# Wordpress 3.7



## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

For those of you that use self hosted Wordpress, the new update to 3.7 includes a feature that will automatically update plugins and themes. While it is good practice to keep your site updated, sometimes an update will break your site due to incompatibility with a plugin or theme. 

You can disable it if you are good about updating manually.

Before you do the upgrade, you should do a full database backup and de activate all the plugins, then after the update, add them back one by one, checking your site between each.

If you do have problems, here is a good resource.


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## PatsPainting (Mar 4, 2010)

Wordpress is for sissies....:jester:

Pat


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

PatsPainting said:


> Wordpress is for sissies....:jester:
> 
> Pat


LOL, I'm gonna report you for being mean to me! :tt2:


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## PatsPainting (Mar 4, 2010)

RCP said:


> LOL, I'm gonna report you for being mean to me! :tt2:



gosh darn it 

Pat


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## Roof Cleaning (Jun 29, 2011)

How often should you update wordpress?

Just switched our site to wp...


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

Roof Cleaning said:


> How often should you update wordpress?
> 
> Just switched our site to wp...


Good question. 
In the past, it was up to the site admin to manually update all plugins, themes and installs. Most of the updates are to fix security issues or improve functionality. You always get a notice in your admin panel when something needs to be updated, and the details. 

There are minor and major updates, this was a major one. It's always best practice to back up regularly and keep up to date.

Sometimes the updates can break things, even take a site down. That can require some work in the cpanel. 

You should delete any unused plugins and themes, and only use the ones that are in the WP repository, or are paid for and offer support.

Join wordpress.org, lot of good info there.


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## GrantsPainting (Feb 4, 2013)

Roof Cleaning said:


> How often should you update wordpress?
> 
> Just switched our site to wp...


Well there is a wordpress version meta tag that google looks at soo.... 

If you have customizations or alot of plugins then you will have stuff break with updates all the time. Sometimes you have to leave it and not update unless you want to fix it or switch plugins.

Ultimately your WP site never needs to be updated but with the growing functionality, its worth the problems fixin stuff or switching plugins. Plus security updates are a must since WP sites get targeted for malware because of the open source thing.


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## Midas (May 9, 2013)

I would say you always want to update. It's not all functionality or the latest cool thing, it's about security. WordPress is so popular it's always targeted by hackers. Last thing you want is your business, customer information or integrity harmed


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## GrantsPainting (Feb 4, 2013)

Midas said:


> I would say you always want to update. It's not all functionality or the latest cool thing, it's about security. WordPress is so popular it's always targeted by hackers. Last thing you want is your business, customer information or integrity harmed


I agree totally. And a monster of a password changed periodically helps greatly with that too.


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## ewingpainting.net (Jun 2, 2008)

Midas said:


> I would say you always want to update. It's not all functionality or the latest cool thing, it's about security. WordPress is so popular it's always targeted by hackers. Last thing you want is your business, customer information or integrity harmed


How would my customer info or integrity be harmed? And how would my business be harmed too? Will the tigars claw be extracted?


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## PatsPainting (Mar 4, 2010)

ewingpainting.net said:


> How would my customer info or integrity be harmed? And how would my business be harmed too? Will the tigars claw be extracted?


I dunno about customer info as I'm sure there is nothing on your site that has anything to do with your customers data. As far as your Business being harmed they could put some kind script that will be nasty. 

Example - my buddy had this counter on his site, one of those free ones but it linked back the the counter site. One day he got a call saying he had nazi's and racism crap that included photos and chit popin up. It was really hardcore. All because he had a link to this outside source. 

Not sure that really harmed him though as it was obvious it was hijacked.

Pat


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## ewingpainting.net (Jun 2, 2008)

Is that a WordPress issie or a administrative issue? I would think any format would be at risk if it is a administrative issue


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## GrantsPainting (Feb 4, 2013)

ewingpainting.net said:


> How would my customer info or integrity be harmed? And how would my business be harmed too? Will the tigars claw be extracted?


Your site/server can be used for a number of harmful "spam" things. Then google will remove your site for the protection of others. Thats about the only way you can be harmed. Unless you use the same password for your wordpress site as you do other info like your bank or ...


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## ewingpainting.net (Jun 2, 2008)

Sounds like administrative issue


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

Yes, it is. That's why it's good to keep up to date. It can happen to most any platform, but because WP is so widely used, it is a popular target for spammers. Comment spam is the worst and if you don't use something to block it then your blog will get full of bad links. I just had one site that was getting 2-3,000 a day, even with a good spam blocker!


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## ewingpainting.net (Jun 2, 2008)

With a spam blocker, you should also have your comments pend approval by the administer.


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

ewingpainting.net said:


> With a spam blocker, you should also have your comments pend approval by the administer.


Good point Gabe!
A lot of people do that, a good spam blocker will not allow the spam comments to be displayed, but puts them in a file for you to view and delete.

Personally, as a frequent blog commenter, I dislike seeing the "your comment is awaiting moderation" message. I think it stifles the communication, unless the blog owner is on top of approving them timely.


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## Rbriggs82 (Jul 9, 2012)

The stupid spammers use my contact form, I get at least 5-10 a day I have to sift through.


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

Rbriggs82 said:


> The stupid spammers use my contact form, I get at least 5-10 a day I have to sift through.


Yah, that's were I was getting a ton, finally put a captcha, which I hate and it dropped to 0! One of my sites got on some list and was getting nailed from Russia, Akismet didn't catch it because there were no links in the comment, I must have banned 300 IP's. Found out on Google Forums that it was some type of linking scheme.


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## PatsPainting (Mar 4, 2010)

RCP said:


> Yah, that's were I was getting a ton, finally put a captcha, which I hate and it dropped to 0! One of my sites got on some list and was getting nailed from Russia, Akismet didn't catch it because there were no links in the comment, I must have banned 300 IP's. Found out on Google Forums that it was some type of linking scheme.


I can't stand the typical captcha one's. I can never read them or I will have to go through about 4-5 before there's one I can read.

I found a pretty cool one for my site where so far I have received 0 spam. It has two hidden fields where the bots fill them in but a real person would never see it. And a real simple question.

Pat


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

Thanks Pat, good stuff, I was checking those out, I think they called it the "honeypot" feature!? I just hate adding more plugins to those darn ol WP Themes!:jester:


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## ewingpainting.net (Jun 2, 2008)

RCP said:


> Good point Gabe!
> A lot of people do that, a good spam blocker will not allow the spam comments to be displayed, but puts them in a file for you to view and delete.
> 
> Personally, as a frequent blog commenter, I dislike seeing the "your comment is awaiting moderation" message. I think it stifles the communication, unless the blog owner is on top of approving them timely.


I get that for your platform, not mine where crap can be seen by a potential prospect. I get plenty of spam that's not my concern, its the smart azzes that need to caught before it is viewable. Sometimes I just can't get to it as fast as I would like.


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