One especially interesting aspect of the Missing Manual is its thorough description of commenting—how to monitor a discussion, filter out spam, and otherwise manage comments. This is an often overlooked issue that can present a challenge for the novice. MacDonald leads readers through the “life cycle” of a comment, from creation to publication. He also guides readers through various moderation options, and how one can manage comments through mobile devices or the WordPress dashboard. For anyone who has been inundated with comments on his or her blog, this is a crucial issue.
While novice users will find WordPress: The Missing Manual invaluable, experienced designers may deem it too repetitive. The last two chapters address what he calls “advanced” issues, such as editing the code of a theme or setting up an e-commerce site. Those wanting to learn CSS may want to look elsewhere, as MacDonald clearly targets newcomers to WordPress. However, if an expert wants a easy reference tool, this book serves that purpose well.
To achieve maximum results from WordPress: The Missing Manual, read only the sections you need when you require them. The sheer amount of information MacDonald covers would intimidate novices and possibly deter them from using the blogging platform. Through organization and the easy-to-read tabs on the pages' edges—enabling the reader to skip directly to specific parts of the book—MacDonald provides readers with all the basics of WordPress in one convenient package.
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