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Markdown Theme

2012/02/21 By Leave a Comment

You know the drill, you’re using Chocolat app, Sublime Text or TextMate 2 and you’ve decided to try composing your WordPress posts in Markdown. That’s when you discover that the ‘.tmTheme’ that you’re currently using doesn’t include markdown syntax highlighting. Although you’re considering rolling your own theme, you’ve decided to search for a markdown theme that’s ready to go.

I’ve tested a few markdown themes, but my favourite is Made of Code.

Made of Code markdown theme colors

Options:

  1. idleFingers.tmTheme

  2. if you don’t write a lot of code and you haven’t already fallen in love with a text editor, I’m convinced you should have a look at the Mou app. Why Mou?

    • composing/previewing markdown with Mou is good fun
    • Mou’s available live preview will quickly teach you markdown syntax
    • Mou’s actions (keyboard shortcuts) automate most markdown formating for you
    • Mou’s themes are gorgeous
    • Mou is a superb example of OS X 10.7 Lion technologies nicely implemented by a very clever programmer.

Mou icon

>> learn about the Mou app

Related articles:

  1. Mou App Evolving
  2. Markdown Apps

Filed Under: OS X, WordPress Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

StudioPress Genesis

2011/12/17 By Leave a Comment

StudioPress Genesis

The StudioPress Genesis framework has quickly become the industry standard for WordPress authors and designers. Whether you’re a novice or an advanced website developer you can build incredible sites with the combination of WordPress and StudioPress Genesis. Over 60,000 online publishers have over 250,000 websites running on the Genesis Framework.

Top 2 reasons marketing professionals love StudioPress:

  1. unlimited everything
  2. outstanding forum support from 20+ helpful, and at least a couple of brilliant moderators

StudioPress Genesis Gives You Unlimited Everything

It was the “unlimited everything” that first grabbed my attention. Here’s what the StudioPress folks have written,

“Unlimited support. Unlimited updates. Unlimited websites. There’s no “Developer Option” here. One low price entitles you to unlimited support, updates, and domains.

You get unlimited support. Unlimited updates. Unlimited websites. There’s no “Developer Option” here. One low price entitles you to unlimited support, updates, and domains you can build on. If you’ve got multiple websites (or client projects), Genesis offers unparalleled value. And when you want answers to questions about your site, you want them now. That’s why we give you lifetime access to our world-class support team and forum. We’re here today and tomorrow, whenever you have a question.”

A few of the other, good, reasons to choose StudioPress Genesis:

  • state-of-the-art security (security expert and core WordPress developer Mark Jaquith made certain that StudioPress Genesis had the best security possible)
  • impressive SEO (by Greg Boser, partner and SVP of of search marketing powerhouse BlueGlass Interactive)
  • updating to the latest version is a snap, just click the button and you’re done
  • customizing your website is incredibly easy

“Child themes are the only way you should build your WordPress site on top of a framework, and Genesis has great support for child themes and other WordPress functionality.”
— Matt Mullenweg – Founder, WordPress

  • turn-key designs
  • multiple default layout options (examples – content/sidebar, sidebar/content, content/sidebar/sidebar, sidebar/content/sidebar, sidebar/sidebar/content, full width content)
  • powerful custom widgets
  • threaded comments and Gravatar integration
  • ad ready
  • fully internationalized

“Genesis lets me sleep easy. Knowing my blog is well optimized, secure and easy to update lets me get on with developing content, community and building a business from my blogging.”
— Darren Rowse – Founder, ProBlogger.net

“The Genesis Framework lets me focus on my business, not on design tweaks and SEO. It’s really easy to edit and adapt, and in the hands of a good designer, it really sings.”
— Chris Brogan – President, HB Works

The StudioPress Genesis team authored a terrific getting started guide they call ‘An Introductory Guide to the Genesis Design Framework’, click here to download the 44 page PDF.

Studiopress Genesis Introductory Design Guide

>> check out StudioPress

>> Genesis Framework

StudioPress is part of Copyblogger media.

StudioPress has an affiliate marketing program that pays commissions for the sale of the Genesis Framework and themes. It’s a terrific way to pay for your chosen themes and perhaps even earn a significant profit.

Filed Under: WordPress Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

BackupBuddy ICDSoft for WordPress Backup

2011/01/06 By 1 Comment

BackupBuddy ICDSoft

Do you have a WordPress blog or website? I’ll bet you’ve spent a lot of time selecting-customizing your WordPress theme, plugins, widgets and let’s not forget all the hours you’ve you spent composing and publishing your journal entries?

Q: “Have you backed everything up?”

WordPress backup doesn’t have to be complicated, painful and incomplete. Have you heard of BackupBuddy?

BackupBuddy is an all-in-one solution for WordPress backup, restore, and migration. It’s not a simple MySQL backup plugin, it’s a full backup for your theme, widgets, plugins and your whole WordPress package.

My story: I first heard about BackupBuddy on the Genesis Framework forum. When I visited the BackupBuddy website it was immediately clear that this, potentially very useful, time-saving, WordPress plugin has had major difficulties executing with GoDaddy hosting and apparently some significant hiccups with the Dreamhost servers. Unsurprisingly, the BackupBuddy folks have a suggestion, they recommend a specific web host, HostGator. Although I’m aware that HostGator has an excellent reputation and serves over 4,000,000 websites, I’ve been very satisfied with ICDSoft, for many years. ICDSoft has always been an incredibly reliable web host, has provided new-website setup info in a flash and has responded to all my questions lickety-split. I decided to contact both ICDSoft and BackupBuddy support before seriously considering implementing BackupBuddy. ICDSoft replied that their servers met the BackupBuddy requirements listed here. BackupBuddy support wrote, “We checked out the FAQ’s on BackUpBuddy and we can’t find anything that indicates any problems.”

My test: Install BackupBuddy on one of my websites.
Outcome: I was delighted to discover that BackupBuddy ICDSoft is a terrific combination for WordPress backup.

Bottom Line: BackupBuddy functions perfectly, for me, on the ICDSoft servers. I now have five WordPress sites backed up to the ICDSoft servers, to Amazon S3 and to my home computer.

>> Learn more about BackupBuddy

BackupBuddy Discount Coupons:

  • BBBIRTHDAY 30% off (expiring 20110312)

Note: ICDSoft quietly hosts over 100,000 domains. ICDSoft doesn’t have flashy marketing, in fact, they don’t even have a corporate sales force. They’re simply very reliable and always helpful. BTW, if you happen to have more than one website, ICDSoft offers terrific discounts.

>> check out ICDSoft

FYI, my setup: Mac OS X, Genesis Framework for WordPress and ICDSoft hosting.

Disclosure: BackupBuddy, Genesis, HostGator and ICDSoft are affiliate links.

Filed Under: WordPress Tagged With: , , ,

Catalyst Theme, a New Premium WordPress Theme

2010/11/12 By 2 Comments

Catalyst Theme logo

Do you have an online business? Have you been searching for a WordPress Premium Theme for your blog? If so, you’ve likely already discovered Thesis theme, Genesis Framework, Frugal theme, Headway theme and perhaps WooThemes’ Canvas theme. Does your head have room for a new addition to your theme prospect-list? There’s a new WordPress premium theme from the brilliant guys that developed the FrugalTheme, it’s called Catalyst.

Here are just a few Catalyst theme features:

  • rock solid search engine optimization (SEO)
  • clean, fast, efficient, HTML5 validating code that provides a powerful foundation for the ultimate WordPress website
  • the most comprehensive font control offered in a WordPress theme
  • full integration with the Google Font Library API
  • built-in image uploader
  • comprehensive documentation that’s built right into the theme options
  • two included child themes for different levels of design control
  • powerful import/export options (including the ability to export full blown child themes)
  • automatic updates (no more manually installing zip files every time a new version comes out)
  • unlimited custom layouts, custom widgets and custom hook boxes
  • tons of both coding & no-coding design options
  • a custom css building tool that writes custom code for you
  • a pure framework filled with custom hooks and filters
  • 4 custom widgets: excerpt widget, author bio widget, ad widget and a php text widget
  • new “outside of the box” page templates offering you more control when you need it
  • full WordPress 3.x compatibility

Screenshots:

Catalyst Theme SEO screenshot

Catalyst Theme Dynamik options

Catalyst Theme tooltips

Catalyst Theme CSS Builder

Catalyst Theme

There are two offerings, Catalyst Personal and Catalyst Professional, both offerings include:

  • Catalyst Theme: The core framework
  • Dynamik Child Theme: hundreds of design options, the Image Uploader and powerful Import/Export options
  • Basik Child Theme: If hundreds of design options is overwhelming, you’ll find Basik, with its limited design option set, more approachable
  • 20+ Importable Skins: Easily importable designs to get you started
  • Unlimited Members-Only Forum access
  • Catalyst updates for life.

Catalyst Personal $97 No restrictions on the number and location of installations. No more Client Site fees or footer credit restrictions. You just purchase the theme and then use it however you like.

Catalyst Professional $174

>> discover Catalyst, an amazing WordPress premium theme framework

Something New (20110118)

Catalyst Theme Cheat Sheet cover

It’s now easier than ever to put the Catalyst Theme to work for you. The Catalyst folks have just made The Catalyst Theme Cheat Sheet available to all Catalyst Users, completely free of charge. The Catalyst Theme Cheat Sheet is over 170 pages of great content, available as a downloadable PDF, designed to help you maximize the results you get when using the Catalyst Theme.

Filed Under: WordPress Tagged With: , , , , , ,