To edit Wordpress core code or use various plugins

[Fallen Hero]

Spent the last few weeks trying out various CMS's in order to get a website up. Also looked at static HTML website route but for me I think CMS is the way to go.

So having settled on 2 few front runners for now, WordPress, Cement5, Im finding the more I learn about each one the more questions I'm asking and it's getting so I'm spending more time researching than doing. Spent most time on WordPress and have had a few test sites that I've put up and played about with. So a few questions if I may.

1 I want to go website and not Blog. Have made the basic settings re static page and turned off comments etc, so pages look clean. Thing is when I do a "search" and along with test content, I get name of (me) who put up the content, and a meta tag "login" that I do not wish to show! I have changed user name from admin but having the new name show up seems to defeat the change of name in first place if that makes sense? Best way to prevent this info on screen please?

2 Have edited footer.php code to remover "Powered By" and am getting to grips with altering other codes. Question is it better to go this route or use plugins? Do pluging make my site less secure but more easily upgradeable via auto upgrade, or is it better to bite the bullet on this and just re edit the code each time I upgrade?

3. Theme? I'm using default theme as I like it and think it will make the site more secure and upgrades won't break anything. Also don't want back links from free themes or worse still any malicious code inserted. I have played with background colours so it doesn't now still look out the box flavour. Is my reasoning sound here?

4 Cement5 seems to offer me a non blog solution, but once again the more research I do the more questions gets raised on this software, Seems very hard to find a review that hasn't started on the home site itself or written by someone trying to push pay for use add ons. Also is there a speed issue with Cement5?

Sorry about all the questions but having read and read page after page on official and other sites, I though I would actually ask my first questions here that may get me a more balanced response.

Thanks

 

[Xanth]

Hi there,

Whereas I am no expert I do use WordPress for some secure content websites so will try and answer a few things.

1. When you set-up WordPress, make a new user giving them full administration rights and then delete the admin account or just do not make it 'admin' when you make the account. I use a separate account from my login to post news to the website also which only has just enough privileges to edit posts.

I may be wrong but only meta words that show should be ones you added to your posts, if that is the case remove the 'login' in editing the post section to clear that otherwise no idea sorry.

The default theme I do not think allows the option of hiding the posters name, but you may be able to turn it off in settings (not able to look at my websites right now) or as I said, a separate user to post information so someone does not see the administrator back end name.

2. Use Secure WordPress (should be able to find it else I can link it) which will give you options to hide WordPress version etc and allow you to monitor connections etc. You can also get LoginLock I think it is called to limit your IP Address to the back end only.

3. With themes you can purchase a 'structure' which basically gives you a plain looking layout you then have freedom to modify into your theme, also allows you to learn how to code them. I use premium themes or build my own and unless you are renaming your theme folder (ensure default is picked first and edit the themes style.css file to the new folder name before activating) someone can easily view the code to see which theme it is, where its from etc but plugins can solve this issue as above.

4. I do not use or even heard of Cement5 but I set my blogs up with static pages and then use pagenavi (does not work with the default theme I believe) as a menu setting in my custom/premium theme to add category to the navigation bar to show news elsewhere.

Sorry if that's confusing, busy day! I'll help if I can further.

 

[Staffy]

I wouldn't change the core of any CMS or if you have to then make a note of everything you've changed ready for when upgrades come out.

Modxcms good for small to medium based sites, well optimised out of the box and dead easy to modify.

Impress cms: very good plus lots of decent community management options.

Alternately code your own simple one using one of the template classes.

 

[RoyMi6]

In WordPress anything under the wp-content folder is user generated / user editable content.

The changes you've made have not edited the "core" WordPress files. You've just edited one of the default template files that come with a standard WordPress installation to get you started.

For you, as a beginner, anything under the wp-content/themes/ folder is pretty much free rein and editing the files you find under there is fine. You are fine to edit the footer.php to remove the WordPress version (which can be done with plugins) and also you are fine to edit presumably archive.php to remove the author name appearing next to your posts.

If you want to get slightly more technical with your editing of themes you can create "child themes". A child theme is just as it sounds, you have a parent theme (say Twenty Twelve, one of the default themes) and your theme will use all it's files. You can then create files under your own theme that replace the parent themes files.

So say you just want to change the footer. You copy the footer file and make your changes under your own theme folder. Your theme will just have this one file and will use all the other files from the parent theme.

More about child themes: http://codex.wordpress.org/Child_Themes

 

[8t10]

You can also get LoginLock I think it is called to limit your IP Address to the back end only.

Login Lockdown.

 

[Xanth]

Login Lockdown.

Aye that is the one, thanks.

 

[Fallen Hero]

Guys, thanks for the replies and info.

Am now putting into practice your advice. Going to run with Wordpress as it does seem the most user friendly for a new learner like me and can get the job done.

Just going down the road of trying to make it more secure by moving the wp-config.php file outside web root folder. Actually not sure if I have put it in the right place. Have put it in same dir as the cgi-bin but it does work?

Decided not to fiddle with core of the CMS. So if I use plugins, what is a reasonable amount to use before the site starts to get slow? Can that be answered or does it depend on how big the plugin is?

Will be looking at buying a premium theme. Are these paid for themes effected by upgrades?

 

[Staffy]

Number of plugins depends not on there size but on what they do and how they do it. Also how well they are written/optimised.

Commercial themes are normally updated if it needs doing when WP releases one.

Decide on your theme first as some of them have there own plugins to do certain things.

Also ensure any themes or plugins that are not being used are deleted, not disabled.

 

[Staffy]

If you are concerned with WP security then take a look at this script/page works pretty well. http://perishablepress.com/5g-firewall-beta/