Archive for March, 2011
As Scott mentioned in his How is WordPress.com Made? post, at Automattic we work from all over the world, and we use internal blogs for socializing and exchanging non-work ideas in addition to making WordPress.com and our other products more awesome. One of the things we’re really concerned about is staying healthy – we even have an entire blog dedicated to fitness.
We had a great idea: Get all 80 Automatticians from 62 cities to run/walk a 5k on the same day! This way we can get some exercise together as a company even though we’re apart (though we won’t rule out a softball or Texas scramble at our next meetup).
We want to invite you to join us, WordPress.com users (and self-hosted WP users, too!), in the Worldwide WP 5k – the 5k blogged around the world! The date is approaching, so read on to find out how to participate.
WHAT IT IS: A 5k run/walk (approximately 3.1 miles). You can run, walk, or skip. It’s up to you. There’s no time limit and there’s just one requirement: that you participate! [Updated: You can do it inside or outside, on a treadmill or on a track, or even do a swim or a bike ride instead of running/walking - just get moving!]
It’s roughly equal to:
- 3.1 miles
- 12 laps around a track
- approximately 6000-7500 steps
- approximately 50-60 minutes of brisk walking
WHEN: We’re all busy, but we want you to participate, so we’re giving you some flexibility, too. The WWWP5k is set for Sunday, April 10th, but you can do your walk anytime from April 4th -10th (you’ve got a week to fit it in). Just post about it and use the tag “wwwp5k” so we can find you (and for a chance to be Freshly Pressed). 
WHO: Anyone who’s ever used or loved WordPress (and your families and friends, too).
HOW: You’re welcome to blog your entire route and your preparation (videoblog, perhaps?) but above all we’d love to see where you are and how you’re completing your 5k. Give us a picture of you and what you see when you cross the finish line and tell us your location as you complete your 5k with the rest of the world.
Some tools & suggestions:
- Get a pedometer
- Use http://www.mapmywalk.com/ to chart your course
- Set your car’s odometer to 0, leave your house and drive along a safe course with sidewalks for walking/running, until you reach 1.55 miles (you can loop back the same way), or chart out a 3.1 mile course
If you’re not up to running this year, never fear, you can get started with the Couch to 5k method which several Automatticians like – 9 weeks from couch potato to running a 5k, and be ready to run for next year. But make sure to walk this year – no excuses!
Will you be joining us for the Automattic Worldwide WP 5k?
As Scott mentioned in his How is WordPress.com Made? post, at Automattic we work from all over the world, and we use internal blogs for socializing and exchanging non-work ideas in addition to making WordPress.com and our other products more awesome. One of the things we’re really concerned about is staying healthy – we even have an entire blog dedicated to fitness.
We had a great idea: Get all 80 Automatticians from 62 cities to run/walk a 5k on the same day! This way we can get some exercise together as a company even though we’re apart (though we won’t rule out a softball or Texas scramble at our next meetup).
We want to invite you to join us, WordPress.com users (and self-hosted WP users, too!), in the Worldwide WP 5k – the 5k blogged around the world! The date is approaching, so read on to find out how to participate.
WHAT IT IS: A 5k run/walk (approximately 3.1 miles). You can run, walk, or skip. It’s up to you. There’s no time limit and there’s just one requirement: that you participate! [Updated: You can do it inside or outside, on a treadmill or on a track, or even do a swim or a bike ride instead of running/walking - just get moving!]
It’s roughly equal to:
- 3.1 miles
- 12 laps around a track
- approximately 6000-7500 steps
- approximately 50-60 minutes of brisk walking
WHEN: We’re all busy, but we want you to participate, so we’re giving you some flexibility, too. The WWWP5k is set for Sunday, April 10th, but you can do your walk anytime from April 4th -10th (you’ve got a week to fit it in). Just post about it and use the tag “wwwp5k” so we can find you (and for a chance to be Freshly Pressed).
WHO: Anyone who’s ever used or loved WordPress (and your families and friends, too).
HOW: You’re welcome to blog your entire route and your preparation (videoblog, perhaps?) but above all we’d love to see where you are and how you’re completing your 5k. Give us a picture of you and what you see when you cross the finish line and tell us your location as you complete your 5k with the rest of the world.
Some tools & suggestions:
- Get a pedometer
- Use http://www.mapmywalk.com/ to chart your course
- Set your car’s odometer to 0, leave your house and drive along a safe course with sidewalks for walking/running, until you reach 1.55 miles (you can loop back the same way), or chart out a 3.1 mile course
If you’re not up to running this year, never fear, you can get started with the Couch to 5k method which several Automatticians like – 9 weeks from couch potato to running a 5k, and be ready to run for next year. But make sure to walk this year – no excuses!
Will you be joining us for the Automattic Worldwide WP 5k?
It is time to introduce a new free theme which goes by the appropriately evocative name of Rusty Grunge. It goes without saying, this theme has all the rusty and grungy elements needed to appeal to all those who embrace grunginess in themes. It has a light content area over a dark background, and some color splashes around on its design.
The Rusty Grunge Theme
The theme comes equipped with options for Custom Background, Menus, Post Formats, and Header Image. It also bears two distinct widget areas, making this theme not only grungy but also highly customizable.
As usual, find more about what it has to offer on the Theme Showcase.
Designed by Chris Wallace, Rusty Grunge is also available for self-hosted WordPress.org sites via the WordPress.org Themes Directory.
It is time to introduce a new free theme which goes by the appropriately evocative name of Rusty Grunge. It goes without saying, this theme has all the rusty and grungy elements needed to appeal to all those who embrace grunginess in themes. It has a light content area over a dark background, and some color splashes around on its design.
The Rusty Grunge Theme
The theme comes equipped with options for Custom Background, Menus, Post Formats, and Header Image. It also bears two distinct widget areas, making this theme not only grungy but also highly customizable.
As usual, find more about what it has to offer on the Theme Showcase.
Designed by Chris Wallace, Rusty Grunge is also available for self-hosted WordPress.org sites via the WordPress.org Themes Directory.
With the launch of Apple’s iPad we have seen the future of computing and it is touch. Nothing matches the visceral feel of navigating your digital world with your hands. The past four months we’ve been working closely with Onswipe to bring your iPad visitors our vision of what a blog can look like re-imagined for a touch experience.
Our iPad-optimized view is app-like in its functionality, but pure HTML5 goodness on the backend: it supports touch interactions, swiping, rotation, and many other features of the iPad. Like when we launched our smartphone-optimized WP-Touch integration in 2009 (now responsible for over 150 million page views a month) this is immediately available and active on the over 18 million blogs on WordPress.com.
There are some fun options to play with too. If you browse to Appearance -> iPad in your Dashboard you can:
- Have the theme use an image from your recent posts as a cover.
- Upload a logo to showcase your brand or personality on the cover.
- Upload an image to be used as a loading graphic when visitors add your site to their home screen.
- Switch fonts.
- Choose from 9 different skin colors, to best match the feel of your site.
- Enable or disable the whole thing.
When you tap to view a post, you get to see the full content with a slick commenting interface and social sharing tools for Twitter, Facebook, and WordPress.com literally at your finger tips. It’s a lot of fun browsing sites with Onswipe.
Onswipe has also made the plugin available for self-hosted WordPress.org sites.
On WordPress.com we’re seeing about 750,000 page views a day from iPad visitors and it continues to rise. New tablet devices seem to be coming out every time you turn around. In the coming months we’ll be expanding to work with other popular tablet devices, but we chose to focus on the iPad first because… well it’s cool.
With the launch of Apple’s iPad we have seen the future of computing and it is touch. Nothing matches the visceral feel of navigating your digital world with your hands. The past four months we’ve been working closely with Onswipe to bring your iPad visitors our vision of what a blog can look like re-imagined for a touch experience.
Our iPad-optimized view is app-like in its functionality, but pure HTML5 goodness on the backend: it supports touch interactions, swiping, rotation, and many other features of the iPad. Like when we launched our smartphone-optimized WP-Touch integration in 2009 (now responsible for over 150 million page views a month) this is immediately available and active on the over 18 million blogs on WordPress.com.
There are some fun options to play with too. If you browse to Appearance -> iPad in your Dashboard you can:
- Have the theme use an image from your recent posts as a cover.
- Upload a logo to showcase your brand or personality on the cover.
- Upload an image to be used as a loading graphic when visitors add your site to their home screen.
- Switch fonts.
- Choose from 9 different skin colors, to best match the feel of your site.
- Enable or disable the whole thing.
When you tap to view a post, you get to see the full content with a slick commenting interface and social sharing tools for Twitter, Facebook, and WordPress.com literally at your finger tips. It’s a lot of fun browsing sites with Onswipe.
Onswipe has also made the plugin available for self-hosted WordPress.org sites.
On WordPress.com we’re seeing about 750,000 page views a day from iPad visitors and it continues to rise. New tablet devices seem to be coming out every time you turn around. In the coming months we’ll be expanding to work with other popular tablet devices, but we chose to focus on the iPad first because… well it’s cool.
Add a dash of color to your site with Liquorice, a wonderful new theme now available on WordPress.com.
Gorgeous textures and smooth-as-silk typography make this a striking backdrop for your content. This theme’s design is light and airy without being too plain or minimalistic; it’s a great fit for any type of site.
Liquorice features custom subscribe icons for RSS, Twitter, and Facebook for your site header and built-in support for the bold and adventurous Lobster typeface. If you choose to enable Lobster via Appearance → Typekit Fonts you’ll add an extra touch of retro feel to your site. Lobster’s bold, calligraphic strokes make it perfect for calling out titles and headings.
Make this theme your own with the custom background feature, custom header image, and custom menu. Learn all about Liquorice on the Theme Showcase.
Designed by Nudge Design, Liquorice is also available for self-hosted WordPress.org sites via the WordPress.org Themes Directory.
Add a dash of color to your site with Liquorice, a wonderful new theme now available on WordPress.com.
Gorgeous textures and smooth-as-silk typography make this a striking backdrop for your content. This theme’s design is light and airy without being too plain or minimalistic; it’s a great fit for any type of site.
Liquorice features custom subscribe icons for RSS, Twitter, and Facebook for your site header and built-in support for the bold and adventurous Lobster typeface. If you choose to enable Lobster via Appearance → Typekit Fonts you’ll add an extra touch of retro feel to your site. Lobster’s bold, calligraphic strokes make it perfect for calling out titles and headings.
Make this theme your own with the custom background feature, custom header image, and custom menu. Learn all about Liquorice on the Theme Showcase.
Designed by Nudge Design, Liquorice is also available for self-hosted WordPress.org sites via the WordPress.org Themes Directory.
When we launched Jetpack a few days ago Automattic founder Matt Mullenweg said to Techcrunch, “If you’re on WordPress you’re part of the family, it shouldn’t matter if we host you or not.”
Today we’re taking that a step further: we’ll actually help you move from WordPress.com to .org.
We’re launching a new upgrade called Guided Transfer where for a $99 one-time fee we’ll handle every detail and tech thingamajig involved in moving your content, theme, domain, and more to any one of the recommended hosts we’ve vetted. (And of course your new site will be Jetpack-powered.)
Of course we love having you here with us at WordPress.com, but we understand that there are situations where a self-hosted WordPress.org site may be a better choice.
What’s included:
- Install the WordPress software at the recommended host of your choice.
- Transfer over your entire WordPress.com site.
- Install and configure Jetpack and a few other plugins to provide features that you have been using on WordPress.com.
- Configure and test permissions so that you’ll be able to have one-click installs and upgrades.
- Switch your domain(s) over.
- Provide full support for you on your new WordPress installation for a two week period.
While we’re doing that–you can:
- Head to the beach!
- Read that novel you’ve been meaning to dig into.
- Chase antelope on the savannas of Africa.
- Work on that rocket ship that is “just a few tweaks” away from liftoff.
- …or do anything else. (Be sure to take pictures and blog it later!)
When we launched Jetpack a few days ago Automattic founder Matt Mullenweg said to Techcrunch, “If you’re on WordPress you’re part of the family, it shouldn’t matter if we host you or not.”
Today we’re taking that a step further: we’ll actually help you move from WordPress.com to .org.
We’re launching a new upgrade called Guided Transfer where for a $99 one-time fee we’ll handle every detail and tech thingamajig involved in moving your content, theme, domain, and more to any one of the recommended hosts we’ve vetted. (And of course your new site will be Jetpack-powered.)
Of course we love having you here with us at WordPress.com, but we understand that there are situations where a self-hosted WordPress.org site may be a better choice.
What’s included:
- Install the WordPress software at the recommended host of your choice.
- Transfer over your entire WordPress.com site.
- Install and configure Jetpack and a few other plugins to provide features that you have been using on WordPress.com.
- Configure and test permissions so that you’ll be able to have one-click installs and upgrades.
- Switch your domain(s) over.
- Provide full support for you on your new WordPress installation for a two week period.
While we’re doing that–you can:
- Head to the beach!
- Read that novel you’ve been meaning to dig into.
- Chase antelope on the savannas of Africa.
- Work on that rocket ship that is “just a few tweaks” away from liftoff.
- …or do anything else. (Be sure to take pictures and blog it later!)