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First step in using WordPress 2.6

Every other sites has reported on the release of WordPress 2.6, just like I did in my other blog. However, there’s something we are all overlooking — what are we supposed to do once we install/upgrade to 2.6?

Well here’s my first step: go to Settings → Writing and under the Remote Publishing options, make sure you uncheck the two fields named Atom Publishing Protocol and XML-RPC (you can’t miss them, there’s only two of them) if you don’t use them at all. If you have no clue what they’re there for, chances are you don’t need or use them at all and you can safely keep them disabled. This step is a must to reduce any possible security holes in your site as they have been a favorite target for hackers since the early days of WordPress.

WordPress MU 1.3 is now out

WordPress MU logo.

The latest multi–user version of WordPress is now out. WordPress MU 1.3 contains several MU–specific changes, as listed by Donncha:

  • Better admin controls for the signup page. It can be disabled in various ways.
  • Upload space functions have been fixed.
  • The signup form is now hidden from search engines which will help avoid certain types of spamming.
  • Profile page now allows you to select your primary blog.
  • Database tables are now UTF-8 from the start.
  • If you’re using virtual hosts, the main blog doesn’t live at /blog/ any more.
  • The WordPress importer now assigns posts to other users on a blog.
  • A taxonomy sync script is included in mu-plugins but commented out. It hasn’t been tested much but if your site has many hundreds of blogs it might be worth spending some time on a test server. Replicate normal traffic patterns and see if the server can cope with the upgrade process. If not, then look at the sync script, uncomment it and iterate over all your blogs with a script.

WordPress MU is the base of the code is used on WordPress.com, and allows anyone to publish their own hosted blog service quite easily.