phil baumann › Likes

This is a WP emergency folks! Get on it! - Yolanda

did you upload everything? did you wipe out your plugins directory? try re-uploading everything. - tiffany

I was in the middle of the automatic upgrade and started getting errors that some file didn't exist. No problem, I'll just make it. So I did and now I'm getting another error. Right now, I'm trying to figure out how to update my database with the old database, but that's not working. - Admiral Anika

do you have phpmyadmin available? export the old DB. do a fresh install. import the old data. and in the future: NEVER EVER DO AN AUTOMATIC UPGRADE. i learned that the hard way. automatic upgrade is a special kind of borked that fails on enough systems that it should be yanked as a feature. FTP is the best way. - tiffany

The only time I've ever had a problem with AU is when I used the WP one. I use a plugin that's always worked for me. I do have phpmyadmin, but I don't know how to use these things. I think the last time I tried to install an old database I wound up with some templates. LOL - Admiral Anika

This page tells how to backup a WP database: http://codex.wordpress.org/Backing... How to restore one: http://codex.wordpress.org/Restori... - April Russo (app103)

April, I'm not even going to click that link. I read that page once last year and my brain turned to mush. LOL Why can't WPs codex pages be in plain English for me? At any rate, I've backed up my old database to phpmyadmin. Now, I'm moving my plugins. - Admiral Anika

Call IT - Santa CW™

Have to agree with the instructions being unreadable. And its not just WP. - Roberto Bonini

I use a plugin for doing automated backups - works well, sends it to gmail where it gets auto-archived and backed up 'in the cloud'. http://ilfilosofo.com/blog... - Andy Bold

Here is an easier to follow restore guide: http://www.tamba2.org.uk/wordpre... - April Russo (app103)

Thank you, April! Even though the restore is already done, this will come in handy for the future. - Admiral Anika

You have an offer for free hands-on help from a very trustworthy guy (I know him and he's ok). Contact Sri and tell him what the problem is: http://friendfeed.com/srikat - April Russo (app103)

I have never had a problem with automatic WP upgrades and I customize my install pretty heavily. Is everything working now? - Rahsheen ™, Coach Rah

i know a few WP users who have all had WP auto upgrades go wrong, myself included. that's why i stick to FTP upgrades. - tiffany

I can't even do an automatic if I wanted to. My web host has security sewed up so tight it would never work. - April Russo (app103)

Thanks for the tip, April. Tiffany, I agree WPs automatic updater sucks. That got me last year, so I use the plugin and no problems. I'm horrible with FTP upgrades. I always wind up with errors. I suck at this. - Admiral Anika

My Dashboard is whack after update. Anyone have this issue? - phil baumann from Android

I guess I'm lucky because I've never had an issue with the automatic upgrade. I'll file this info away for future reference, though. Sorry that's how your day got started, Anika! :-( - vicster is...

I need to upgrade MySQL to upgrade to WP2.9 so I've not done so yet. Sounds like I perhaps shouldn't. - Kol Tregaskes

I have heard that WP2.9 requires a minimum version of MySQL that not all hostings have. It's Ok, but WP Guys should have put a BIG warning upfront. I have heard of many many people running into troubles with this upgrade. - gibilix

Yeah, a big warning on the dashboard would have been ideal. So am I just screwed until my hosting company does the upgrade? - Admiral Anika

The min required mysql version is 4.2 or something right? Your host probably has higher versions available, just not on your box. Ask if they can move your account to a new server. Mysql's latest version is 5.1 or 5.2. - tiffany from Android

Don't have much time to help draft but will try -- and will certainly sign. - Bill Hooker

ditto Bill - Jean-Claude Bradley

ditto Bill, too - Graham Steel

Will be happy to contribute and carry work load. Would it be worthwhile to write an 'international' letter that could be forwarded to individual govts (a letter that would be put forward globally, and simultaneously, with signatures from around the world). - Kubke

Can look over drafts and do tinkering if it is useful...or just sign if it isn't - Cameron Neylon

Cool, I'll start something on Etherpad. - Mr. Gunn

question is: should we have 2 letters - one from US residents (whether citizens or whatever) and one from interested international folks? I don't know if they get sorted into different piles or what. - Christina Pikas

I dont see a need for two letters. The signatures could be separated into US scientists and international support. - Kubke

Writing now, noticing via Sigma Xi mailing list that there is a EU petition: https://epetitionen.bundestag.de/index... - Mr. Gunn

People generally hate change, which is one reason that popular products tend to stagnate. - Paul Buchheit

The tech press online isn't really worth listening to really. Users are like sheep as well, they'll eventually have to deal with it. Facebook has made mostly good changes to their product, although I do wish their privacy features were better - Itachi

It's kind of like America. When you're that big you get away with anything. - Eivind

Paul, people do generally hate change, but users just want the basic stuff to work and make sense. Whether it's Facebook, Twitter or Friendfeed, it's usually the big changes that make users grumble because all the little things that people actually use and need fixed are ignored. - Admiral Anika

The press does not matter - what the users think matters. - Dan Morrill AKA Techwag

Anika, if I take away a feature that 1% of people like but that needlessly complicates the product for 99% of people, I will only hear from the 1%. - Paul Buchheit

Take Facebook's Live Feed vs. New Feed. That's such a joke. It makes NO sense and naturally doesn't do as promised. We snark on that "feature" all the time. Big change, but completely useless. Meanwhile, we still have 2 different links to access our profiles on our pages and it's annoying because it's stupid and everyone wants it gone. - Admiral Anika

Agree the press does not matter... but most big companies think that press and image matters a lot. They than got caught up in not doing anything bold because they are afraid of someone or the other saying something about them. - Bindu Reddy

I suspect the changes in the interface cause people to drop out, either closing their accounts or just not using them anymore, especially people who don't use their accounts a great deal anyway. If you had to figure out where to put your car key in your car all the time you'd probably drive less. If you had to hunt around for you light switches all the time you'd likely spend more time... more... - SuezanneC Baskerville

SuezanneC I bet FB watches it's user stats like a hawk and does a lot of "experiments". Their usage seems to be going up not down. - Bindu Reddy

Overall usage going up doesn't mean people who don't like frequent interface changes aren't leaving or reducing their usage. A larger number of users may be great for facebook, but it doesn't do anything for those who quit it because they get tired of UI changes, policy changes, etc. every month. I've read reports of declining use by older folks, which I suspect might have some connection to frequent changes in the UI. - SuezanneC Baskerville

It's a net win for Facebook either way, because more people stay and are joining than are leaving. - Itachi

Suzanne, makes a great point. I have 102 friends on FB. Only about 24 of them are active, with about 6 more just feeding in their Twitter and blog streams. The other people who dropped it, all said it was because it was confusing to use, stupid to use, or annoying to use. They haven't deleted their accounts, but they only come back to post that they think Facebook is stupid. - Admiral Anika

There was an increase in the number of users when they stopped being a college person's club. Did that make it better? Or just bigger? I don't find the interface changes have made it any more fun for me to use. Of course, it's hard to judge; when I started it was fun partly because it was new to me; now it's old hat; the interface changes don't make people's posts any funnier or more interesting, and I got tired of playing the games. - SuezanneC Baskerville

Anika, compared to FB how many of your FF or Twitter friends are active. I find that many more ppl in my network are active on FB than on FF or twitter.... Your last comment about coming back to post that FB is stupid is pretty funny :))) - Bindu Reddy

I can't really gauge on FF because I can't remember who I'm following and I block people with abandon. On Twitter, it's easy (we were just talking about this the other day). Out of my 400 subscribers, 321 of them are active. The ones that are inactive are mostly companies, with only 17 people being inactive. As far as actual conversation goes on Twitter, it looks like there's about 150... more... - Admiral Anika

Getting the whale a lot today too. - SAM

I was getting a bad gateway in Tweetie, and I knew coming to Friendfeed would give me answers :) - Chris Brakebill from iPod

Without the firehose FriendFeed isn't as useful.... except in moments like these. - Jacob

Well howdy Robert--must be a NASTY Twitter failure... :-) - Rob Michael (Atmos Trio)

The oh-so-familiar-thought-you-were-on-holiday Fail Whale. Must be cyber monday thing. - Jeff Hurt

Twitter went down right as I was updating TweetDeck, so I guess I'll have to wait to find out how the new version works. - John (a.k.a. dendroica)

I am *so* sick of this screen. - See-ming Lee 李思明 SML

A harrowing 21 minutes. - Rob Michael (Atmos Trio)

Me too John! The anticipation is - well, it's not killing me actually. - Call me Bronco

Just figured-out the Lists function in the new Tweetdeck--Now, lists are all gone--sorry everyone. I broke it. - Rob Michael (Atmos Trio)

How do you sync your old tweetdeck groups and make them lists? - Amani

Amani--when you DL new version of TweetDeck included are video tutorials on how to do that. - Rob Michael (Atmos Trio)

Hmmm ... so now when we add people to lists while using Tweetdeck, do we do it within Tweetdeck or the web version? - Amani

Both/ either - Rob Michael (Atmos Trio)

and it automatically syncs? - Amani from IM

like magic - Rob Michael (Atmos Trio)

there is no sync--tweetdeck is adding to twitter's lists directly. - Rob Michael (Atmos Trio)

Wow - it did work like magic.Thanks. How do we add our geo-location? - Amani

will it be kind of unusual and odd and personal and weird and such? if so, I'm in :) - Halit Okumus

What Akiva said. - Rochelle

Halit, I don't think I could do anything without it being unusual and odd and personal and weird and such. - joey

Me, please. :) - Alix Whitmire

i'm pleased to meet you, too:) i'd like to follow you then - Halit Okumus

Okay, it is http://friendfeed.com/joeybea.... This may not have been the best idea. Could I have set up another feed for this without a new account? - joey

OMG I'M NOT SUBSCRIBED TO MYSELF. HOW RUDE. - joey

LOL.. yes rule one of having multiple accounts.. Make sure you are subbed to the others. Even the hidden ones you use to stalk others.. wait.. umm forget that.. - Santa CW™

Haha. It's a pain to log in and out. I'm awesome with my half-baked ideas. - joey

One browser per account. - s t e v e

Ah, good call, Steve. - joey

I would love to follow along, if'in you don't mind! :-) - vicster is...

Okay, anyone who wants to follow can request a subscription and I will approve you when I log into that feed. http://friendfeed.com/joeybea... - joey

Subscription requested! =) - Beau Liening

Cool, joey! - Ayşe E.

I'll play! - MaryB, BrandingBroadOfFF

I'm interested. - Anne Bouey

There was http://www.fuckedcompany.com/ that chronicled failures. Highly entertaining until your company shows up on the list :-) I think in the valley we hear a lot more about the failures because our friends are part of them. Lots of companies nobody knows about go under, but I just think we have a different attitude, as in on to the next opportunity. - Todd Hoff

Yes TC only highlights big failures and I would even say not that many... When you fail you don't tell anyone. So the chance than anyone knows about it is also very little. Also ppl don't take pleasure in announcing other people's failures either. So overall failures are much less reported than successes. Even in families I hear a lot more "good news" like pregnancies and lot less "bad news" like miscarriages - Bindu Reddy

Many of what are considered failures in Silicon Valley were just part of the evolution of technology. One thing builds on another, and although some companies might be winners for a time, they leveraged lots of work done at companies that weren't as rewarded in the press and financial markets. (E.g. Xerox Parc, mid-80s Apple, DEC, Sun, NeXT, General Magic, WebTV, Danger, Be, Catapult,... more... - Cristo

Cristo, the answer is yes. And are you saying it is too late for General Magic to make a comeback? - Louis Gray

Louis, it becomes much harder to make a comeback after you no longer exist: http://news.cnet.com/2100-10... :) - Cristo

And I disagree with you on the music question. Without that music, you wouldn't have most of the music people listen to today. And I still find music from those eras to often be more pure, genius, and enjoyable to much of the music today. - Cristo

In case people don't know, iPhone and Android would be very different without General Magic, and quite possibly, wouldn't exist at all. - Cristo

Oh no! My GMGC stock! Worthless! (cries) - Louis Gray

LOL. I sold mine at $17, I think. - Cristo

Agree with you Cristo that failures also contribute to advancing technology forward. So I am not saying failure is all bad. I am saying would the valley be so optimistic and would you see as many start-ups if we heard about all the failures.. big and small - Bindu Reddy

You're so right Bindu- there's this kind of invisible culture of failures down in SV too. But it's depressing, just like the news not reporting all of the violence/crime, it's not seen as newsworthy. - anna sauce

I don't find failures depressing. Either they made a contribution to the field of technology, or they didn't. If they did, then their ideas will live on in other products and companies. If they didn't, then it's good to weed out the bad ideas and business plans. What depresses me is when marginal stuff succeeds wildly, and then the early people in those companies suddenly think they are geniuses. - Cristo

If you work your ass of for 4 years and your company dies, that's depressing. Other people's failures, not so depressing :-) - Todd Hoff

Todd, I've worked my ass off for years on both projects that succeeded and failed. Once it's over, I generally don't feel depressed, I just move on to the next thing. Failure can be the door that allows you to move on. :) - Cristo

If failure is what made you move then you probably didn't really move on. - Todd Hoff

Not sure I understand. Can you clarify? - Cristo

The decision was made for you. If you would have recognized the failure and made a conscious decision to leave before then you would have learned something by internalizing it and acting. As it stands you could just walk away, which requires a lot less of you. It's the difference between cutting a knot with a sword and untying it for yourself. - Todd Hoff

Oh, okay. I've usually left a project before the lights were turned out. There was only one (my own) where we had to shut it down ourselves, and even there, it seems to keep popping back up every few years. - Cristo

The Silicon Valley tends to be optimistic, but I don't think it's because we don't hear about failures. In general, the Valley treats failures as learning opportunities and not as career-ending disasters; we understand that failures are to be expected when on the cutting edge. - Tudor Bosman

And Tudor, wouldn't you say there's a lot of subjectiveness in classifying failures? E.g. some people think acquisitions are failures compared to IPOs. - Cristo

the question to ask is - is it newsworthy? how many people does it affect? would people care? a successful business makes more of an impact than a failed business, plus failed businesses are so common you might as well create a classifieds section - Loc

My neighbors have about a gazillion plastic candy canes in their yard. - Junebug (aka Sarah Jill)

People near my daughter's house must have fallen out of the Tacky Tree and hit every branch on the way down. Eep. - Morgan Haley

LOL There is a house in a town just north of where I live that decorates for every holiday with lights and lawn ornaments. I'm astounded that there is that much out there for things like Arbor Day and Grandparents Day and Dingle Day. - Junebug (aka Sarah Jill)

I don't mind the tackiness of most Christmas decorations (and enjoy some of them), but I draw the line at inflatable lawn ornaments. - John (a.k.a. dendroica)

I watched a lady decorate her house today. Everything stops about 5.5 above the ground? Why? Because that's how high she can reach and she didn't feel like using the ladder next to her. I can't wait to drive by at night to see what that looks like. - Admiral Anika

Ah, John, but it's so much fun seeing Dead Santa in the morning, since those inflatables deflate so frequently (at least where I've seen them). - Walt Crawford

Maybe it's all down to the weather making me depressed. ;-) - Kol Tregaskes

I would, however, like to control the tweets, at least. For example, I'd like to filter out @replies from my Twitter feed. I'd also like to have an option to filter GReader shares to FF too. I'd like a few to appear but not all - but still like to share them on GReader. But that kinda need a little tick box on GReader methinks. - Kol Tregaskes

Anyway, signing off for another day. Bye all! - Kol Tregaskes

I think it's happening to all of us. =) - Shevonne

still here. - Mike Nencetti

FF is getting seasonal affective disorder. - Joe Silence is not Santa

I read that others have not noticed any change. So wondering if it is happening to everyone or that there are other factors at work here. - Kol Tregaskes

I have talked to others who have noticed a difference. Maybe it's the type of posts. Not really sure why - Shevonne

Shevonne, neither I'm I. At first I thought there was no change but I'm kinda seeing it now. :-( - Kol Tregaskes

There are many old users who posted frequently who haven't posted in a long time, like directeur, vijay, and CeeBee. I've been phasing out as well... - Itachi

i still post, but i seem to be turning invisible. no one seems to see my posts til days or weeks later and THEN i get comments and likes. - Joe Silence is not Santa

I've cut back the amount of feeds I follow and rely a lot on a couple of Best of pages (be it a 75-item page) but I've had to as I'm hardly here during the week due to work. Ah, bring back those days of working from home. ;-) - Kol Tregaskes

Good night all! - Kol Tregaskes

...year-end crush at work, holiday planning, family obligation around holidays, travel, that sort of stuff... maybe FF is seasonal. there's a lot things going on offline at this time of year... - .LAG liked that

I'm still here - life has been getting in the way of FF - I tried facebook but don't like it at all so ... night Kol :D - martha

It's the holiday season, and more people are having "transgressions". :) - Steve