WPwatercooler - Weekly WordPress Talk Show

On this episode of WPwatercooler, titled “The Great Escape: WordPress Data Liberation Project,” Jason Tucker and Jason Cosper discuss the significance of data portability in WordPress. They delve into the recent push towards data liberation, enabling content to move freely between different Content Management Systems (CMS), including the import and export of data from WordPress to other platforms and vice versa. The conversation touches on the challenges and technical considerations involved in migrating data, the impact of block editors, and the importance of making data migration user-friendly to support the growth and flexibility of WordPress as a platform. The episode explores the broader implications of data portability for users and the ecosystem, highlighting the need for more intuitive tools to facilitate data movement without compromising content integrity.

• WordPress Data Liberation [Github]
• Data Liberation in 2024 – wordpress.org
• https://simian.rodeo/@boogah/111881606693610144
• http://textbundle.org

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:41 Discussion on Data Liberation in WordPress
• 03:33 The Importance of Data Portability
• 10:13 Challenges with Block Editors and Data Migration
• 15:20 Exploring Alternatives and Future of Data Formats
• 20:59 User Experiences and Expectations on Data Migration
• 25:46 Technical Aspects and Solutions for Data Export/Import
• 30:00 The Role of Open Source in Data Portability
• 35:27 Final Thoughts on WordPress and Data Liberation

What is WPwatercooler? WPwatercooler is streamed live and recorded as the self-titled show on the WPwatercooler Network. Our objective with the show since the beginning has been to help people in this industry have a place to hear people, much like themselves, talk about the technologies and methods we all use on a daily basis. We named WPwatercooler to be that, the watercooler that WordPress folks can gather around and participate in the conversation, or just sit back and learn from the discussion. Our listeners and contributors come from all walks of life and all backgrounds. We strive to make this place as welcoming and accessible as we can. Learn more at https://www.wpwatercooler.com/wpwatercooler

What is Dev Branch? Dev Branch is streamed live and recorded monthly on the first friday of the month as the developer-focused discussions of the WPwatercooler Network. Dev Branch is released on its own podcast feed and made available live and on-demand in video format on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitch. Learn more at https://www.wpwatercooler.com/devbranch

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On this episode of WPwatercooler, the panel, consisting of Jason Tucker, Sé Reed, Jason Cosper, and Nyasha Green, delves into the necessity of building custom WordPress blocks, a task propelled not just by choice but by the evolving needs of WordPress itself. They share personal anecdotes, challenges, and successes in navigating the block-based landscape of WordPress, emphasizing the importance of embracing blocks for future-proofing and enhancing WordPress projects. The discussion also touches on the broader implications of block technology for developers, users, and the WordPress community, highlighting the continuous learning and adaptation required to stay relevant and effective in the WordPress ecosystem.

Panel: Jason Tucker, Sé Reed, Nyasha Green, Jason Cosper

• 00:00 Introduction
• 00:26 Greetings and Lottery Dreams
• 02:33 The Inevitability of Building Blocks in WordPress
• 04:17 Nyasha Green’s Journey into Block Development
• 07:48 The Challenges of Naming and Explaining Blocks
• 10:25 Discussing User-Friendly Design Tools vs. WordPress
• 13:00 The Necessity of Custom Blocks and Developer Frustrations
• 15:09 Nyasha’s Approach to Teaching Block Development
• 17:23 The Rapid Evolution of WordPress and Its Impact on Users
• 20:25 Nyasha’s Favorite Custom Block Project
• 22:39 The Importance of Learning Basics Before Diving into Dynamic Blocks
• 25:40 Building in Public and the Value of Sharing Mistakes
• 27:02 Closing Thoughts and Mini Golf Plans

What is WPwatercooler? WPwatercooler is streamed live and recorded as the self-titled show on the WPwatercooler Network. Our objective with the show since the beginning has been to help people in this industry have a place to hear people, much like themselves, talk about the technologies and methods we all use on a daily basis. We named WPwatercooler to be that, the watercooler that WordPress folks can gather around and participate in the conversation, or just sit back and learn from the discussion. Our listeners and contributors come from all walks of life and all backgrounds. We strive to make this place as welcoming and accessible as we can. Learn more at https://www.wpwatercooler.com/wpwatercooler

What is Dev Branch? Dev Branch is streamed live and recorded monthly on the first friday of the month as the developer-focused discussions of the WPwatercooler Network. Dev Branch is released on its own podcast feed and made available live and on-demand in video format on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitch. Learn more at https://www.wpwatercooler.com/devbranch

On this episode of WPwatercooler the panel, consisting of Jason Tucker, Sé Reed, and Jason Cosper, delves into the evolving nature of blogging and blogging in the WordPress ecosystem. They discuss the shift from traditional blogging to various modern formats, like microblogging on social media platforms. A significant portion of the conversation revolves around the use of WordPress for blogging, the impact of design and development choices on the writing experience, and the potential of the WordPress mobile app for content creation. The discussion also touches on broader topics related to blogging, such as the role of comments, the use of Markdown for writing, and the distinction between blogs and other forms of digital content. The episode explores how WordPress can adapt to changing user preferences in content creation and consumption.

• Perennially Online
• core.trac.wordpress.org
• Comparison of features in various Markdown flavors ¬∑ GitHub
• Mermaid Chart – Create complex, visual diagrams with text. A smarter way of creating diagrams.
• EP264 – WordPress – Is it the best tool for the job? – WPwatercooler – WPwatercooler
• Gibberish Is Now Available on TestFlight – And a Dinosaur
• boogah.gibber.blog

00:00 Introduction 02:07 The Evolution of Blogging 04:06 Discussing WordPress and Blogging 09:04 Blogging for Fun and Personal Expression 11:27 The Impact of Blogging on Journalism 14:02 The Role of Comments in Blogging 18:27 The Challenge of Keeping WordPress Up-to-Date 23:12 Exploring the Ghost Blogging Platform 28:45 The Complexity of WordPress for Simple Blogging 32:30 The Rise of Managed WordPress Hosting 35:20 Discussing WordPress Mobile App and Blogging 42:36 The Potential of WordPress for Text-Based Blogging 47:26 Conclusion

• Jason Cosper
• Jason Tucker
• Sé Reed

On this episode we delve into the concept of digital permanence and the lifespan of websites. They discuss the recent decision by Google to discontinue certain website services, impacting businesses and users who relied on them. This leads to a broader conversation about the impermanence of digital platforms and the risks of relying on third-party services for important digital content. They touch on the closure of APIs by various platforms, including Twitter and Medium, and how these changes can affect users and developers. The panel also explores the concept of personal and business websites, questioning the necessity of their longevity and the importance of regularly updating web content to stay relevant. They discuss the idea of digital legacies, how to manage online presence posthumously, and the responsibility of handling someone’s digital assets. The conversation is both philosophical and practical, addressing the transient nature of the internet and the need for individuals and businesses to adapt to these changes.

• Running your own site is painful. Hosting Nazis is worse
• LOW←TECH MAGAZINE – This is a solar-powered website, which means it sometimes goes offline

00:00 Introduction 02:47 Google’s Discontinuation of Services 10:03 Impact of API Closures 16:18 Website Lifespan and Digital Impermanence 22:55 Managing Digital Legacies 29:30 The Future of Online Platforms 35:44 Adapting to Technological Changes 42:58 Conclusion and Outro

• Jason Cosper
• Jason Tucker
• Sé Reed

On this episode of WPwatercooler, titled “EP471 – Reflecting on the State of the Word 2023,” the hosts Jason Tucker, Sé Reed, and Jason Cosper engage in a reflective and critical discussion on various aspects of WordPress and the WordPress community. They discuss the State of the Word 2023, with Sé Reed sharing her thoughts on different recaps and perspectives on the event, including those by Courtney Robertson, Miriam Schwartz, and Joost de Valk. The panel delves into topics like the importance of custom fields in WordPress, the absence of Mastodon in Matt Mullenweg’s social media mentions, and Jason’s issues with integrating Mastodon with WordPress.

The conversation then shifts to a critique of the WordPress community’s handling of various issues, highlighting the tension between the community’s ideals and the actions of its leaders. They discuss the push towards using Matrix over Slack for WordPress core community discussions, the implications of Matrix’s licensing changes, and the perceived disconnect between the community’s values and decisions made by project leadership.

The hosts also touch upon WordPress’s data liberation efforts, noting the importance of being able to easily move data between platforms. They explore the potential impact of new initiatives like WordPress Playground and data liberation on the WordPress ecosystem, including how these initiatives might affect existing plugins and the broader community.

Finally, the episode covers the recent focus on internationalization in WordPress, the creation of Spanish speaking Slack channels, and the need for better integration and communication between global and local WordPress teams. The discussion concludes with an invitation for listeners to join the after-show discussion on WPwatercooler’s platform.

State of the Word 2022: WordPress’s Evolving Ecosystem

EP439 – State of the Word 2022 Recap

EP178 – The state of the state of the word

Oh, Word? WPwatercooler vs. The State of the Word 2021

00:00 Intro 02:10 Reflecting on State of the Word Recaps 04:37 Custom Fields and WordPress Evolution 05:30 Mastodon and Social Media in WordPress 08:22 WordPress Community Critique 11:06 Matrix vs Slack for WordPress Discussions 14:28 WordPress Data Liberation and Plugin Ecosystem 17:00 Exploring WordPress Playground 19:52 WordPress Internationalization and Spanish Slack Channels 22:42 Closing Remarks and After-Show Invitation

https://www.godaddy.com/resources/news/wordpress-state-of-the-word-2023

https://wordpress.com/blog/2023/12/12/sotw-2023-video-recap/

http://www.merlinmann.com/roderick/ep-14-big-city-apology.html

https://wordpress.org/and

https://thehustle.co/sherlocking-explained

On this episode of WPwatercooler, the panel discussed the history and impact of the “Hello Dolly” plugin in WordPress. Sé Reed shared a personal story about finding a first edition of the “Hello Dolly” record, tying it to recent experiences and changes within the WordPress community. The conversation delved into the significance of the plugin, its potential for teaching plugin development, and its role in the WordPress core. There was also a critical examination of the plugin’s lyrics and their cultural implications. The panel proposed ideas for updating Hello Dolly, suggesting it could evolve into a more educational tool or even integrate into the WordPress ecosystem in new ways.

• 00:00:00 – Introduction
• 00:02:30 – Sé Reed’s Personal Story about “Hello Dolly”
• 00:10:11 – Reflections on WordPress and “Hello Dolly” Plugin
• 00:15:24 – Discussing the Lyrics and Cultural Implications
• 00:18:00 – Opinions on Jazz and Music in WordPress
• 00:24:13 – Potential Changes to “Hello Dolly” Plugin
• 00:30:10 – Ideas for Educational Use of the Plugin
• 00:36:16 – Broader Perspectives on Plugin Content
• 00:38:27 – Closing Thoughts and Future of “Hello Dolly”

Book Review: The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

Open The Book Store – TikTok

On this episode of WPwatercooler, the panel delved into the theme of “Synching WordPress”. The discussion, led by Jason Tucker, Sé Reed, and Jason Cosper, focused on the complexities and techniques of aligning data from various sources with WordPress. The conversation touched upon the use of tools like Airtable and Salesforce for data management and their integration with WordPress. The panel also explored the challenges of mapping data flows and determining the ‘source of truth’ in data synchronization. Issues related to performance, storage, and the ever-evolving landscape of data management in WordPress were key topics. Additionally, the episode discussed various plugins and methods for effective data sync, as well as philosophical aspects of what constitutes a website and the role of WordPress as a content management system.

• Index WP Mysql for Speed
• Exquisite Corpse
• Zapier for WordPress
• WP Air Sync
• WP Web Hooks
• Hookturn

1. EP458 – WordPress Data Management: Understanding the Basics
2. EP462 – Optimizing WordPress Performance: Tips and Tools
3. EP465 – The Evolution of WordPress as a CMS

00:00 – Introduction to Synching WordPress 04:17 – Challenges in Data Synchronization 08:36 – Tools for Data Management: Airtable and Salesforce 13:54 – Understanding Data Mapping and Sources of Truth 19:27 – Performance and Storage Considerations in WordPress 25:03 – Discussing Various Plugins for Data Sync 30:41 – Philosophical Aspects: What is a Website? 36:00 – Role of WordPress as a CMS 41:58 – Conclusion and Final Thoughts

• Jason Cosper
• Jason Tucker
• Sé Reed

On this episode of WPwatercooler titled EP468 – UncURLing WordPress 6.4, hosts Jason Tucker, Sé Reed, Jason Cosper, and Scott Kingsley Clark discuss the recent release of WordPress 6.4 and its implications. The conversation begins with a light-hearted introduction and quickly dives into the complexities and challenges surrounding the new update. Sé Reed shares her experience as a first-time release lead, highlighting the social, community, leadership, and technological implications of the update. The panel delves into a critical issue that arose with the release, specifically concerning the ‘Requests’ library used by WordPress. A change in this library led to significant performance issues for certain hosting configurations, impacting many sites.

The discussion emphasizes the inherent challenges in testing every possible configuration in a diverse ecosystem like WordPress. The episode also touches on the broader issues of open-source funding and maintenance. The panelists highlight the underfunding of critical libraries and tools that form the backbone of WordPress and many other systems. They argue that the lack of attention and funding towards these essential components poses a risk to the stability and security of the wider web infrastructure.

The conversation extends to the governance and funding of PHP, the underlying programming language of WordPress, and the broader open-source ecosystem. The hosts discuss the need for more proactive support and funding from companies and individuals who benefit from these open-source resources. The episode concludes with a discussion on the new WPwatercooler community initiative called “Aftercooler,” designed to foster further discussions and interactions within the WPwatercooler community on our Discord.

Show Notes: https://wpwatercooler.com/wpwatercooler/ep468-uncurling-wordpress-6-4/

Panel: Jason Tucker, Sé Reed, Scott Kingsley Clark, Jason Cosper

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Chapters: 00:00:00 Introduction to Episode 468 00:00:26 Introduction of Panel Members 00:00:34 Introduction of Jason Cosper 00:00:41 Discussion on Discord and Podcasts 00:02:09 WordPress 6.4 Release and Initial Reactions 00:04:12 Impact of WordPress 6.4 on Various Plugins 00:05:39 Issue with the Request Library in WordPress 6.4 00:06:37 Discussing Specifics of the Request Library Issue 00:09:06 Importance of Neglected Components in WordPress 00:11:02 Funding and Support Challenges in Open Source Projects 00:13:37 The PHP Funding Dilemma 00:16:28 The Broader Impact of Underfunding in Open Source 00:20:06 The Responsibility of Companies in Open Source Funding 00:23:14 Discussing Analogies to Other Systems (Healthcare, etc.) 00:26:24 Reflections on the State of WordPress 00:28:35 Discussing Contributions to PHP and Related Libraries 00:30:03 The Challenges of Open Source Governance 00:32:05 Identifying and Addressing Systemic Issues in WordPress 00:34:00 Closing Remarks and Reflections 00:34:40 Announcement of Aftercooler on Discord 00:35:34 Conclusion of the Episode

This week on WPwatercooler WCUS 2023 organizer Tom Finley joins us to delve deep into the current state and future of the WordPress community, focusing particularly on its governance, inclusivity, and ethical stances. Topics ranged from the role of Automattic and Matt Mullenweg in shaping the community, to the challenges faced by volunteer contributors feeling burnt out or marginalized. The panelists discussed the implications of hosting companies like Pantheon, which had been embroiled in a controversy over their stance on hosting hate group sites. They also talked about the need for transparency in decision-making processes, the power dynamics within the community, and the complexities of making ethical and philosophical choices as community members. The sentiment throughout the episode was one of existential crisis: a struggle to balance personal ethics with community ideals, weighed down by issues like control, contribution, and the potential for organizing independently of existing structures. The panel ended on an introspective note, questioning the efficacy of their own discussions in either contributing to or alleviating the ongoing crisis within the WordPress world.

More about Tom – Web, Biz, Mastodon

• Interlude: Gutenberg Moves Fast
• Cost of Spam
• Withdrawing my workshop from HighEdWeb 2023
• Open Letter on Elevating Our Standards
• Discussion about the WordPress Annual Survey with Josepha Haden Chomphosy

This episode of the panel dives into the complexities and shortcomings of WordPress' media library. William Bay leads the conversation by suggesting features like the ability to view all used images and the option to toggle between infinite scroll and pagination for enhanced user experience. Alongside him, Sé Reed and Jason Cosper emphasize the need for advanced search functionalities and better documentation. They also bring up the vital issue of data-driven decision-making in WordPress development. Sé Reed takes particular issue with Otto's comment suggesting that people prefer creating new things to iterating on existing features, arguing that decisions impacting a CMS that powers a large chunk of the web should be based on solid data rather than assumptions. Throughout the episode, despite tackling weighty topics, the panelists maintain a sense of humor and camaraderie, joking about using the podcast as a form of "WordPress therapy" and poking fun at the episode's length. Overall, the discussion uncovers several user pain points and poses important questions about the platform's ongoing development.

Links: https://flauntyoursite.com/ https://wpwatercooler.com/wpwatercooler/ep130-building-a-photography-site-using-wordpress/ https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/53788

Site editor: 🥝 Media library proof of concept 🥝 https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/53788

Phase 3: Collaboration - Media Library #55238 https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/55238

Improving Media #53486 https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/discussions/53486

RUINED BY DESIGN – A design ethics and activism book by Mike Monteiro https://www.ruinedby.design/

Ruined by Design: How Designers Destroyed the World, and What We Can Do to Fix It https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/44432844

Just Enough Research – Erika Hall https://abookapart.com/products/just-enough-research

Panel: Jason Tucker Sé Reed Jason Cosper William Bay

Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:15 Welcome & Panelist Introductions 02:10 The Need for Media Library Improvements 08:25 Documentation and Communication Gaps 16:45 The Philosophy Behind WordPress Development 24:10 Data-Driven Decision Making in WordPress 35:00 User Experience & Feature Requests 42:30 The Importance of Iteration vs New Features 50:20 The Lighter Side: WordPress as Therapy 59:10 Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up 01:03:00 Outro & Where to Find Us

#WordPress #MediaLibrary #FSE #WordPressMediaLibrary

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