I just downloaded the new WordPress …

… and after holding my breath and backing up my database, my blog is now running Version 2.5. I guess they skipped 2.4.  I decided to write about the upgrade as I know many fellow bloggers use WordPress too.

(Edited this post to be a little more objective.)

OK — confession time — the only reason why I upgraded was not because I thought 2.5 sounded like it had cooler or more useful features (I was quite happy with 2.3) … I hate that annoying “You need to upgrade” message that displays and wanted to get rid of it.

Now that said …

I’m happy that my site appears to work.

I’m happy that the post editor appears to not mess with my code so much.

Visually, I just don’t like the new dashboard.  It is ugly.  The color choices are a faded light blue (think faded robin’s egg blue), orange, and some very light gray.  Colors are subjective, of course, but I tend to prefer darker colors against a white background — I prefer a stronger contrast, like the old dark blues of the old Dashboard.  Plus, I think darker colors are easier on the eyes when laid out against a white background.  That said, I can pretty much learn to live with any color issues …

The big problem I have with version 2.5, though, is the WRITE POST.  As a blogger, I spend most of my time using this feature.  And it is a usability disaster.

Things I don’t like at all and make my life more difficult in regard to the posting area:

• You have to scroll down the page and open up a link to add a category to a post.  EVERY POST REQUIRES THIS STEP — so why make it so difficult?  It used to be just tick a box on the right hand side. (Now, I admit I don’t mind scrolling when visiting a blog or website — but when I’m trying to create something, not having everything I use frequently within easy reach is annoying and problematic.)
• The post box now doesn’t stretch as far across the page, meaning a smaller window to type in.  I flat out don’t like that at all.
• The new type size is also smaller — I preferred the larger size when I wrote posts.
• Tags, like categories, are something I add to every post.  And WordPress makes you scroll down and again click a link to open them and add new ones.
• Adding insult to injury as far as tags, I use a plugin called Advanced Tag Entry.  Rather than being right below my post like it used to be (very conveniently located), it is now at the very bottom of the page.
• There’s lots of wasted space on the right hand side.  The post box should stretch farther across the page, or that important real estate should include stuff I use all the time.  Further, the big “View this Post” button is something I never use, the published status is something I don’t use at all (preferring to instead modify the time stamp to put posts into the queue for later publication.  And the “Related” links are stuff I NEVER USE from the write post area — they are all important links, but should not be taking up that important real estate.

These are just one person’s opinions, of course.  It’s free software, but I get the impression WordPress wants to be the best darned blogging software out there.  And these are some major issues, I think, with the most used area of the software.  I’m guessing I’m not going to be the only one who has them.

Tags: blogging, WordPress