Friday, December 12, 2008

WordPress 2.7: If You Don't Like It, Change It

The last time WordPress - the popular open source blogging platform - changed their user interface, they got a reaction. And it wasn't positive. Even diehard fans were questioning the reasoning behind the changes, trying to figure out ways to work within the new construct, or simply throwing their hands up in despair. So, it comes as little surprise that the latest release, WordPress 2.7 - codenamed "Coltrane" - has had a great deal of time and energy focused on improving that interface. But could the WordPress development team win back the adoration of those angry users with yet another interface change?

If the initial reactions are any indication, the answer would be yes. Now, those same users who were hating WordPress 2.5 are gushing that WordPress 2.7 interface "reeks of pure awesome."

Personally, I experienced a similar reaction when I saw Coltrane demoed in front of the WordCamp Portland crowd in September. Jaws were dropping. I swear there were "Oohs," "Ahs," and spontaneous applause. (Which I guess is appropriate for a release named after a jazz legend.) Everyone - from new user to WordPress developer - was downright giddy.

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