The OVC

Its time for part 3 of our fascinating journey into Wordpress and in this installation we will be going over what Wordpress is, a bit of history on the project, and my own experience with it. Then we will be going over how to install Wordpress and get it all up and running on the default template. If you have not already read them, you should go back and read the INTRODUCTION and the first post on HOSTING.

So as I kind of started in the last post I will be talking as if I am working for an actual client, in this case its going to be “Sporky” – a Food Review Site..

These are my first tutorials written for a blog so if my format is off, or you have an idea for improvement of style let me know! I’m open  for change.

Content Management System

A Content Management System or CMS is a type of Internet application used in the presentation and development of web sites and Internet technology.. Generally it bridges the gap between a standard set of users not familiar with design, code, or how the Internet works and hardcore developers. Within the last 10 years or so it also has allowed multi-user sites to be developed and expand.  Generally there are three parts to the content: Back End, Front End, and Data.

Within each structure different CMS’s are handled. Some divide the front end into XML data CSS structure and blend in the code(Joomla). Its really complicated for those not used to XML, or even PHP for that matter. Wordpress is MUCH simpler. Wordpress uses basic themes with PHP placeholders. I had written out a huge diagram, but found it irrelevant. Lets just say its much nicer to work with Wordpress.

A CMS can be any kind of site, the most popular is a blog(for which WordPress was designed), Photo Galleries, E-Commerce, etc. Wordpress works great with many of these applications, except E-Commerce. For that I recommend Magento, and MAN Magento is BEYOND what most can do. I am purchasing a FEW books soon. Wordpress has been used as a store, and there are plugins to do this. But as WP cant manage items in a database the same way its generally not recommended.

(Brief) History of Wordpress

Wordpress is a Open Source project to develop Internet software that the entire world can use.

Wordpress started off as a fork from b2/cafelog. Over time it started gaining ground. Then it started becoming a capable CMS and not just a blog software. You can create a blog at Wordpress.com, or download the software and install it onto your own server. Honestly thats where the real work is. WP.com is simply a playground, and it severely limits what you can do.  Recently(as in 2.5) Wordpress has made leaps and bounds in the back end and made me fall in love with it again.

Wordpress and Me.

Like many a young designer I started out making websites and pages through free services like homestead and Geocities, which in time have become a whole new beast. Then in the early 2000’s I started looking into blogging and how all that actually worked. This is around the time that Myspace started incorporating a blog style, and I hated Myspace. For a LONG time I worked hand code in every way, learned PHP and tons of other stuff. I found Wordpress.com some time later and started doing work on a ready made theme. This quickly showed me the limitations of not hosting on your own server, and in time I would seek out my own host.   I installed Wordpress and hit the ground running. Using my knowledge of PHP and coding I was making my own themes, modifying others and trying to push what Wordpress could do. Some of the things I was doing have been made by others into plugins, or even put into the core code itself which has made my life much easier. I don’t do tons of work in PHP more as I’ve been focusing on my BFA but some freelance work has made me start looking more and more into it. That started me talking about Wordpress, and now these posts.

On the next page we will be talking about setting up your new host, install Wordpress, and get the ball rolling.

Continues on the next page.

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