Wordpress 3.0 is Launched as Developers Take a Break

Jun 23

MikeWeb Industry , No Comments

Being the world’s most popular blogging tool comes with it a certain amount of responsibility which is why Wordpress’s most recent version, 3.0 (Theolonius), contains a multitude of new features, fixes and functions!  Wordpress 3.0 is the 13th version of the blogging software and while the beta version has been available to download and test for a few months now, v3.0 has finally been officially launched.

So what can you expect from the new and improved software? For starters, there is a brand new default theme known as Twenty Ten to replace the now rather tired looking Kubrick theme which has been used since the first release.  Additionally, the interface is now lighter and there are over 1200 bug fixes available.  Wordpress theme designers can now find it easier to customize themes with the new APIs which allow for customized menus, backgrounds, page headers and much more.  There is also a bulk update feature whereby upto 15 plugins at a time can be updated in just one step.

Another big change is the integration of WordpressMU into the core Wordpress program.  Wordpress MU allowed users to edit hundreds of blogs from just one installation but was always a separate program to the regular Wordpress install.  Fusing the two together now allows users to benefit from the functionality of both.

Wordpress 2.9 enjoyed over 10 million downloads and signs indicate that v3.0 will be just as popular.  But don’t expect a v3.1 to be out anytime soon.  The Wordpress team has announced that it is taking a break from developing new versions to focus instead on many of things that surround Wordpress.  The growth of this software and its popularity has been astounding but with all the focus being on the core program itself the developers feel they now need to look at other areas such as the showcase, forums and compatibility APIs.  The goal is to try to improve the whole Wordpress experience and while they acknowledge this may take time they aniticpate the investment will be worthwhile when it comes to creating a stronger infrastructure for the Wordpress platform and its millions of users.

Oh and in case you are wondering about the name “Theolonius” — it is Wordpress’s code name for v3.0 in tribute to the jazz giant Theolonius Monk!