Wordpress the Conqueror
For the past two mornings in my rather cold but lovingly quaint flat (its those windows there above the dairy - shannylea at flickr) I have been struck with premonitions, small, dusty thoughts that emerge from nowhere. I am not ashamed to admit that they are the most important thoughts the world has ever seen. Today, for instance, I was struck with this doozie: WordPress is going to take over the world (yesterday’s portent, by the way, was far less important - John McCain is the next president of the United States. I am hoping it is more unconscious prediction/fear than unconscious desire).
My ghost thoughts are very demanding and declarative, aren’t they? But rightly so, I suppose, I do think, even now in the bright light of day, that WordPress, a blogging platform created by Automattic (who just got some investment from the New York Times), might actually be a world conquerer. What has swung me from dispassionate user (this blog is on WordPress) to faithful follower is the revelation that the platform is powerful and extensible enough to allow people like you and me (or even my little nephew) to create viable, modern and beautiful newspaper or magazine websites. From scratch. For free. And this isn’t just pie in the sky, its already being used by the Express and Star in Wolverhampton.
I admit that I am a tad late to this but I promise to make up for my tardiness with some good old-fasionhed zealotry. And I have a feeling both of the readers of this blog will have my back. Just look at the various themes that I discovered today. With a tweak here and there these could be just as good as The Guardian, The New York Times or the Telegraph. Amazing. And game changing. I just hope my little premonitions are always so right on.
Entry Filed under: Media, Newspapers, Websites
2 Comments Add your own
1. Desire Athow | February 6th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
What makes Wordpress unique is the sheer number of plugins it comes with - most of them free. This cornucopia means that what would previously cost tens of thousands of pounds (those who purchased Vignette might not agree) can now be installed within minutes and at a substantially lower cost.
And an even greater thing is that WP is a flourishing community that is eager to take on even more ambitious goals. Wordpress was initially launched as a blogging platform.
As Ryan noted, it has become a content management system through several transformations; thanks to its users who pushed for changes.
As a footnote, apart from the list of paid for themes (including a great range from Brian Gardner), have a look at Justin Tadlock’s Word Press theme
2. Ruk | February 7th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Yeah I do have your back on this one
Wordpress is all you need really, ever! It will take over the world! Agreed.
I still think for massive sites like Guardian or Telegraph, you will still need developers to customize and optimize to exactly what you need, but the structure is definitely there to start with.
Another Product based Site built with Wordpress which you would never think is Moo.com
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