Yesterday, I watched a movie, The Social Network, with my buddies. I’d say it’s a very good movie, especially for us – programmers, but very flawed as well. The screenplay was excellent, but portraying Mark as genius, just for coding a simple Friendster copy was a bit too much for me. I understand people are prone to drama and supernatural, but you can’t shoot a movie about real people and make them into geniuses, just because they’re now billionaires. I’m sure Jack Dorsey will be flying like a bird, when they make a movie about Twitter.

Back to the point, BuddyPress, the social network provided by WordPress. Watching the movie, I learned people like social experience on the web, but not always. They love to spy on their friends and people they actually know, but they just don’t care about the others. At the moment, I have the same problem with BizzThemes, where I implemented BuddyPress, in a hope to engage users to communicate with each other – with no success. Why? Because they just don’t care about other community members that have bought premium themes and only want simple support forums that can process their support queries.

The conclusion

I’ll probably remove BuddyPress from BizzThemes and implement simple bbPress support forums instead. I’d also advise all website owners to rethink their social strategy and only offer their own social network, when they plan to engage people who actually know each other. This is why MySpace failed, I’ve failed and you will, if you use BuddyPress just because social is currently in.

Post from: BizzArtic - Blogging Ideas and Tips

BuddyPress Failed after watching movie, The Social Network

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This post is dedicated to all frustrated users of WP themes, that have issues with TimThumb auto image resizing script, created by Darren Hoyt. As you’re probably aware almost all BizzArtic themes use this script to re-size images to specified size so this issue is very important to me … thus I’ve decided to post a tutorial for using thumb script correctly and short troubleshooting guide for most common issues:

Guide to using auto re-sized thumbnails

Click upload button when adding/editing post or page

Select images to upload

Copy full URL path to image located on your server

Paste full URL path to image in custom field provided

Add 'image' custom field & paste full image URL path

Troubleshooting

• If you’re a HostGator customer, read this!

Contact Hostgator support and ask the to do the following:

Please add following rules [ 1234234,340151 ] to mod_security for yourwebsite.com
Please whitelist for the domain.

However double check that Hostgator have done both permission changes. They might do the first one (1234234) but the problem will still exist, ask them again for both (1234234, 340151) and it will work.

• Chmod ‘cache’ folder in theme files via FTP

Change permission settings to 755 or 777 -View this tutorial to learn more.

• Upload image to to your blog

Images uploaded on other CDNs won’t work due to copyright restrictions of auto resizing script so don’t try to just upload path to images hosted on services like Flickr or Photobucket.

• Make sure you have PHP GD library installed
  

If you get the following error: “GD Library Error: imagecreatetruecolor does not exist” contact your hosting provider and ask them to activate GD library for you.

• Make sure you have the latest thumb.php script
  

Open thumb.php file located in your theme folder. Open it with your favourite code editor and replace the whole code with one located here: http://code.google.com/p/timthumb/source/browse/trunk/timthumb.php.

• Image must be hosted under your blogs domain
  

Path to your auto-resized image must include your domain, IP address won’t work.

Still having troubles?

Comment below, I’m sure we can find the right solution for you …

Post from: BizzArtic - Blogging Ideas and Tips

Auto Resized Images Not Working in BizzThemes?

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I’ve decided to list some of themes that are in my opinion worth their money. Generally, I don’t like the premium concept as it breaches WP GPL rules but theme authors need to earn something to keep up with their work.

1. Thesis Theme | DiyThemes | by Chris Pearson



2. Papercut | WooThemes | by Liam McKay



3. Foreword Thinking | WooThemes | Mark Forrester



4. Pure Type | Elegant Themes | by Nicholas Todd Roach



5. Abstract | WooThemes | Veerle Pieters

Obviously, most of the work comes from WooThemes, so it’s maybe good if you join their club membership to profit from future releases, though I’m not happy with their recent work. From all themes I’d pick Thesis Theme as most powerful and one I’ll probably use for my own blog in future.

P.S. Links from this post are not affiliates so this is my full objective view.

Post from: BizzArtic - Blogging Ideas and Tips

5 Premium WordPress Themes Worth Buying

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Finally,  I develop themes fast enough to offer affordable prices for my work.

So, What Can I do for You?

• BizzArtic WP Theme Modification – 9.90$
  • Modifications within reach of selected theme features
• Any Other WP Theme Modification – 29.90$
  
  • Modifications within reach of selected theme features
• Completely New WP Theme Development – 390$
  
  • Development within reach of current BizzArtic themes features
• Custom Text Logotype – 19.90$
  
  • Text logotype without large graphic elements

Also note that all themes released from my blog will always be free of charge and released under GPL license.

Before I go on with this share your thoughts as I don’t want to introduce plan that doesn’t work, tnx!

Post from: BizzArtic - Blogging Ideas and Tips

Custom Services from Me,…Share Your Thoughts on Pricing

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Users typically see about first 2 words for most text items on the web; they’ll see a little more if the lead words are short, and only the first word if they’re long.

This rule applies especially for title links so be careful how you write titles for your posts if you want to attract readers attention. It’s also good for SEO as search engines give better relevance to first couple of words and read just 50 characters or so.

Good Links

• Use plain language
• Use specific terminology
• Follow conventions for naming common features
• Front-load user- and action-oriented terms
• Examples:
  • “Gift Cards & E-Gift Certificates “
  • “New customers apply online now”
  • “First 2 Words Are All That Matters”

Bad Links

• Bland, generic words
• Made-up words or terms
• Starting with blah-blah and deferring the information-carrying text to the end
• Examples:
  • “Working while you study: paying tax”
  • “Introducing Chase Exclusives”
  • “Profit Accelerator Overview”

Guide Users to Correct Links

• Allow users to confidently predict what they’ll get if they click.
• Be clearly differentiated from the other links.
• Not be misleading or promise too much.

Nanocontent (first bit of a link) just needs to be good enough that users will sniff the most promising links in full.

Post from: BizzArtic - Blogging Ideas and Tips

First 2 Words Are All That Matters

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Every serious blog needs good strategy to cope with more and more competitors on demanding web market. Long term comittment will probably not work for you so you need to pick dynamic approach and change your strategy every few months – create simple action plans using SWOT!

SWOT Analysis for Your Blog

Run a SWOT Analysis on Your Blog – Originally written by Darren Rowse in 2007

1. Mission and Goals

Why does my blog Exist?

Why do I Blog?

2. List Your Blog’s Strengths

What attributes does my blog have that will help me achieve it’s goals?

What are you good at as a blogger?

What resources and assets do you have at your disposal?

What do you do better than anyone else?

3. List Your Blog’s Weaknesses

What attributes does your blog have that are holding you back from achieving it’s goals?

What skills do you not have as a blogger?

What is ‘broken’ on your blog or in your work-flow?

What could or should you improve about your blog?

What should you probably avoid in your blogging?

What is distracting you from your goals?

4. List Your Blog’s Opportunities

What external things could/are helping you achieve your blog’s goals?

What trends are their in your blog’s niche that you could explore on your blog?

What tools and technologies could you use to improve your blog?

5. List Your Blog’s Threats

What external things could or area hindering you achieving your blog’s goals?

What are other blogs in your niche doing that could be hindrance to your own blog’s growth?

6. Analyze Your Reflections and Generate Strategies

How can you utilize your Strengths?

How can you bring your Weaknesses to an end?

How can you make the most of your Opportunities?

How can you fend off the Threats?

7. Plan to Do Something and Do It

Translate your findings into an Action Plan and begin to implement it.

See how I’ve done SWOT Analysis for my blog and use it as example

Post from: BizzArtic - Blogging Ideas and Tips

Serious Blog Needs at least Simple Action Plan

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1. Chris Pearson He’s the guy behind Thesis WP theme and I guess that says all – a really remarkable piece of work!
2. Nick La
   
   He runs WebDesignerWall blog and if you’re into web design this is the person you should follow.
3. Veerle Pieters
   She always inspires me for modern web art and gives me another perspective from female artists point of view.
4. John D Boardley
   He runs ILovetypography and actually learnt me that web typography isn’t as easy as I thought, but it is fun though=)
5. Jakob Nielsen
   He learnt me that if sth looks good it isn’t always the best though, usability is the way to go. A lot of people criticize his website design but I really love it – simple, usable, straightforward!
6. Magnus Jepson
   I love his soft minimalistic designs, his color schemes for his themes are remarkable.
7. Mark Forrester
   I fell in love with his theme, called Foreward Thinking – people don’t like it but I love it – it’s simple and straight forward, nothing more, nothing less.
8. Adii Pienaar
   More than his designs I love to follow his blog as it gives me lots of insights to commercial part of WordPress themes.
9. Matthew James Taylor
   SEO is his language and I learn a lot from him, he provides tips with simple cases and I just love it.
10. Darren Rowse
    If I want to design templates I need to know who am I designing them for so his blog posts give me so much usable tips for blogging I cannot emphasize how great Problogger is.

I would really encourage you to visit their blogs and follow what they’re doing as they have amazingly a lot to offer. I’m probably not the best WP theme designer out there but because of these people I’m better each new post they publish.

Post from: BizzArtic - Blogging Ideas and Tips

10 People I Follow to Develop WordPress Themes

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WordPress really is a remarkable tool but there is no way to show popular posts of current category you are browsing just by using WP template tags. For instance if your blog has category Sport, it would be nice to show of the most popular posts in that category for the last month or so -> automatically of course….Well, I was searching for  plugins that would do the trick, code snippets and much more but haven’t found anything similar so I’ve decided to code this myself – directly from database.

And because I really love simplicity this code is also as simple as possible…Here is what you should do:

1. Download archive.php file found below
2. Open your theme theme file also called archive.php
3. Use my code at your own risk=) … just be careful and place it outside loop

This code snippet is aimed at WP theme developers and those that know a thing or two about coding,…sorry for everybody else;)

Post from: BizzArtic - Blogging Ideas and Tips

Show Popular Posts of Current Browsing Category

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Lots of you get the idea behind Linux, its openness, freedom to develop it and most importantly freedom to share your newly developed work. All those things implicate to GPL license, thorough which Linux is released.

On the other hand, this does not preclude anyone from charging for support for Linux-related activities. For example, people can charge for installing Linux. People can charge for telephone, email, or chat support, and so on and so forth. So this means there is a business model that can be built upon GPL based systems!

Oh, you guest it, WordPress is also GPL licensed product so it pratically gives you all  four freedoms that every user should have:

• the freedom to use the software for any purpose,
• the freedom to change the software to suit your needs,
• the freedom to share the software with your friends and neighbors, and
• the freedom to share the changes you make.

But does this apply to WordPress themes?

I’ve been following debates on forums and blogs for quite some time and still don’t have an answer. On technical side I would say Yes, all themes should be licensed through GPL compatible license but on the other hand what about art work you put into it? – icons, graphics, overall structure etc.?

Final conclusions

• Yes, you can sell/buy premium themes, but not without full support included (not just forums but full author support).
• No Theme should be restricted to so called ‘Developer version’ or sth similar.
• People behind WordPress should encourage people to develop professional themes.
• Making BizzArtic work GPL compatible is my next priority.

Follow debates yourself, shape your opinion and post a comment from it

• Theme licensing (22 posts)
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• No Sponsored themes on WeblogToolsCollection WeblogToolsCollection
  
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Post from: BizzArtic - Blogging Ideas and Tips

Premium WordPress Themes Have Lots of Licensing Issues!

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I’ve put huge amount of work into my FIVE blogs and gotten next to nothing in return. Sure, I’ve made a few good contacts, but I was doing that with email and my five web sites before I even started blogging.

In fact, since I could have been doing things that might have been more productive during the past six months, my lost opportunity cost is quite high.

- Jack Krupansky

Are you thinking the same as jack did? If you do, here are 10 possibilities you might consider:

1. Drop ads and clean space for your content
2. Take things a day at a time.
   
3. Google for some SEO tips
4. Be specific and don’t blog just about everything
5. When you’re ready to give up you’re closer to success you might think
6. If you’re not good with words than design, program, take photos, videos,…
7. Love what you’re doing
8. Never expect life to be fair!
   
9. Don’t give up!
10. Or…Just do it and don’t bother to blog anymore!

Post from: BizzArtic - Blogging Ideas and Tips

Is it Time to Quit Your Blog?

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