WPwatercooler - Weekly WordPress Talk Show

WordPress from Install to Publish. WPwatercooler is a live video and audio roundtable discussion from WordPress professionals from around the industry who offer tips, best practices, and lively debate on how to put the content management system to use. WPwatercooler is part of the WPwatercooler Network Hosted by WordPress developer Jason Tucker, the weekly panel includes the following WP experts as well as over 500 guests since 2012. ∙ Jason Tucker - podcast host, web developer, and IT Director ∙ Sé Reed - web developer, speaker, small business advocate and Internet geek. ∙ Jason Cosper - Sr. Performance Engineer at Liquid Web Feedback for our shows can be provided here: https://www.wpwatercooler.com/feedback/

EP482 – Gutenberg It’s Complicated 04/29/2024

EP481 – Lies, Damned Lies, and Analytics 04/26/2024

EP480 - It’s Giving Server: The New Era of Hosting - WPwatercooler 04/14/2024

EP480 - It’s Giving Server: The New Era of Hosting - WPwatercooler On this episode of WPwatercooler, the panel dives into the evolving landscape of web hosting, specifically focusing on the shifts and trends in WordPress hosting. The discussion kicks off with anecdotes about showing up to parties on the wrong day, cleverly seguing into the main topic of different types of web hosting environments. They explore the spectrum from shared hosting to dedicated servers, touching upon VPS, managed hosting, and the nuances of each category in the context of WordPress sites. The conversation also covers the implications of major hosting entities absorbing smaller ones and the impact on the industry. The episode is rich with technical insights, personal experiences, and practical advice for navigating the hosting ecosystem as it continues to evolve. Show Notes can be found: Hosts: Jason Tucker Sé Reed Jason Cosper Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to Web Hosting Trends 05:10 - Understanding Shared vs. Dedicated Hosting 10:20 - The Rise of Managed WordPress Hosting 15:35 - Consolidation in the Hosting Industry 20:45 - The Technical Side of Hosting Services 25:50 - Pricing Models and What They Mean for Users 30:55 - The Future of Hosting: Customization and User Experience 35:10 - Challenges and Considerations in Choosing Hosting 40:25 - Personal Anecdotes Related to Hosting Experiences 45:30 - Summary of Key Points and Closing Thoughts What is WPwatercooler? WPwatercooler is streamed live and recorded as the self titled show on the WPwatercooler Network. Our objective with the show since the beginning has been to help people in this industry have a place to hear people, much like themselves, talk about the technologies and methods we all use on a daily basis. We named WPwatercooler to be that, the watercooler that WordPress folks can gather around and participate in the conversation, or just sit back and learn from the discussion. Our listeners and contributors come from all walks of life and all backgrounds. We strive to make this place as welcoming and accessible as we can. Learn more at What is Dev Branch? Dev Branch is streamed live and recorded monthly on the first friday of the month as the developer-focused discussions of the WPwatercooler Network. Dev Branch is released on its own podcast feed and made available live and on-demand in video format on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitch. Learn more at /episode/index/show/wpwc-wpwatercooler/id/30815568

EP479 – To Bot or Not to Bot 04/01/2024

EP479 – To Bot or Not to Bot In this episode of WPwatercooler, titled “To Bot or Not to Bot,” hosts Jason Tucker, Sé Reed, and Jason Cosper dive into the implications and ethical considerations of utilizing bots, specifically ChatGPT, in the realm of WordPress development. The discussion kicks off with an anecdote from Sé, who experimented with using ChatGPT to solve a coding problem related to grouping WordPress pages in the admin area. This led to a broader conversation about the reliability, safety, and future role of AI-generated code in production environments. The episode touches on themes such as the balance between automation and manual oversight, the evolving landscape of WordPress plugin development, and the importance of adhering to coding standards. Throughout, the hosts share personal experiences, concerns, and the potential they see in integrating AI tools like ChatGPT into their workflows, all while maintaining a critical eye on the implications for developers and the wider WordPress community. Links Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:16 Introducing the Hosts and Their Quirky Banter 01:03 Inspiration from Discord: Tackling WordPress Page Chaos 06:18 The Quest for Better Page Organization: A Plugin Solution 08:40 ChatGPT to the Rescue: Crafting a Custom Plugin 10:54 Testing and Tweaking: The Plugin’s Journey to GitHub 12:28 The Ethical Dilemma: Using Bots for Code Generation 14:34 Learning to Code with ChatGPT: A Personal Journey 17:59 Ensuring Code Quality: The Role of Large Language Models 20:44 The Future of Plugin Development: Community Collaboration 22:00 The Open Source Dilemma: Plugins, Patches, and the Power of Collaboration 23:00 Navigating the Free vs. Pro Plugin Conundrum 23:47 The No Maintenance Intended Tag: A New Approach to Open Source 24:37 The Challenges of Community Contributions and Code Reviews 25:06 Harnessing AI for Code Generation: A New Frontier 29:49 The Trust Crisis in Plugin Repositories 35:01 AI vs. Traditional Coding: Navigating the New Landscape 39:06 The Ethical Dilemma of Using AI-Generated Code 43:39 Collaborative Coding with AI: The Future of Development? What is WPwatercooler? WPwatercooler is streamed live and recorded as the self-titled show on the WPwatercooler Network. Our objective with the show since the beginning has been to help people in this industry have a place to hear people, much like themselves, talk about the technologies and methods we all use on a daily basis. We named WPwatercooler to be that, the watercooler that WordPress folks can gather around and participate in the conversation, or just sit back and learn from the discussion. Our listeners and contributors come from all walks of life and all backgrounds. We strive to make this place as welcoming and accessible as we can. Learn more at What is Dev Branch? Dev Branch is streamed live and recorded monthly on the first friday of the month as the developer-focused discussions of the WPwatercooler Network. Dev Branch is released on its own podcast feed and made available live and on-demand in video format on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitch. Learn more at /episode/index/show/wpwc-wpwatercooler/id/30598948

EP478 – 6.5: It’s Alive! (Almost) 03/28/2024

EP477 – WordPress: What’s The Alternative? 03/09/2024

EP477 – WordPress: What’s The Alternative? On this episode of WPwatercooler titled “WordPress: What’s The Alternative?”, the hosts Jason Tucker, Sé Reed, and Jason Cosper delve into the diverse landscape of website creation platforms, discussing the strengths and weaknesses of WordPress compared to alternatives like Webflow, Ghost, and traditional site builders like Squarespace and Wix. The conversation pivots around ease of use, customization capabilities, the complexity of WordPress for different levels of users, and the importance of choosing the right tool for specific needs. They explore the notion that while WordPress offers extensive flexibility and power, it may present challenges for users seeking simplicity or specific functionalities out of the box. This episode highlights the evolving needs of website creators and the importance of aligning platform capabilities with project requirements, emphasizing WordPress’s role as a versatile yet complex tool in the web development ecosystem. Show Notes: Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 02:47 Discussing Alternatives to WordPress 08:07 Transitioning Websites and User Experience 14:10 Newsletter Focus and Membership Features in Ghost 20:41 Media Management and Image Editing in Ghost vs. WordPress 27:07 Plugin Ecosystem and Customizability 33:25 Building with Ghost and WordPress Comparison 39:29 Client Requirements and Platform Selection 45:12 Maintenance and Notifications Across Platforms 50:36 Personal Data Management and Site Migration Challenges 56:52 Conclusion and Final Thoughts What is WPwatercooler? WPwatercooler is streamed live and recorded as the self-titled show on the WPwatercooler Network. Our objective with the show since the beginning has been to help people in this industry have a place to hear people, much like themselves, talk about the technologies and methods we all use on a daily basis. We named WPwatercooler to be that, the watercooler that WordPress folks can gather around and participate in the conversation, or just sit back and learn from the discussion. Our listeners and contributors come from all walks of life and all backgrounds. We strive to make this place as welcoming and accessible as we can. Learn more at What is Dev Branch? Dev Branch is streamed live and recorded monthly on the first friday of the month as the developer-focused discussions of the WPwatercooler Network. Dev Branch is released on its own podcast feed and made available live and on-demand in video format on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitch. Learn more at /episode/index/show/wpwc-wpwatercooler/id/30296958

EP476 – Free as in Piracy 03/02/2024

EP475 – The Great Escape: WordPress Data Liberation Project 02/13/2024

EP475 – The Great Escape: WordPress Data Liberation Project On this episode of WPwatercooler, titled “The Great Escape: WordPress Data Liberation Project,” Jason Tucker and Jason Cosper discuss the significance of data portability in WordPress. They delve into the recent push towards data liberation, enabling content to move freely between different Content Management Systems (CMS), including the import and export of data from WordPress to other platforms and vice versa. The conversation touches on the challenges and technical considerations involved in migrating data, the impact of block editors, and the importance of making data migration user-friendly to support the growth and flexibility of WordPress as a platform. The episode explores the broader implications of data portability for users and the ecosystem, highlighting the need for more intuitive tools to facilitate data movement without compromising content integrity. Links [] – wordpress.org Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:41 Discussion on Data Liberation in WordPress 03:33 The Importance of Data Portability 10:13 Challenges with Block Editors and Data Migration 15:20 Exploring Alternatives and Future of Data Formats 20:59 User Experiences and Expectations on Data Migration 25:46 Technical Aspects and Solutions for Data Export/Import 30:00 The Role of Open Source in Data Portability 35:27 Final Thoughts on WordPress and Data Liberation What is WPwatercooler? WPwatercooler is streamed live and recorded as the self-titled show on the WPwatercooler Network. Our objective with the show since the beginning has been to help people in this industry have a place to hear people, much like themselves, talk about the technologies and methods we all use on a daily basis. We named WPwatercooler to be that, the watercooler that WordPress folks can gather around and participate in the conversation, or just sit back and learn from the discussion. Our listeners and contributors come from all walks of life and all backgrounds. We strive to make this place as welcoming and accessible as we can. Learn more at What is Dev Branch? Dev Branch is streamed live and recorded monthly on the first friday of the month as the developer-focused discussions of the WPwatercooler Network. Dev Branch is released on its own podcast feed and made available live and on-demand in video format on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitch. Learn more at Want to create live streams like this? Check out StreamYard: /episode/index/show/wpwc-wpwatercooler/id/29910148

EP474 – Building Custom WordPress Blocks Because You Have To 02/12/2024

EP474 – Building Custom WordPress Blocks Because You Have To On this episode of WPwatercooler, the panel, consisting of Jason Tucker, Sé Reed, Jason Cosper, and Nyasha Green, delves into the necessity of building custom WordPress blocks, a task propelled not just by choice but by the evolving needs of WordPress itself. They share personal anecdotes, challenges, and successes in navigating the block-based landscape of WordPress, emphasizing the importance of embracing blocks for future-proofing and enhancing WordPress projects. The discussion also touches on the broader implications of block technology for developers, users, and the WordPress community, highlighting the continuous learning and adaptation required to stay relevant and effective in the WordPress ecosystem. Panel: Jason Tucker, Sé Reed, Nyasha Green, Jason Cosper Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:26 Greetings and Lottery Dreams 02:33 The Inevitability of Building Blocks in WordPress 04:17 Nyasha Green’s Journey into Block Development 07:48 The Challenges of Naming and Explaining Blocks 10:25 Discussing User-Friendly Design Tools vs. WordPress 13:00 The Necessity of Custom Blocks and Developer Frustrations 15:09 Nyasha’s Approach to Teaching Block Development 17:23 The Rapid Evolution of WordPress and Its Impact on Users 20:25 Nyasha’s Favorite Custom Block Project 22:39 The Importance of Learning Basics Before Diving into Dynamic Blocks 25:40 Building in Public and the Value of Sharing Mistakes 27:02 Closing Thoughts and Mini Golf Plans What is WPwatercooler? WPwatercooler is streamed live and recorded as the self-titled show on the WPwatercooler Network. Our objective with the show since the beginning has been to help people in this industry have a place to hear people, much like themselves, talk about the technologies and methods we all use on a daily basis. We named WPwatercooler to be that, the watercooler that WordPress folks can gather around and participate in the conversation, or just sit back and learn from the discussion. Our listeners and contributors come from all walks of life and all backgrounds. We strive to make this place as welcoming and accessible as we can. Learn more at What is Dev Branch? Dev Branch is streamed live and recorded monthly on the first friday of the month as the developer-focused discussions of the WPwatercooler Network. Dev Branch is released on its own podcast feed and made available live and on-demand in video format on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitch. Learn more at /episode/index/show/wpwc-wpwatercooler/id/29910103

EP473 – Write It Down Blogging for Fun and Making Friends 01/22/2024

EP472 - Does your WordPress Website Have an Expiration Date 01/20/2024

EP471 – Reflecting on the State of the Word 2023 12/16/2023

EP471 – Reflecting on the State of the Word 2023 On this episode of WPwatercooler, titled “,” the hosts Jason Tucker, Sé Reed, and Jason Cosper engage in a reflective and critical discussion on various aspects of WordPress and the WordPress community. They discuss the State of the Word 2023, with Sé Reed sharing her thoughts on different recaps and perspectives on the event, including those by Courtney Robertson, Miriam Schwartz, and Joost de Valk. The panel delves into topics like the importance of custom fields in WordPress, the absence of Mastodon in Matt Mullenweg’s social media mentions, and Jason’s issues with integrating Mastodon with WordPress. The conversation then shifts to a critique of the WordPress community’s handling of various issues, highlighting the tension between the community’s ideals and the actions of its leaders. They discuss the push towards using Matrix over Slack for WordPress core community discussions, the implications of Matrix’s licensing changes, and the perceived disconnect between the community’s values and decisions made by project leadership. The hosts also touch upon WordPress’s data liberation efforts, noting the importance of being able to easily move data between platforms. They explore the potential impact of new initiatives like WordPress Playground and data liberation on the WordPress ecosystem, including how these initiatives might affect existing plugins and the broader community. Finally, the episode covers the recent focus on internationalization in WordPress, the creation of Spanish speaking Slack channels, and the need for better integration and communication between global and local WordPress teams. The discussion concludes with an invitation for listeners to join the after-show discussion on WPwatercooler’s platform. Related Episodes from WPwatercooler: Chapters: 00:00 Intro 02:10 Reflecting on State of the Word Recaps 04:37 Custom Fields and WordPress Evolution 05:30 Mastodon and Social Media in WordPress 08:22 WordPress Community Critique 11:06 Matrix vs Slack for WordPress Discussions 14:28 WordPress Data Liberation and Plugin Ecosystem 17:00 Exploring WordPress Playground 19:52 WordPress Internationalization and Spanish Slack Channels 22:42 Closing Remarks and After-Show Invitation Links: /episode/index/show/wpwc-wpwatercooler/id/29106643

EP470 – Goodbye, Hello Dolly 12/01/2023

EP469 – Synching WordPress 11/26/2023

EP468 – UncURLing WordPress 6.4 11/12/2023

EP468 – UncURLing WordPress 6.4 On this episode of WPwatercooler titled , hosts Jason Tucker, Sé Reed, Jason Cosper, and Scott Kingsley Clark discuss the recent release of WordPress 6.4 and its implications. The conversation begins with a light-hearted introduction and quickly dives into the complexities and challenges surrounding the new update. Sé Reed shares her experience as a first-time release lead, highlighting the social, community, leadership, and technological implications of the update. The panel delves into a critical issue that arose with the release, specifically concerning the ‘Requests’ library used by WordPress. A change in this library led to significant performance issues for certain hosting configurations, impacting many sites. The discussion emphasizes the inherent challenges in testing every possible configuration in a diverse ecosystem like WordPress. The episode also touches on the broader issues of open-source funding and maintenance. The panelists highlight the underfunding of critical libraries and tools that form the backbone of WordPress and many other systems. They argue that the lack of attention and funding towards these essential components poses a risk to the stability and security of the wider web infrastructure. The conversation extends to the governance and funding of PHP, the underlying programming language of WordPress, and the broader open-source ecosystem. The hosts discuss the need for more proactive support and funding from companies and individuals who benefit from these open-source resources. The episode concludes with a discussion on the new WPwatercooler community initiative called “Aftercooler,” designed to foster further discussions and interactions within the WPwatercooler community on our Discord. Show Notes: https://wpwatercooler.com/wpwatercooler/ep468-uncurling-wordpress-6-4/ Panel: Jason Tucker, Sé Reed, Scott Kingsley Clark, Jason Cosper Want to create live streams like this? Check out StreamYard: https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5756954563575808 Chapters: 00:00:00 Introduction to Episode 468 00:00:26 Introduction of Panel Members 00:00:34 Introduction of Jason Cosper 00:00:41 Discussion on Discord and Podcasts 00:02:09 WordPress 6.4 Release and Initial Reactions 00:04:12 Impact of WordPress 6.4 on Various Plugins 00:05:39 Issue with the Request Library in WordPress 6.4 00:06:37 Discussing Specifics of the Request Library Issue 00:09:06 Importance of Neglected Components in WordPress 00:11:02 Funding and Support Challenges in Open Source Projects 00:13:37 The PHP Funding Dilemma 00:16:28 The Broader Impact of Underfunding in Open Source 00:20:06 The Responsibility of Companies in Open Source Funding 00:23:14 Discussing Analogies to Other Systems (Healthcare, etc.) 00:26:24 Reflections on the State of WordPress 00:28:35 Discussing Contributions to PHP and Related Libraries 00:30:03 The Challenges of Open Source Governance 00:32:05 Identifying and Addressing Systemic Issues in WordPress 00:34:00 Closing Remarks and Reflections 00:34:40 Announcement of Aftercooler on Discord 00:35:34 Conclusion of the Episode /episode/index/show/wpwc-wpwatercooler/id/28597278

EP467 – WordStressed 10/21/2023

EP466 - The Media Library ends its silence 10/13/2023

EP466 - The Media Library ends its silence This episode of the panel dives into the complexities and shortcomings of WordPress' media library. William Bay leads the conversation by suggesting features like the ability to view all used images and the option to toggle between infinite scroll and pagination for enhanced user experience. Alongside him, Sé Reed and Jason Cosper emphasize the need for advanced search functionalities and better documentation. They also bring up the vital issue of data-driven decision-making in WordPress development. Sé Reed takes particular issue with Otto's comment suggesting that people prefer creating new things to iterating on existing features, arguing that decisions impacting a CMS that powers a large chunk of the web should be based on solid data rather than assumptions. Throughout the episode, despite tackling weighty topics, the panelists maintain a sense of humor and camaraderie, joking about using the podcast as a form of "WordPress therapy" and poking fun at the episode's length. Overall, the discussion uncovers several user pain points and poses important questions about the platform's ongoing development. Links: https://flauntyoursite.com/ https://wpwatercooler.com/wpwatercooler/ep130-building-a-photography-site-using-wordpress/ https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/53788 Site editor: 🥝 Media library proof of concept 🥝 https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/53788 Phase 3: Collaboration - Media Library #55238 https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/issues/55238 Improving Media #53486 https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/discussions/53486 RUINED BY DESIGN – A design ethics and activism book by Mike Monteiro https://www.ruinedby.design/ Ruined by Design: How Designers Destroyed the World, and What We Can Do to Fix It https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/44432844 Just Enough Research – Erika Hall https://abookapart.com/products/just-enough-research Panel: Jason Tucker Sé Reed Jason Cosper William Bay Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:15 Welcome & Panelist Introductions 02:10 The Need for Media Library Improvements 08:25 Documentation and Communication Gaps 16:45 The Philosophy Behind WordPress Development 24:10 Data-Driven Decision Making in WordPress 35:00 User Experience & Feature Requests 42:30 The Importance of Iteration vs New Features 50:20 The Lighter Side: WordPress as Therapy 59:10 Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up 01:03:00 Outro & Where to Find Us #WordPress #MediaLibrary #FSE #WordPressMediaLibrary Want to create live streams like this? Check out StreamYard: https://streamyard.com/pal/d/5756954563575808 /episode/index/show/wpwc-wpwatercooler/id/28311983

EP465 – What’s New in WordPress 6.4 Beta 1 09/30/2023

EP464 – Fight for the Future 09/22/2023

EP463 - Not that kind of block - WPwatercooler 09/19/2023

EP463 - Not that kind of block - WPwatercooler On this episode of WPwatercooler, the discussion centers around the WordPress community, its leadership, and the challenges faced by its contributors. Sé Reed talks about her recent “kerfuffle” with Matt Mullenweg on Twitter/X and why she thinks he designated her as the only person he’s ever blocked in 17 years. The crew also discusses the significance of WordPress's open-source nature and the increasingly noticeable conflicts with Automattic, including Mullenweg’s demoralizing approach to leading the WordPress project. Sé highlights the challenges faced by the Make WordPress marketing team, including their inability to properly develop wordpress.org’s SEO. Both Jason Tucker and Jason Cosper chime in throughout the conversation, emphasizing the value of community involvement and historic context. The episode wraps up with encouragement for listeners to actively contribute to making all of WordPress better, and a call for accountability across the WordPress project. Chapters: 00:00:00 Intro 00:05:00 Background of the WordPress Community 00:10:00 The Role and Influence of Matt Mullenweg 00:15:00 The Evolution of WordPress and its Ecosystem 00:20:00 Challenges in Open Source Projects 00:25:00 The Importance of Community Feedback 00:30:00 The Dynamics of WordPress Leadership 00:35:00 Sé Reed's Personal Experiences and Observations 00:40:00 The Future of WordPress and its Direction 00:45:00 The Role of WordPress.tv and its Challenges 00:51:28 Sé Reed's Initial Thoughts on WordPress Community 00:53:15 Discussion on WordPress Governance and Leadership 00:55:10 Sé's Experience 00:57:32 Sé Reed's Concerns about Matt Mullenweg's Leadership 01:00:23 Importance of Open-Source and Community Voice 01:02:12 Challenges Faced by WordPress Marketing Team 01:04:05 Sé's Advocacy and Efforts in the Community 01:06:15 Jason Tucker and Jason Cosper's Insights 01:08:40 Encouragement for Community Involvement 01:13:17 Discord 01:15:41 Outro #WordPress #Gutenberg #Twitter Show Notes & Transcript: Want to create live streams like this? Check out StreamYard: /episode/index/show/wpwc-wpwatercooler/id/28082556