Blog101 Chat: WordPress 3.3.1 Update and Plugins

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This post is a transcript of the discussion and talk taken directly from the Twitter Stream of the #Blog101 Chat. If you want to participate in this chat, it is held most Fridays from 11 am until 11:30 am EST. This particular chat was regarding  latest WP security upgrades and a few plugins.

Chat transcripts are hand transcribed and may contain errors.

Transcription Begins

• @AllisonDDuncan:
  • #blog101 Chat will start at 11 am. Our first chat after the holidays. Topic: The latest WP security upgrades and a few plugins.
• @ecoNick1: Is that 11 am EST? #blog101
• @AllisonDDuncan:
  • And it’s 11 am. Sorry slight delay on my end #blog101
  • Today, if you are following the chat the topic is the latest WordPress update. #blog101
  • @ecoNick1 It is EST. #blog101
  • The last Update is WordPress 3.3.1. This is a maintenance and security update. #blog101
  • Basically this is a security fix that closes a cross-site scripting issue. It affects WP instances using an IP addy ONLY. #blog101
  • As such, you should make sure you always update your site anyway to the latest stable release. #blog101
  • Another fix in this latest release is related to tabindex. Basically it would cause users to lose an edit or reply. #blog101
  • Also, Script Loader would crash and burn after the 3.3 update. So the 3.3.1 update fixed that bug. #blog101
  • This of course could affect both your themes AND your plugins so this is a fix you really need. #blog101
  • If you run a Multi Site, this new update will also fix your upload limit which would be stuck at 50 mb. #blog101
  • And of course, you’ll laugh, the 3.3 update allowed users to change a logged-in admin to a Subscriber. o.0 #blog101
  • Those are the most basic and important changes. The rest is a bunch of small fixes. #blog101
  • Any questions thus far? #blog101
  • For my next topic, I want to get into some plugins I have discovered. #blog101
  • Now these plugins are useful for eCommerce type sites and photographer or graphics sites #blog101
  • First of all, there is WP System Health. Now this is an excellent plugin if you are hitting a memory wall. #blog101 http://t.co/IhfPLjYQ
  • It can also give you an idea of why your system is taking forever or even crashing. It’s a lite plugin so not much strain. #blog101
  • This is a general good to have plugin especially if you are advanced user. #blog101
  • If you are offering files, images, or some sort of other download, I highly recommend Download Manager. #blog101 http://t.co/DJpm7Ccy
  • You can see an example of this in action on one of my new sites: http://t.co/inwGoHhK #blog101
  • Pardon the fact that the site is political. But the plugin in action is really nifty. #blog101
  • In fact, you can offer practically anything and change the download icon depending on if it’s DOC, jpeg, a vid, or zip. #blog101
  • On that site, the offerings are images, but to be able to allow a video download or do download, is handy. #blog101
  • I would say this plugin is best for an intermediate #Wordpress user, but it is easy to pick up for a beginner. #blog101
  • The hardest part as an advanced user is finding the short codes. #blog101
  • However to insert, you simply put [dm]number assigned to download by download manager[/dm]. Presto chango. #blog101
  • I am also recommending the Relevant Adsense Ads plugin. http://t.co/fDIyCE0j #blog101
  • This plugin is useful for forcing Google Adsense ads to reflect the topic your site or post is discussing. #blog101
  • I think I may have mentioned this in the chat about Adsense, but it’s good to mention again. #blog101
  • And a last plugin is the WordPress SEO plugin. #blog101
  • Now this plugin is good because it adds the sitemap xml functionality on top of seo and some other things. #blog101
  • Basically it eliminated the need for my normal XML sitemap plugin, lightening the load on my site. Always a plus. #blog101
  • WordPress SEO can be found here http://t.co/HEV4Z8Lj and is a Yoast offering. So a good source right there. #blog101
  • For my newbie #wordpress users, Yoast is one of the WP Plugins ‘gods’. Most of his offerings are excellent. #blog101
  • I’m down to the last 5 minutes, so here’s a great time to shout out your name/link/site. #blog101
  • This transcript will be posted on Monday at the GetFoundConsulting.com site, which offers this chat. #blog101
  • If you want to see what you have missed in past chats, check out the site for posted transcripts. #blog101
  • Also, if you want to request help or ask for a specific topic be sure and let us know using the #blog101 hashtag.
  • Remember, this is your chance for some free WordPress/site IT support. #blog101
  • We’ll be back here next Friday at 11 am EST, so be sure to tell your friends and head back over for 30 mins. of Tech. #blog101
  • Hope you have a great weekend, gang! #blog101

Wrap Up

WordPress’s 3.3.1 update is a tech/security update. As always, make sure you backup not only your database but your core files before updating, in the event you need to roll things back.

Remember to check out the plugins we covered as well: WP System Health, Download Manager, Relevant Adsense Ads, and WordPress SEO.