What is WordPress?
WordPress, or more specifically WordPress MU (Multi-User), is a Web editing platform used at Lafayette to make the creation and management of Web sites a relatively simple task. WordPress is an open-source blogging platform that has evolved over the last few years to include the option to host sites with individual pages and not just blog entries.
How do I get a WordPress site?
Complete the Web request form and you’ll have a WordPress account created within 72 hours. The type of site you request (e.g., departmental vs. personal) will determine where your site will be hosted; Lafayette is running two instances of WordPress MU — one for offices and departments, and another for organizations and personal sites.
Where and how do I log in?
Log in using your Lafayette NetID at one of the following locations, which depends on the type of site you have:
- For department and office sites, log in at http://forge.lafayette.edu
- For organization and personal sites, log in at http://sites.lafayette.edu
How do I change my site title?
You can change your site title in the General Settings of your site.
How do I make my site look different?
WordPress uses themes to create a unique look and feel. Currently a few themes are available sites.lafayette.edu, some of which can be customized. Themes are available by visiting the Appearance section of your site’s admin area. All sites on forge.lafayette.edu use the same custom WordPress theme.
How do I deal with issues of privacy?
WordPress allows you the option to make your entire site public, restricted to a limited number of people affiliated with Lafayette, or restricted to site administrators only. By default, new websites are only accessible by members of the site (such as the administrator). You can change your site-wide privacy settings in the Privacy section of your site Settings.
What's the difference between writing a page and writing a post?
A page is used for more permanent content that may be updated over time but remains largely the same such as and “About Us” page. Posts are more commonly referred to as blog entries and can be categorized and tagged whereas pages cannot. Frequently updated content such as news about your organization or yourself would be most appropriately written as posts, whereas information that rarely changes, like directions to your campus location, makes more sense created as a page.
What are comments and how do I manage them?
Comments allow for interaction on your site. Both pages and posts support the option to allow for comments. You can choose to allow people to comment on your site’s pages or posts with their comments posted immediately and live to your site, or you can choose to moderate people’s comments.
What's an RSS feed and why should I care?
RSS stands for “Really Simple Syndication” and allows you to subscribe to new content produced on other Web sites. A simple example for using an RSS feed on your own site would be to feature the top headlines from a news site such as the New York Times. Placing RSS feeds on your site can help direct your visitors to content that you think might be of interest to them.
How do I upload a document and place it into a page or post?
All uploaded files are stored in your site’s “Media Library,” which allows you to store images, videos, and a number of common document types (PDFs, Excel and Word documents, etc.). You can easily link to files using the “Add Media” toolbar.
How do I upload an image and place it in a page or post?
All uploaded files are stored in your site’s “Media Library,” which allows you to store images, videos, and a number of common document types (PDFs, Excel and Word documents, etc.). You can easily insert images using the “Add Media” toolbar.
Can I embed items from other sites, such as YouTube videos?
Yes. WordPress natively allows you to embed YouTube, Hulu, Flickr, and some other video hosting site content.
Do I have a storage quota for images, documents, etc. on my site?
Yes. The total file storage quota is 500MB; no individual file can be larger than 50MB. Large images should be resized to a smaller dimension and videos can be uploaded to media.lafayette.edu and embedded using these instructions.
Is there a limit on the size of my file uploads?
Yes. File sizes must be less than 50MB per upload.
How do I change my site's home page to be a static page rather than a list of blog entries?
You can reallocate your site’s home page in the Reading settings of your site.
What are widgets?
Widgets allow you to display features in your sidebar such as a calendar, a search box, a tag cloud, or RSS feeds from other sites.