For a while, I’ve not had WordPress automatic updates working. It’s been time consuming to do them manually. Finally, I found this post on “Varun’s Whiteboard on Technology”.

Turns out my web host (1and1, in case you were wondering) provides both PHP4 and 5. While useful, it confuses WordPress. The solution? Edit the .htaccess file. Simples… when you know how!

After a long while not bothering to update WordPress, when I finally got around to installing version 3.1, which I had to do manually, as the automated updated didn’t work (it hasn’t worked in months). Immediately after running the (required) database update, I began getting 500 errors on the site. Not good. (more…)

My WordPress plugin auto-upgrade stopped working sometime around WordPress 2.7. Being of an indolent persuasion, I stopped bothering trying. Maybe it was the browser – but it didn’t work on either Firefox or Internet Explorer on Windows. And when it didn’t work after the upgrade to WordPress 2.8, I tried it on 64-bit Kubuntu. It didn’t work on Midori, Konqueror, Galeon, rekonq, Epiphany or Dooble either. And then came the upgrade to WordPress 2.9. Which is where it all went panic-inducingly wrong… (more…)

I just added a search plugin to my site. Unless you use Firefox 3 and noticed the small blue highlight on the arrow, it’s fairly difficult to notice, but for those who – like me – make good use of that box, it’s a nice thing to have.

Let’s start with the easy bit: the addition to the header. (more…)