December 2009
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Tue 22nd
Creating Custom WordPress Widgets
With each new version of WordPress, the argument whether or not it qualifies as a CMS gets a little quieter.
In the WordPress core we have widgets, custom fields, custom taxonomies, and with version 2.9, an expansion of get_post_type. Add a few plugins and all sorts of post-types and custom write panels become a reality.
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Fri 11th
Feature Suggestions for Gravy
I released a baseline theme and PSD set called Gravy back in August and am happy sales have exceeded expectations. Just as important, user feedback has shown that the theme speeds up development time and can be used for diverse projects.
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Tue 8th
Introducing WPQuestions
This week, my development partner and I launched WPQuestions.com, a new problem-solving site for the WordPress community, and the response so far has been incredible.
October 2009
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Wed 28th
Notes on the Pro Theme Redesign
Last week, Ben and I launched the new version of Pro Theme Design. For me it was the first opportunity since going freelance to design a concept, logo, layout and content from the ground up, so I thought I’d make some notes on the process.
August 2009
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Tue 4th
A Design Framework for WordPress
Gravy is the codename for a new project I’m releasing today. It’s a design and theming system I’ve evolved over the years to help build a ton of my own WordPress-driven client sites.
June 2009
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Thu 11th
WPTopics: A WordPress Content Filter
WPTavern had a discussion last week about the huge number of WP developer blogs that have sprung up. As an experiment I decided to build a WordPress content aggegator that would filter only the most useful stuff.
May 2009
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Wed 20th
A WordPress Theme for Writers and Journalists
Traditional newspapers continue closing their doors as more journalists are striking out on their own to start blogs, news aggregators and hyperlocal community sites built on open-source platforms like WordPress.
March 2009
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Sun 15th
Mimbo Pro 2.0 Released
As Ben Gillbanks already mentioned, last week we quietly released a major upgrade of the Mimbo Pro theme for WordPress. Older quirks were smoothed out, suggestions from the forum were implemented, as well as vital new features we both felt were necessary.
January 2009
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Fri 30th
Mimbo 3.0 Released
The theme is new and improved, but the download page remains the same. Please have a look and go play around with the live Mimbo 3.0 demo.
October 2008
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Tue 21st
WordPress as a CMS: Making Your Content Unbreakable
It might surprise you how infrequently I build WordPress sites intended for actual blogging. More often, I’m building 15- or 20-page websites for businesses who need a bunch of static content displayed in a variety of ways. Some of this can be accomplished with plugins, but the rest must be inserted in the post-edit screen, making things messy for the client.
September 2008
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Thu 18th
Exploring WordPress Frameworks and Child Themes
If you’ve been keeping up with Ian Stewart’s ThemeShaper blog this summer (if you haven’t, you should be looking deep within yourself to ask why not), you’ve seen loads of documentation for his WordPress framework, Thematic and the various child themes which inherit their power from Thematic’s mothership functionality.
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Sun 14th
Notes on the Agregado Theme
Since Agregado launched on Monday, we’ve had about 3500 downloads plus a lot of questions about how it works and why it was made. Here’s a bit more documentation to add to what Smashing already published.
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Wed 10th
Agregado 1.2 Released
More feedback, more changes to the theme, thanks again for everyone’s testing and patience.
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Tue 9th
Agregado 1.1 Released
The response to the Agregado release has been fantastic and the folks at Smashing were great to collaborate with. Here are some changes we’ve already made
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Mon 8th
Agregado Lifestream Theme for Wordpress Released
Agregado is a WordPress theme by Darren Hoyt and Matt Dawson, commissioned by the folks at Smashing Magazine. It features a built-in lifestream module and contact form with with custom control panel options.
August 2008
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Wed 27th
Back to School Sale on Mimbo Pro
On September 1st, Pro Theme Design will be having a 30% off sale on all copies of Mimbo Pro. How does it work? Follow my Twitter feed and be on the lookout for a tweet containing the special coupon code. The sale only lasts 24 hrs, so mark your calendars.
June 2008
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Wed 11th
Displaying Related Category and Author Content in Wordpress
View any single-post page from Mimbo Pro and you’ll notice two sidebar modules called “More from this category” and “More from this author”. Learn why they’re valuable for keeping visitors on your site longer.
May 2008
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Fri 23rd
A Site Redesign for Spring 2008
After taking a break these past few weeks, I decided to reboot the blog and point it in a new direction. Part of the motivation was a desire for something warmer, more spacious and more readable to accommodate longer bits of writing and tutorials. As for the shorter bits, I’m also posting links to Twitter. I still want this site to be a ‘final destination’ for readers rather than an index of outsourced content as Zeldman has noted.