Dreaming of a White WordPress Christmas
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Dreaming of a White WordPress Christmas
It's Episode 541 and we have plugins for Shopping Carts, Dark Mode, Child Themes, Free Downloads, Page Links, No Nonsense… and ClassicPress Options. It's all coming up on WordPress Plugins A-Z!
Caddy Side Cart Plugin for WooCommerce Pro, Child Theme Wizard, Page Links To, DarkLooks – Dark Mode Switcher For WordPress, No Nonsense, Free Download Manager ……. and ClassicPress options on Episode 541.
John's Intro:
T'was the week before Christmas and all though the web not a developer was ….. well Merry Christmas everyone and next weeks show will be prerecorded as it is Christmas eve, eve and I have some special plans. … …..
This is a value for value show and I look forward to everyone providing some value back.
Before I get started, you will want to hang around to the end of the show for our Q & A segment with Amber…. and to those listening on the podcast, you may want to check out the YouTube version which has some great discussions before the show starts…
Producer Credits:
Executive producer:
Nobody this week. Maybe next week!
Show Art:
Greg's Graphics (Greg Holdsworth) — https://gregsgraphics.com
All the show notes can be found at: WPPluginsAtoZ.com
Check out all the art work at https://wppluginsatoz.com/show-art-submitted/
To Submit Artwork go here https://wppluginsatoz.com/artwork/
Amber's Rant:
This is #48 #50 of 52 episodes for 2021! If you heard our show last week, you will have heard how I somehow messed up on my counting, and have been 2 shows behind! Surprising that there is only 2 – 3 shows including this one – left in the year!
I hope everyone is ready for the holidays and New Year's! I know I'm not – still haven't even put up our Christmas tree – I am thinking that this weekend is when we will get to it.
Over the holidays, if you can, try to put the media to the side for more than just an hour a day – try to spend the entire day with your family and friends. Everyone has at least a little down time around this time of year, take advantage of it! And have some fun!
Rinse and repeat as often as needed.
We have some news from the world of WordPress for you today as well as some great plugins.
News this week:
PatchStack WordPress Vulnerability Part 3 – There is only one plugin for this week to pay attention to: WPcalc. This vulnerability has NOT been patched, it has been closed as of December 9th 2021, and it is recommended that it be uninstalled and deleted.
Update Chrome Now, 'cause hackers are attacking it – I know this isn't technically WordPress, but it is about a browser that is popular. There is a vulnerability that is currently being exploited by hackers, so be sure to restart your Chrome.
All In One SEO plugin patches severe vulnerabilities – The All In One SEO plugin has patched a set of severe vulnerabilities that were discovered by jetpack on December 8 2021. Be sure to update.
Alara Block Theme promises a new pattern or design variation every week for the next year – This sounds like it will be really exciting! Reminds me of how we change out our art every week!
Creative Commons Search is now openverse – If you are looking for or using Creative Commons Search, you will need to shift to searching for Openverse in your plugin list as the name has changed.
Hackers infect random WordPress plugins to steal credit cards – Good thing to be aware of; this article goes through and explains how the hackers are doing this, how to find it, and how to protect from it.
Firefox users can't reach Microsoft,com – here's what to do – I personally use Firefox, and getting to the Microsoft site is a bit important when using Windows. Apparently the SSL certificate isn't good enough for Firefox – though it is for Google Chrome and Safari. This article goes into more depth in explaining what is going on, and then on to how to fix it.
For those in the USA using WooCommerce – this code will automatically apply coupon codes based on state. Could be very useful!
The extras – for even more extra news, check out our Facebook, or Twitter page!
This is the extra news stuff that someone out there might find interesting. To read more, you can head on over to the show notes or newsletter and check it out! If you find something to add for next show, send me a link at amber@wppro.ca
Windows‘InstallerFileTakeOver' zero-day bug gets free micropatch – This article talks about the way that this patch was created, how it works, and what it does for you. Read on to find out more!
How to customize your folders in Windows 11 – This is a useful trick if you prefer to have things colour coded! Worth checking out.
How a phishing campaign is able to exploit Microsoft Outlook – For those who are a not experienced in spotting these phishing emails as of yet – like your kids – this is a great article! Goes through and explains everything about it, and it's worth reading up on for yourself as a refresher as well.
Extremely Critical Vulnerability In The Apache Log4j Logging Library – For those of you who are pretty on the up and up with this kind of stuff and are always looking for more information, here it is for you!! Great article going through what has happened to the logging library, where it's vulnerable – though apparently Apache says that pretty much none of their customers are in danger. Check it out and decide for yourself!
A bit of History – 1992: The Web vs Gopher, and the First External Browsers – Worth reading if you are interested in the creation of the internet!
Bill Gates Promise to be hosting most of your office meetings within ‘two or three years' – Whether you find this awesome or disturbing, it is a good article to read in order to get an idea of what is coming up! Could be a great way to create jobs!
After a big year for Crypto currencies, what's on the horizon in 2022? – This article goes through the embrace of Bitcoin, institutional involvement and regulatory scrutiny, buyer beware… very good article to give you a better understanding of Crypto currency.
Grooving to the sound of black holes colliding – Really cool article and video on Dr. Valery Vermeulen's black hole data that was used to compose EM album.
The hall of shame via Automattic:
transparency.automattic.com/tag/hall-of-shame/
Matt's Famous Quotes
https://www.idrlabs.com/quotes/matt-mullenweg.php
Support the show
This Show will not work without you, the producers, as it is a Value for Value model, meaning if you're getting any value out of it then give some value back and help the show out.
Start by subscribing to the newsletter for additional information and get out there round them up and rope them all in, belly up to the bar and enjoy. Spread the word about WP Plugins A to Z and catch it live every Thursday at noon PST on our YouTube Channel.
Show Producers
We'd like to acknowledge all the producers who have supported the show in the various ways over the last week.
This weeks show Art Work comes from:
Greg's Graphics (Greg Holdsworth) — https://gregsgraphics.com
To Submit Artwork go here https://wppluginsatoz.com/artwork/
Check out all the art work at https://wppluginsatoz.com/show-art-submitted/
This week's Executive Producer/'s are:
Nobody this week. Maybe next week!
A big thank you to all the Producers who came in under $50 and to those who have set up weekly subscriptions they will remain anonymous and I thank you very much.
All these small subscriptions really help the show out.
A big thank you to those who have hired me because of the Podcast, thank you that is as good as donating to the show.
You can Support the Show by:
Donating money to help the show Donations of $50 and over are credited with an Executive Producer Credit in the Show Notes, and their note is read out on the show.
Submitting art work at the WP Plugins Art generator,
To Submit Artwork go here https://wppluginsatoz.com/artwork/
Submit articles news and information
Submit plugin suggestions for reviews
You can also create a monthly donation at Patreon
Or something I may not have thought of.
If you would like to send something to WP Plugins A to Z you can send to the following address:
WP Plugins A to Z
C/O John Overall
20-754 E Fairview Rd.
Victoria, BC V9A 5T9
Canada
Off we go into the meat and potatoes, Into the depths of plugin depravity…..
ClassicPress Options
ClassicPress is growing really well, but I just don't have the time to add reviews on ClassicPress myself. I am always open to reviews sent in by listeners; though unless there is a review sent into me on ClassicPress, I am not going to do more than mention that ClassicPress is a thing, and here are some resources. I hope some listeners out there find this information useful!
One thing I am looking forward to in the ClassicPress World is the expansion of the number of ClassicPress specific plugins and their own repository. There are a few plugins specifically for ClassicPress and all plugins for WordPress 4.9.9 work well on it. I do believe it has a future, I just have not time to help them in getting it out there.
ClassicPress News:
It has been released!!!
ClassicPress 1.4.0-rc2 Release Notes
We’re happy to announce the first public release candidate for ClassicPress 1.4.0.
Note this release is called rc2 because in the process of preparing the original 1.4.0-rc1 release we quickly discovered and fixed an issue. This release was never made publicly available. There will be an rc3 release within a few days to fix a found issue, but please keep testing so that we can find more issues, if there are any others.
Find out more about ClassicPress 1.4.0 rc2 https://forums.classicpress.net/t/classicpress-1-4-0-rc2-release-notes/3785?fbclid=IwAR3wGK5IW8ssJ-XC4k7IiZMBtSjUTVN2pexk6ATCRvuMN-Fn-McOy-XJJv8
For some up to date news on ClassicPress check out the ClassicPress Blog.
ClassicPress Resources:
“Must Have” Plugins List
https://forums.classicpress.net/t/must-have-plugins-list/1163
It seems ClassicPress now has it own repository you can check it here https://directory.classicpress.net/plugins they now have 83 plugins available.
CodePotent's plugin directory
https://codepotent.com/classicpress/plugins/
WordPress Plugins
Are you looking for some great newly released plugins check this link
https://wordpress.org/plugins/browse/new/
——————————–
John's Plugin
Caddy Side Cart Plugin for WooCommerce pro
https://usecaddy.com/
https://wordpress.org/plugins/caddy/
Hey there,
Caddy helps e-commerce store owners boost conversions, reduce cart abandonment and elevate their store’s shopping experience. It's a fast and lightweight freemium plugin backed by WooCommerce growth experts. Increase average order sizes with Caddy’s built-in product recommendations, reduce cart abandonment with a free shipping meter, and encourage repeat shoppers with a saved product list.
Some of its features include:
-Cart notices
-In-cart coupon offers
-Save for later buttons
-Up-sell recommendations
-Free shipping meter
-And many more
You can check the demo here https://demo.usecaddy.com/
Rating 5 dragons
——————————–
Amber's Plugin
DarkLooks – Dark Mode Switcher For WordPress
https://wordpress.org/plugins/darklooks-dark-mode-switcher/
The Lowdown:
I honestly think that this is the coolest dark mode I have ever seen for the front end! It makes the writing white and the links and titles red.
This is a front end dark mode plugin only, and does not seem to play well with other dark mode plugins.
Lots of settings, you can insert your ‘dark mode version' of your logo and other images, you can set a timer so that it goes on automatically, you can even change up the colours that are used for titles, writing, and links to a preset of your own choice! And there are a lot more options as well.
Totally free, brand new plugin, worth checking out the DarkLooks – Dark Mode Switcher For WordPress plugin.
Rating 5 Dragons
——————————–
John's Plugin
Child Theme Wizard
https://wordpress.org/plugins/child-theme-wizard/
The Lowdown:
This is a quick way to get your child theme started; works very well simple easy and free.
Rating 5 Dragons
——————————–
Amber's Plugin
No Nonsense
https://wordpress.org/plugins/no-nonsense/
The Lowdown:
This plugin was designed with developers in mind. With this, when you are setting up a new site, you can do a preset in the options so that all of those pesky default content bits are removed for you.
I can see this being very helpful, while also being a little bit irritating and tedious, downloading the plugin and setting it up instead of simply removing things – though the sections make sense:
admin access, admin bar, admin features, front end, login, security and updates.
Worth trying out next time you are setting up a WordPress site, after all it's free! No Nonsense.
Rating 5 Dragons
——————————–
John's Plugin
Page Links to
https://wordpress.org/plugins/page-links-to/
The Lowdown:
This is a great little plugin that allows you to set a specific URL for any page.
Rating 5 Dragons
——————————–
Amber's Plugin
Free Download Manager
https://wordpress.org/plugins/free-download-manager/
The Lowdown:
This new plugin is geared towards podcaster's I think, though I can see it being useful for just about anything that has digital downloads attached. This tracks the downloads, the count, and you can edit too.
The options in this plugin are pretty awesome too! It has category, tags, reports, and the settings offer a theme code for you to add if needed.
Very nice plugin, works for both newbies and hold hands I would think. Totally free, even has ‘free' in its name! Free Download Manager.
Rating 5 Dragons
——————————–
Random links for plugins
WordPress plugins crafted from love and experience
https://codeat.co/
Listener Feedback / Audio Clips
Feel free to send in your thoughts to us – The Good, The Bad, The Ugly – we'll take them all!
Listener Questions
With the new release for ClassicPress, I want to try it out. Is a sandbox page the best way and then temporarily turn it live to see it and ‘play with it while retaining my WordPress site to revert back to? I'm new to this.
Enter The Contest to Win!!
Contests Powered by Simple Giveaways who kindly provides us with the premium version for our contests.
Steve Goodtime & Brant Matthews created a new jingle for us for contests.
I do want to thank Charlie for coming to the aid of the show and getting our contests all organized. I also want to thank all the developers again for supporting our show with their plugin donations! Please check them out.
Short note about participating in the contests folks. Remember we go to great efforts to get these licenses and look for more participation from you the producers.
Our contest is for:
We have a new Contest sponsored by JohnOverall.com Web hosting services.
We're giving away a ONE YEAR Hosting Package…. Valued at $350.00
When it comes to running your website, who you are hosting with is one of the top considerations you need to make. You want a reputable hosting company that is reliable, has great service and offers a package that meets your needs. Hosting with JohnOverall.com is for the discerning user and most of our clients have been with us for more than 15 years. The reason is because the number of clients allowed per server are limited to obtain maximum performance for everyone.
There are only 12 days left to enter!!!!
The plugins we covered were:
John’s Plugins: Caddy Side Cart Plugin for WooCommerce pro – 5, Child Theme Wizard – 5, Page Links to – 5
Amber's Plugins: DarkLooks – Dark Mode Switcher For WordPress – 5, No Nonsense – 5, Free Download Manager – 5
Matt's Famous Quotes
https://www.idrlabs.com/quotes/matt-mullenweg.php
Reminders / Commercial / Promotions:
Next Week:
No meetup planned at the moment but you can keep tabs on this at https://wppluginsatoz.com/meetup
Would you like to be on an interview show? Simply connect at https://wppluginsatoz.com/interview
If you have suggestions on plugins you would like to have reviewed please submit them on the website at https://wppluginsatoz.com/submit-plugin-review/
Q & A Time with Amber ——– Catch this info on our YouTube Channel
If you have questions you would like to have asked on the show, send them in to me at Amber@WPPro.ca and we will answer to the best of our ability!
- What is a robots.txt file?
- What is a robots.txt file used for?
- When speaking about WordPress sites, I have heard the ‘heartbeat' referenced, what does that refer to?
Closing out this Episode
Just some reminders:
Be sure and subscribe to our Newsletter.
You can support the show at wppluginsatoz.com/donate
All the show notes can be found at: WPPluginsAtoZ.com
Subscribe and review the show at:
Stitcher Radio, Google Play and in the iTunes Store
Follow the show on Twitter @wppluginsatoz
Join Us on Our Facebook Page
Subscribe and Check out our Training Videos, Screencasts and Watch us Live on YouTube every Thursday at Noon PDT
How to Contact Us:
John can be contacted at:
- on my website @ http://www.johnoverall.com/
- WordPress Emergency Support http://wppro.ca/wpemergency
- email: john@wppro.ca
Amber can be contacted at:
- email: amber@wppro.ca
