I’ve updated my WordPress from 2.5 to 2.6 Beta 1 and I love it so far! If you are blogging using the WordPress platform and would like to know what has changed or what my impressions so far on the changes, please read on.
In one short sentence, it is worth to upgrade to WordPress 2.6 Beta 1, if you can stand a few bugs here and there.
Some WordPress 2.6 Beta 1 New Features:
Speedup / Google Gears
This is the first time I heard of Google Gears. WordPress 2.6 is utilizing it (mine was installed as a Firefox add-on) to speed-up the WordPress administration area by “caching” the files on your own local computer. It works as if the WordPress admin control panel is installed on your computer and not online.
You may not notice the speed improvement too much if you are on a lightning fast connection, but people have given good feedbacks over slow internet connection (dial-up or capped connection)!
The Speedup link is located on the top right of the Administration navigation bar. You need to install Google Gear and enable it first to use this new enhancement.
I’ve made a video comparison before and after enabling Gears, but since I’m on an ADSL connection, there are not much different, except when you try to link a post and upload images.
You can watch my video here:
Word Count
You can now see how many words have you written on your lovely post. I don’t usually care about it unless if I am writing for a sponsored post or a guest post with requirements. Nevertheless, it doesn’t hurt to have this feature on WordPress 2.6 Beta 1.
New Advanced Image Properties
I was trying to find where the image button has gone to from the toolbar. Found out that now you can simply click on an image on your post to bring up its image properties on WordPress 2.6 (an enhanced version of it too)
The new image properties
Wait, Don’t go first! The next page is even more exciting, I promise 
Next Page: Auto-generated Avatars and other enhancements/bug fixes
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Wonderful! I’m kind of curious about this “Press This” thing. Are you saying we need to manually add the “Press This” link on the browser tool bar?
You make me want to do it now, you know? Perhaps I’ll wait for another week or so till they sort out some of the bugs.
Yan@Blog for Beginnerss last blog post..I Guess This Is When I Say “Thank You”
It is very funny really i just upload the 25.5 version on my wordpress blog then just to know that this beta version is out already… Again i will wait till this version is stable already…
julers last blog post..Hope I win this contest in Ez DIY Electricity
I’ll try to install it and hope it doesn’t mess up other plugins
archondigitals last blog post..Entrecard Top Ten – June 2008
Mike, I agree with everything you have said here. I loaded it on my second blog and even with quite a few plugins I experienced no problems. I do miss the old button in the post area to add graphics to your post but I suppose I must just get used to the new way of doing things. For a long time now I have put off learning how the whole Media Library thing works, I must make a plan.
sailors last blog post..Firefox in your pocket
@Yan: Yeah, I believe so. I don’t think I’m gonna use it though. I’ll just open my WordPress Admin link manually
@Sailor: Well, people don’t normally like changes, even if it’s for the better
Others: Have a go at it if you like to playwith the “latest toys” heh heh
Ok one of my blogs is going to be a victim of this version..
Sounds like there are some cool features..
Thanks for the info
i installed it yesterday and it’s really really good and worth turning to
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Haven’t installed it yet.
Will install it right away and see how it is…
Nihars last blog post..Speed up your disk – Auslogics Disk Defrag
Hope you guys like it
Looking forward for Beta 2
Not ready to be a test dummy yet, but I have been reading the WP forum.
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