WordPress For Dummies 3rd Edition available

lsw-x

This week, we saw the release of the MUCH anticipated version 3.0 of WordPress. I’ve been following along with the 3.0 development since December, and it is a hawt release, to say the least! Matter of fact, this very site has been running 3.0 since December, starting with the very first Alpha and upgraded each day to the latest nightly build through all the Betas and Release Candidates and today, I’m happy to say, it is running the final release version of 3.0.  I have to hand it to the development team – – all of the committers and contributors – this release is smokin’!  Kudos devs!

(Been waiting, and waiting for this new release  – – now I can finally redesign this site.  It needs it BADLY!)

Aside from LOVE loving this release and all the great new features, I’ve had to keep a close eye on development in order to finish writing the THIRD edition of WordPress For Dummies! I finished it a few weeks ago and as you read this, it should be whizzing its way through final production . . . then print!

WordPress For Dummies, 3WordPress For Dummies, 3rd Edition by Lisa Sabin-Wilsonrd Edition (Wiley Pub.) is now available on Amazon.com for pre-order.  This edition of the book was, almost, completely re-written and covers all the basics about the WordPress platform – including all the great new features that version 3.0 brings to its users, including how to set up and use the new Multi Site features so you can run more than one blog or web site on ONE installation of the WordPress software, how to use the custom menu feature to build and create your own custom navigation menus, a comprehensive look at the NEW default WordPress theme called Twenty Ten, using custom post types to create new ways to present different types of content – – as well as the rest of the information you’ve come to expect from WordPress For Dummies – – getting YOU up and running on your own WordPress powered web site … making it easy to understand so you can concentrate on the important stuff, like your content and your readers!  Reserve your copy today to make sure you’re getting the most up-to-date information and resource that only a For Dummies book can give you.

BuddyPress 101 Webinar - Lisa Sabin-Wilson and Cory Miller

While you’re at it, you may also want to nab a copy of my other book, BuddyPress For Dummies, which takes you through all of the information you need to know about setting up the suite of plugins for WordPress called BuddyPress.  My book takes you through deciding if BuddyPress is right for you and your web site, how to install and set it up and how to use all it’s fantastic features that allow you to run a fully functional and full-featured social community on your own domain!  Did you know that you can run BuddyPress on a regular installation of WordPress?  It used to be that you were required to use the Multi User (now known as Multi Site) version of WordPress – – but you CAN set it up on your regular WordPress.org installation and, with 3.0, you don’t even have to use the Multi Site features.  My book takes you through it – check it out! (don’t forget about my FREE BuddyPress Webinar on June 23rd that I announced last week!)

I also started a new e-mail newsletter that you may want to check out (click the link, or you can fill out the sign up form beneath this post, or over in my right sidebar).   When you sign up for it, you will receive 2 weeks of free, daily WordPress tips written by me as a way of saying THANKS for reading!  I also send out regular announcements on new projects, book releases, public/speaking appearances and different specials that I run for WordPress design and consulting over at my business web site, E.Webscapes.  Give it a shot – sign up today – –  get 2 weeks of free WordPress tips and let me know how you like them!  My daily tips cover fun, practical and useful information on using WordPress.

What’s next now that WordPress For Dummies, 3rd Edition is finished??  If you know me well enough, you know that I always, always have a fun new project up my sleeve just WAITING for one project to complete so I can move on to the next one.  I DO have something that has been in the works for several months that is just now getting rocking and rolling and I’m really excited to be able to announce it.  BUT, I’m not announcing it today… in this post (sorry!).

There is a reason I’ve held on to the information this long and have recently been giving the ‘go ahead’ to announce it publicly.  My good friend, Jeff Chandler, runs a pretty popular and highly trafficked, and very informative WordPress web site over at WP Tavern and he also does a weekly WordPress radio show on Saturdays at 2pm EST (Jeff also has an excellent forum on his site with an available VIP membership – – the forum is a very valuable source of information all about WordPress – check it out!)

At WordCamp Raleigh, I was teasing Jeff a bit with some minor details of this new project and he wanted me to tell him so bad – but I couldn’t, not at that time.  But I did promise him that when I was able to announce it – I would do it, first, on his radio show.  I keep my promises!

SO – tomorrow … Saturday, June 19, 2010 … at 2pm EST I will be on Jeff’s WordPress Weekly radio show – – along with 4 other people who are collaborating with me on this project, to announce my latest project coming down the pike that I think will be of great interest and benefit to the WordPress community.  If I’ve piqued your interest – – drop by the show and join us! We’ll also be talking a bit about WordCamp Chicago – – a little WordPress weekend conference that I organized in Chicago, Illinois and was attended by 500 WordPress peeps!  It was a great success – just haven’t had a chance (read: the time) to post about it – – but plan to soon, complete with LOTS of photos!

That is all. 🙂

22 thoughts on “WordPress For Dummies 3rd Edition available”

  1. Congrats on the new books.

    Since I only use the previous editions as occasional references, I doubt if I will be getting a copy of the WordPress book.

    I have, however, just recommended it to a lady who want to move from Blogger to WordPress and I’ll continue to recommend it, if the opportunity arises — heck, I might even blog about it.

  2. Might have to buy the book. I am still not sure about 3.0 as there is also quite a lot of code change. I am still on 2.9 apart from the custom menu what else is better about 3.0. I just use the menubar plugin for my cms menu which works a treat.

  3. books with the sign “For Dummies”… they were able to teach my grandmother how to use Word and Exel. Their authors can really give knowledge to everyone.

  4. Pingback: Books About WordPress (3.0) « Changing Way

  5. Great post Lisa, WordPress for dummies is good for newbies and advanced users alike. I used one in the past, Perl for dummies very useful.

    1. Thank you, Nicola – I hope you find it to be a valuable resource in your personal library!

  6. My 3rd Edition just arrived from Amazon today. Looking forward to seeing what’s new tonight! Just looking at the contents it looks like there is a lot more on CMS as well as customizing themes.

  7. these are great books. when i got mine i was surprised how many wordpress features i knew nothing about, and i consider myself quite an experianced wordpress head!

  8. I’m a newbie at WordPress, but recently picked up the 2nd edition of your book from my local public library (yes, people still use libraries!). I picked up some great tips which I will incorporate in my website, which uses Thesis Themes.

  9. I am very interested in using WordPress as the Content Management System for our website, but don’t know what steps to take. Does your newest book cover this?
    We currently use Drupal as the CMS for our website and it is so complicated to use and understand that it has become a big problem for our business. Is WordPress the solution?
    Thanks,
    Steve

  10. I wasn´t even aware that there existed such a “self-help” book for wordpress. I have a some knowledge about wordpress, but I think this book could advance my knowledge of wordpress even more.

    Thanks Lisa!

  11. On page 278 on the 3rd edition, you forgot to mention that the reader has to provide functions.php. I got an error message by WordPress and it lead me to one of their websites for help. After following their instruction, I manage to set up a widget. So, it was not bad you omitted the fact the we have to create a basic functions.php. I had to use my brain, and it was a good thing.

    In general, the book has given me good pointers to the subjects I need to study.

    On page 198 (on the last 2 lines,) you wrote “WordPress doesn’t embed a vide player in the post; it insert only a link to the video.”
    I have a flash file that I would like to play. I am not sure if the flash file is considered to be a video (although flash looks like a short video,) is there any way to include the file on the post or page?
    In my brief research, it appears that use of Javascript may solve the problem. However, I am not a web programmer, and I need your help for this specific question.

    Thanks,

    Mitch

    1. Mitch – thanks for stopping by! The item you’re referencing on page 278 is how to add the widget function to your WordPress web site. The code on page 278 shows you how to add the widget code to the sidebar.php – – I think you will find on the preceeding page, 277, how to add the code to the functions.php file to register the widgets with WordPress in the Theme Functions file.

      In terms of your Flash file – – there is a great plugin called Vipers Video Quicktags that I think you will find very helpful in embedding your Flash files.

      Thanks!

  12. Great book, thanks.

    Particularly great as it covers two levels, introducing me to the basics, and covering more advanced topics for my more experienced partner.

  13. Hey Lisa, great book indeed, I am building my first WordPress project, a jokes collection, and this book has given me a good boost of understanding. Be proud and keep writing.

  14. Hey Lisa, I recently got your book and wanted to stop by and say thanks! I will have to meet up with you again to get it signed 😉

    I wrote a short review for you… enjoy!

    Kerry 🙂

    1. Kerry – thanks for reading, and for the note – – off to read the review shortly (thanks for that, too 🙂

      Would you happen to be attending WordCamp Phoneix in January?

    2. Lisa, I have been thinking about trying to get to that one. I have another event in Phoenix at the end of February so two to the same place may not work out. I do have friends and relatives in that area though so who knows… anything in possible. I sure would like to!

  15. Great job on WordPress for Dummies, 3rd Ed.! I’ve rapidly gone from zero knowledge to just about launching my blog (it will be up soon, I hope). One question: any advice about the best way to provide my email address on the blog without the spam bots finding it? Are there any widgets that do that? I want people to be able to contact me, but I don’t want the spam.

    Thanks in advance for your help and congratulations on a very fine book.

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