Online Tools

The Domain Name System (DNS) is like the ancient boiler in the building basement. Everyone knows it does something important but only the building Super ought to mess with it.Still, there are things that every website owner should know about DNS. The first is the difference between DNS and domain registration. Domain registration is the process by which you reserve a domain name (like webdancers.com) for your own use. DNS is the system for directing requests for that domain name to the … [Read more...] about What little you need to know about DNS

No website is an island (with apologies to John Donne). Even the most basic informational site may have good reason to share data with other applications. When a visitor adds their address to your mailing list or pays for a purchase in your online store, the “inter” part of the internet allows it to happen.You don’t need to know how to program these connections but it’s worth understanding the basics of how your site communicates with outside services.Computer programs communicate with … [Read more...] about How your website shares data

If all went according to plan, WordPress version 5.0 was released yesterday. This version includes the new Gutenberg editor that I wrote about back in July. This completely redesigned editor has been the source of much controversy in the WordPress community. Those using it will need to learn an entirely new way of managing content on their sites, using a block oriented drag-and-drop system. What to expect If you go to your WordPress site as soon as 5.0 is released you’ll immediately notice…no … [Read more...] about Gutenberg is here – what now?

Lately I’ve been walking to work. This is part of a big lifestyle change for me and my family. After 24 years of living about 12 miles above the small town of Sonora, CA, we’ve moved downtown, within walking distance of WorkPlace Sonora, the coworking center where I have a desk. I carry all of the work tools that I need for the day in a messenger bag for the 1.2 mile round trip and I thought its contents might be of interest.Nekteck 45W USB-C Charger. I’m new to USB-C devices and I … [Read more...] about What’s In My Bag

Over the past several years, Webdancers has specialized in building websites using the WordPress content management system. This excellent software controls the functionality, the way the websites look and how we enter content. And we’re in good company, as 31% of all websites use WordPress, according to W3Techs Web Technology Survey.Probably the most often used component of WordPress is the editor, where pages and posts are composed. From the beginning, WordPress has used a software … [Read more...] about Here Comes Gutenberg

Webdancers clients who spend time in their WordPress admin area may have noticed a new type of widget appearing under Appearance > Widgets, called the "Classic Text Widget". The addition of this widget was necessitated by a change in the behavior of the native "Text Widget" in WordPress 4.8. If you want to stop reading here, just use the Classic Text Widget in the same way as you used the old Text Widget and all will be well. For the full story, read on.Since the very early days of … [Read more...] about What’s a “Classic Text Widget”?

With the release of Chrome 53, Google made a small but important change in the information it makes available to users about the websites that they visit. It’s all part of Google’s push to encourage website owners to secure their websites using HTTPS. In the near future, secure websites will also be faster than insecure sites, a key metric for Google.Prior to Chrome 53, secure sites displayed the familiar padlock icon next to the URL in the address bar. Insecure sites showed no icon. Now, … [Read more...] about Google is pushing for a more secure web

All WordPress sites under Webdancers management have been updated to the latest and greatest version, 4.6 "Pepper". Here are some of the new features to enjoy:Streamlined updates. Don’t lose your place: stay on the same page while you update, install, and delete your plugins and themes. Native fonts. The WordPress dashboard now takes advantage of the fonts you already have, making it load faster and letting you feel more at home on whatever device you use. Inline link checker. Ever … [Read more...] about WordPress Update to 4.6

Images are an extremely important component of website design. They communicate ideas in ways that text can’t. They also provide places for the eyes to rest and focus. Without them, most people have a hard time maintaining their interest in all of the information being presented. So, given their importance, what do you need to know about the mechanics of website images? Vector vs. raster Vector images are not commonly used directly in web pages. These images are comprised of lines, curves and … [Read more...] about Website Images Explained