduce the left sidebar to icons by using the small arrow at the bottom.

For the original Stats page, Right click on “View All” (beneath the graph) and select “Open in a New Tab”. For the older “Stats” page, Right click “Site Stats” from the menu of the small dial at the top left. Whatever our preference, you might Bookmark/Favorite for future use. If it is slow to load, refreshing/reloading often works.

Avoid the top left “My-Sites” because, on this page, it will go to the new UI.

To restore the your Dashboard or navigate/switch to your other blogs. .

Use your WP-Admin (Dashboard) Bookmark.

Or, from the original Stats page, choose a Blog from the top right drop down menu and click on the small blue house (home) icon.

Or, if the black left sidebar is available hover your mouse pointer over the small dial at the top left and select “Dashboard”

Or, use the top left “My-Sites – Switch Site” which has more options

But, beware the “Stats” links on that menu will take you to the new UI (User Interface) and the “Blog Post – Add” link will take you to the New Editor.

To Log out hover your mouse pointer over your Gravatar and use the drop down menu.

To add the Reader, without getting trapped, whilst you are logged in Right-Click on a link to the Reader and choose “Open in a new tab”. Alternatively, click on:-

https://wordpress.com/

and might Bookmark/Favourite for future use or repeat this method.

Again, “My-Sites” on this page will take you to the new UI.

To add the Notifications Archive, whilst you are logged in click on:-

https://wordpress.com/notifications

and might Bookmark/Favourite for future use:-

Again, “My-Sites” on this page will take you to the new UI.

If you would like more direct Links (e.g. My-Stats, older Stats, All Posts, New Post etc), please see:-

https://freedfromtime.wordpress.com/2015/01/27/help-with-wordpress-changes/

With thanks and credit to all those on the forums who initiated Bookmarking.

Posted by Graham in Hats | February 3, 2015 | Categories: WordPress Changes | Tags: About Wordpress Changes, Help with WP Changes, New Notifications, New Stats, Recent Changes to Wordpress, Recent Changes to WP, Recent WordPress Changes, Recent WP Changes, wordpress changes, WP Changes | 16 Comments

WP Changes – an Appeal to Reason.

To help move things forward in seeking remedy, below is my recent response to Matt Mullenweg’ s comment on About WordPress Changes and What We Can Do .

“Present feedback has been mostly complaint or attempts to tweak the new UI to meet desktop needs. This is surely not helpful to the new [Mobile] enterprise.

Conversely, relieving users of their concerns would certainly result in feedback that will help the new UI rather than compromise its purpose. Co-operation between us and the restoration of a community spirit, being a lot more productive than a conflict that nobody wants.”

and continues:-

“One of the issues that has caused a lot of consternation has been assertions, by staff on the forums, that the old stats pages will be “phased out”.

I think it has been fairly assumed by some, from your statement “I can say that the wp-admin interface will also be there for you or anyone else who navigates to it directly or bookmarks it”, that this includes the continued existence of the old stats pages which are part of that interface.

Perhaps it has been a been a simple glitch in communications that has caused a large part of the consternation . Such things do happen even in the best of organisations. A simple confirmation would, I’m sure, restore a more amicable, co-operative and productive approach.”

At this stage, I think it is in the best interests of WP users if I allow time for reason to prevail. But, I will be back on this in 4/5 days.

Addition: The response from CEO M. Mullenweg being unsatisfactory, there will be more activity on Sunday 8th February 2014.

Posted by Graham in Hats | February 2, 2015 | Categories: Matt Mullenweg, WordPress Changes | Tags: About Wordpress Changes, Help with WP Changes, Matt Mullenweg, New Editor, New Notifications, New Stats, Recent Changes to Wordpress, Recent Changes to WP, Recent WordPress Changes, Recent WP Changes, wordpress changes, WP Changes | 17 Comments

Flowers at Temple Court

18 pics – To brighten up the winter gloom, a few flowers from the Temple Court gardens, London.

In southern England the kink in the old jet stream has been weaving about all over the place and forecasters have been having a hard time. The other day, thinking it was going to be wet, I took to wearing Wellington boots. The locals were so surprised. It was my own fault, I should have put some cloths on.

The Temple Court Flowers

A big hats off the Temple Court gardeners. There are many flower beds dotted around the place, a very nice little enclosed garden and a beautiful rose garden. They are all in pristine condition and somehow a considerable diversity thrives happily alongside one another.

There will be more from the Temple Court later, in the meantime, here are the flowers photographed in early July of 2014.

The plant (?), in the first picture, ate a corporate banker. I don’t want to say what the second did to a stockbroker. 🙂

This last one is from a small garden adjacent to the Temple Court.

I’ve been saving, what I believe to be, the best flowers until mid February and there will be more about the Temple Court and the Tower of London soon.

Posted by Graham in Hats | February 1, 2015 | Categories: Central London, Flowers, Photography, places to photograph in london, Places to Visit, uk | Tags: Flora, flowers, Gardens, photography, temple court, temple court gardens | 27 Comments

WP Changes – Improved Workarounds

Sorry to redirect you but there have been developments that makes this easier at WordPress Navigation Links – Improved

No longer as relevant :-

This approach will, I hope, restore more enjoyment to blogging. More about WP Changes and What We Can Do to seek restoration of original function is here !

Meanwhile, the biggest problem is that the Reader is a catch-all. Log-in to it or click on any link to it and the Reader opens in the current Tab, then there is no way to the better Dashboard except via the “My-Sites” blue Mobile orientated User Interface. This approach solves that.

Note 1 : You can choose to Right-Click on any link and, from the pop-up menu, you can select “Open Link in new tab”. You might then need to select that Tab. A similar approach for Apple Mac.

Note 2: Everything here opens in a new Tab. Note:3 The “Refresh” button is usually found to the right of the address bar.

With the following approach it is possible to get away with using only one Tab, two Tabs to keep your Notifications Archive available and an occasional extra Tab for use of the Reader and/or Stats. Once one is familiar it becomes a new habit.

Log-in to the your WP Dashboard:-

https:// {YourBlogName} .com/wp-admin/

You only need to do this once and then can Bookmark/Favourite it for future use. Once you have logged-in, you are automatically logged in to all of your UI pages. You can also log-out from there using the drop-down menu that appears when you hover the mouse pointer over your Gravatar.

From there you have access to all the usual functions and can Right-Click “View All”, just beneath the graph, to open the better Stats page in a new Tab.

You can return to your Dashboard by closing the Stats Tab. Alternatively clicking on the Dashboard Tab, which keeps the Stats Tab open and saves reloading pages (although you will want to refresh Stats occasionally).

You can also choose a different blog from the drop down list adjacent to the small blue Home icon (top right) on the Stats page. Clicking on the Home icon automatically opens an Admin page in a new Tab.

If you would like to add your Notifications Archive (the more useful view), open and Bookmark/Favourite the following for future use:-

https://wordpress.com/notifications

There is the option to keep that one extra Tab open for whenever/wherever the little bell lights-up. Just click on the Notifications Tab and refresh the screen.

To add the Reader, without getting trapped, use the Note 1 tip above, or open and Bookmark/Favourite the following for future use:-

https://wordpress.com/

I’ve found that this approach works well but does require a small change of habit. If stuck, then one can always revert to the first Bookmark/Favourite (Dashboard), which you are still logged-in to.

If you would like more direct Links (e.g. My-Stats, older Stats, All Posts, New Post etc), please see:-

https://freedfromtime.wordpress.com/2015/01/27/help-with-wordpress-changes/

With thanks and credit to all those on the forums who initiated the idea.

At this stage, I do not think that these Links and/or this method will be tampered with. That would prove the intent to coerce and be contrary the CEO Matt Mullenweg’s own comments on About WordPress Changes and What We Can Do.

That post is still open for comments on the subject, which can be directed to the post subject or as a direct reply the Mr Mulenweg’s comment. The later, providing an opportunity, perhaps more useful.

Lastly; avoiding the new UI may well be helpful as any clicks to/from the new UI may be used to signify acceptance. The thrust of debate is that it is going to be better, for each endeavour, if the Mobile friendly UI is kept separate from the Desktop friendly UI.

Posted by Graham in Hats | January 31, 2015 | Categories: Matt Mullenweg | Tags: Help with Wordpress changes, Help with WP Changes, New Editor, New Notifications, New Stats, Recent Changes to Wordpress, Recent Changes to WP, wordpress, wordpress changes, WordPress Workarounds, Workarounds, WP, WP Changes, WP Changes Workarounds | 5 Comments

Help with WordPress Changes

Sorry to redirect you but there have been developments that makes this easier at WordPress Navigation Links – Improved.

However, additional Links can be found here for those who might find them useful. 🙂

Now only relevant for additional Links that you might wish to use:-

Links included. – For more about the changes and what we can do about it, please click here. Bloggers are discovering that the inconvenience of the new user interface pages can be bypassed by Bookmarking/Favourite the desired pages. Then open a tab for the required log-in page and then open other bookmarked pages in additional tabs (you are automatically logged into each) .

This is not only more convenient but signals to WP that their intention to continue with their present approach is undesirable.

Here are some links to start with. You will only need to do this once, Bookmark/Favourite it and can then open each in a new tab when required.

WP Admin.

You can also use this for sign-out purposes.

https:// {YourBlogName} .com/wp-admin/

The Classic Stats page (most commonly used prior to the new one). From the main Admin page use the “View All” button or bookmark:-

https://wordpress.com/my-stats/

At present, you can also get to your Admin page, from these stats, by clicking on the small blue house at the top right.

The Old Stats page (copy to the address bar of a new tab and put your Blog name where indicated, without spaces).

https:// {YourBlogName} .wordpress.com/wp-admin/index.php?page=stats

The Reader

https://wordpress.com/

On the Reader, one can go directly to a post by clicking on the lower left time-stamp.

A New Post using the desktop editor which, at present, can still be found at the left menu bar of the Admin Page. Here is the link anyway (copy to the address bar of a new tab and put your Blog name where indicated, without spaces) .

https:// {YourBlogNme} .wordpress.com/wp-admin/post-new.php

All Posts which, at present, can still be found at the left menu bar of the Admin Page. Here is the link anyway (copy to the address bar of a new tab and put your Blog name where indicated, without spaces).

https:// {YourBlogName} .wordpress.com/wp-admin/edit.php

Notifications

https://wordpress.com/notifications

This opens your Notifications Archive which isn’t perfect but better than the New Notifications. That is. the unread items have a blue dot on the left and there is the usual bent arrow to indicate what you replied to. When the bell icon lights up, on any page, you only need to go to your Notifications tab and refresh the screen.

Further, avoiding the New Notifications is a clear message that they are not liked.

Other UI Pages

Can still be found using the left side bar of the WP Admin page. Bookmarking the most used is a quick way to navigate.

More About the Recent WordPress Changes, which need our attention if we are to rescue WordPress from the current managers of these endevours, which in there present form, can only the damage any pursuit of the mobile market whilst unnecessarily alienating existing desktop clients.

Please do re-blog or link if you wish. The more viewers the better. :-).

Posted by Graham in Hats | January 27, 2015 | Categories: uk | Tags: About Wordpress Changes, About WP Changes, Help with Wordpress changes, Help with WP Changes, New Editor, New Notifications, New Stats, Recent Changes to Wordpress, Recent Changes to WP, wordpress, wordpress changes, WP, WP Changes | 34 Comments

About WordPress Changes and What We Can Do

This article was first published 27th January 2015. The current situation (11 Many 2016) seems static with both the old Stats pages still available and very little disruption to the “classic” editor. The workarounds still being a viable option. We continue to watch for any further disruption and any cause for further protest as may be required.

For more recent concerns (Dec 2016) regarding the WordPress Reader, please click here ⇐.

For Help with the UI changes (workarounds) please click here .

There are additional issues that have not been openly disclosed please click here. For a full range of articles please click here.

*** On Jan 29, 2015 at 17:57 a reply from CEO Matt Mullenweg with bloggers responses, in comments below.

This article (on 27th January 2015) is about Underlying Motive, The Problems, Probable Cause, How We Can Make a Difference and Remaining Questions.

Underlying Motive

Matt Mullenweg, owner and recently appointed CEO of WordPress, has himself indicated a wish to pursue the mobile market which is made clear in and interview with Forbes click here ! (page 5/6) . However, that interview does not indicate any intention to abandon desk-top users.

Add to this, Tiger Global now have a total of $110 million invested in WP here !. Tiger Global also have investments in the expanding Indian and South American mobile and e-commerce markets.

Amended/Addition: From WSJ/Digits “We both have a long term outlook, and we’re focused on growth,” said Mullenweg of Tiger in an interview. “

This is altogether an entirely legitimate business pursuit but it’s gone wrong.

The Problem

The mobile versions of the user interface have been so inept as to spoil its credibility from the outset and at the same time alienate desktop users. Complaints, on the WP Forum, about the new editor ran to 32 long pages here !. Complaints about the New Stats here (closed)! and here (closed)! and here (closed) !. Complaints about the New Notifications here ! . More on Goldfish “An Open Letter to WordPress !“. And, we are told, there are more changes to come.

Amendment/Addition: To make this clearer, the changes that have annoyed people most have been the removal of navigation links that make it difficult to avoid the changed pages. From the Reader entirely impossible. Such action being coercive.

This is not at all the “democratized blogging” that WP claims to support. It was entirely unnecessary to create such nuisance for desktop users when a separate strand could have been developed for mobiles. A one size fits all approach is unworkable for devices that are so different.

The notion that this is a free service and that we should not complain is false. Active blogs either accept advertisements (which are not visible to the blogger whilst logged in). Advertisements which are based upon their own work as the attraction, or pay their $30 p.a. to keep them away.

Such attitudes and behaviour have a continued corrosive effect which includes the loss of key workers over time. After 1-2 years a company falls into decline, but by then it is unable to stop that decline or even fully recognise the cause.

If customers migrate to another host, then those remaining are going to lose readership, which is then another incentive to move. If any of the major players realise that WP is creating its own vulnerability they will surely take advantage. An easy transfer and universal reader would be enough to tip the balance and create a landslide.

Taken altogether this means that we must rescue WordPress from its own demise.

Probable Cause

Nobody in their right mind would want to spoil their progress into a new market and at the same time alienate existing customers. From long experience freelancing in industry, I know of only one way this can come about. Somebody who is more convincing than capable has got hold of the reins.

The symptoms are commonly the use of unrealistic hyperbole, forcing users into the new product so that it appears to be successful (in this case, by manipulating the navigational links), destruction of previous work (by removing access), create a notion that restoration is impossible (manage the complainants instead of the complaint) and ensuring that executives of the company do not know the truth (it’s all going very well and doesn’t it look good).

Problems are exacerbated when there is failure to meet deadlines. That results in products being launched before they are ready and, needing to meet the next deadline, no time for adequate remedy. As a result, there is further motive to use the ploys mentioned above and plough on regardless.

The most insidious of these is the notion that we cannot overturn the situation. It is a ploy to ensure that we do not even try outside of the prescribed avenue (the forums) which only frustrate. But, to paraphrase FDR, ‘there is no cause for despair except despair itself’.

How we can Make a Difference

Whatever may be thought of the above summary, if we do not make an effort, then we and WP lose by default. If we get up on our hind legs and howl for the pack to pay attention then we stand a good chance of putting more sensible people in charge. So:-

All the possible remedies and the encouragement to be optimistic need to be widely publicised by ourselves by posts (with plenty of tags for the Reader), links, re-blogging with lots of tags (you can use up to 15 categories +Tags without getting excluded from the Reader), tweets, Facebook, email etc. That is our strength as publishers and the numbers of people who express disquiet count as much as the comment content.

Every click to/from the new pages are surely recorded and supports the notion that they are successful. Therefore, it is vital to boycott their use. They can be avoided by Bookmarking/Favourite a few pages and opening each in a new tab. For more information and a fairly straightforward approach please click here ! .

Whilst the forums are a sink-hole for energy with comments that seek restoration only frustrated, it is still important to increase the number of voices and thus show the extent of disquiet. The most commonly used open threads are here ! for general comment and here ! for New Notifications. Comments can be entered at the end of the last page and whilst they do not need to be more than brief to add weight to the cause. However, the forums are free to comment as much as you wish.

Make contact with WordPress seniors/founders who may not know what is really occurring. Many have blogs and can be found on the “About !” page. Unfortunately it is not at all as useful as the version that was recently removed. Fortunately I took screen-shots of the original here !. Matt Mullenweg can be contacted here ! and/or tweeted here ! and former CEO, Toni Schneider, here !.

More than one link may be held in moderation. Therefore, may I recommend using the exact name of forum topics.

Later, when the tide of protest has risen, I will be making contact with the equity holders who stand to lose a great deal and those journalists who would like the story of WP unnecessarily creating conflict with its own clients.

The Remaining Questions

Are the seniors/founders of WP really upholders of high ideals or was it just a marketing ploy. Some of the delightful descriptions from the original “About” page, screen-shots here, include:-

Matt Mullenwg – As the Chief BBQ Taste Tester of Automattic, Matt travels the world sampling cuisine and comparing it to the gold standard of Texas BBQ.

Nick Hamze – Chief Swag Officer

Stu West – Chief Festivities Officer (CFO) – Stu spends his time measuring the awesomeness of operations and finance at WordPress.

Michelle Weber – Chief Semicolon Advocate

It begs the questions. Has it really all been about having fun and making swag or is it just that Matt Mullenweg is having too much fun to mind the shop ? The eventual answer is that deeds speak far louder than words.

What can do we do about it ? We can spread the word and raise as many voices as possible. As a last resort, a method I know to be effective against the unethical, is to widely embarrass with the truth and threaten income and the value of the company.

I hope that the sensible will get control soon and save us all any more nuisance. Lastly; thank you for taking the time to read and may I offer you my best wishes in all your endeavours.

Please do use this as you wish by re-blogging, linking etc. The more viewers the better.

GrahamInHats

With gratitude and credit to all those who entered comment and information on the forums and apologies if reading has been a bit hard on the eyes (this blog was not intended for this purpose). 🙂

The follow-on from this is now WordPress Changes – Polls #1 – Herded ?

Posted by Graham in Hats | January 27, 2015 | Categories: Matt Mullenweg | Tags: About Wordpress Changes, About WP Changes, Help with WP Changes, Matt Mullenweg, New Editor, New Notifications, New Stats, Recent Changes to Wordpress, Recent Changes to WP, Recent WordPress Changes, Recent WP Changes, wordpress changes, WP Changes | 107 Comments

The Tower of London – White Tower

Inside the White Tower

The White Tower contains mainly suits of armour and weaponry. In the days of sophisticated construction, a suit of armour could cost as much as a house and was often more of a status symbol than for military purpose. Nevertheless, when in use, a knight and horse in full armour at the gallop would be terrifying and the equivalent of a modern-day tank.

Posted by Graham in Hats | January 18, 2015 | Categories: Central London, History, Photography, places to photograph in london, Travel, uk | Tags: antique armament, armour, knights, tower of london, white tower | 8 Comments

Queen Mary’s Gardens

14 pics. Queen Mary’s Gardens was opened in 1932 and named after the wife of George V. It can be found near the southern end of Regents Park, is shown by Google maps as the “Inner Circle” and the nearest underground station is Baker St. The gardens are in part a formal setting with up to 12,000 roses and 9,00 begonias. There is also a landscaped area of tress, bushes and a small wetland.

Photographs of some of the flowers can be found here and more information here.