Wordpress’s New Editor: Gutenberg

Johannes Gutenberg
 (Public domain image in the US.)

A new version of Wordpress, version 5, will become available during the next few months.  An official release date has not been announced. Version 5 will include a new editor, called Gutenberg. This means that the way you update/create website pages and posts will change. Gutenberg is a little different from the current editor, but it's pretty intuitive.

You can find some introductory information about Gutenberg on YouTube and WordPress.org. (This has a Gutenberg live demo you can play with.)

Once your website converts to Wordpress 5, Gutenberg will be the default editor, but the "classic" editor will still be available for you to use.

If you want to try out Gutenberg you can currently install the Gutenberg plug-in on your Wordpress site. Or convert at a later date by installing the "classic" editor plug-in to avoid the conversion when Wordpress 5 is installed.

Gutenberg has a new function called "Convert to Blocks". At this time, unless you have received training with the Gutenberg process, we suggest you do not use this new functionality because it will change the layout of the web page you are editing.

Turn Off Adobe Flash

About a year ago I disabled Adobe Flash on my browser.  At the time I was having problems with the product, it was causing my browser to lock-up, so in frustration I just turned it off.  To my surprise I started enjoying my internet experience a little more.   

The first thing I noticed was how many ads disappeared.  Any ad requiring flash was now displayed as a black rectangle.  The constant barrage of internet advertising became a little less annoying.  Also, by eliminating the need to load bulky flash modules, some web pages displayed faster.  But what I was really hoping to achieve did happen, my browser became more stable, it locked-up less frequently and just ran more smoothly. One additional factor that I had not considered was that by disabling Flash my PC became less vulnerable to Flash-based malware attacks.

Some people might ask, don’t you miss the flashy graphics and videos.  No, I do not.  Most animation is so poorly designed it is more annoying than interesting. I can still play the videos if I want to, but now it is my choice to make.

Most browsers have a setting to deactivate Flash, that still allows you the option to activate it in specific situations.   

On Firefox this option is called “Ask to Activate”.   “Ask to Activate” deactivates Flash, but allows you to turn on Flash for specific pages and your browser will remember to use Flash on these pages or you can turn Flash on for a page just for that one time.   Click TOOLS > ADD ONS > PLUGINS: Set Shockwave Flash to “Ask to Activate”.  Now whenever Firefox displays a page containing Flash a prompt will appear asking if you want to activate Flash.

For Internet Explorer the best way to turn off Flash is by turning on ActiveX Filtering. Since Flash uses ActiveX this allows you to control when Flash is invoked.   In the upper right corner of your browser click the gear icon > SAFETY > FILTERING ACTIVEX.   Now you'll see a circle with a line though it in the address field of your browser.  Just click this circle if you want to activate Flash on any web page.

Native Chrome does not provide the fine level of control over Flash like Firefox and IE.  The best way to control Flash on Chrome is by using an extension like FlashControl. The extensions are usually free from the Chrome Webstore.


Flash is not a bad product, but now you have the choice of when to use it.   Best of luck...

How To Find Pictures For Your Blog or Social Media Posts

When someone creates an image they have the right to control how that image is used. For example they might say "For non-commercial reuse",  which means you can use the image but not for any business purpose, or they might say "For reuse with modification" ie. you can use the image for commercial purposes and you can modify the image.

Google now supports searching for images based on usage rights. Please follow the steps outlined below;
     1. Type your search keywords in the Google search box & click the search button (the magnifying glass)
     2. Click the Images link
     3. Click the Search Tools link
     4. Click the Usage Rights link 
     5. Select the Usage Rights, from the drop-down, that are appropriate for your situation

10 1/2 Commandments for Entrepreneurs

(with apologies to Adam Savage)

1. You have work to do.  Get it done now. 
As an entrepreneur you have no one else but yourself to rely on to get your work done.  There is no perfect time. There will always be issues. Just get it done.

2. Do something useful.
You and your business should help people.  If you are not helping people, maybe you should rethink your plan.

3. Keep your word.
If you make commitments, fulfill your commitments. Your reputation matters.

4. Treat people well.
Whether they are clients, employees, partners, family or friends, treat people with care.

5. Ask for help, advice & feedback.
Guess what?  You don't know everything.  Asking for help is a faster path to better solutions.

6. Help other entrepreneurs.  Share what you know.  Freely give support.
Whether its karma, Givers Gain or whatever, help other entrepreneurs to succeed.  It will make you feel better.

7. Don't get discouraged. 
Running a business is hard work.  It takes a long time to succeed and you will make mistakes. It's all part of the process of succeeding.

8. Be as precise as necessary, but not more than necessary.
Being precise is good. Being overly precise for the situation costs you time and money.

9. Practice your craft
You may be good at what you do, but I bet you can be even better with more practice, more study, more experience.

10. Every once in a while take a break and think about where you're going. 
I know you're busy and the swamp is full of alligators, but you'll have a better chance of reaching a good place if you take a moment to get your bearings and think about where you want to go.

10 1/2. Laugh
Laugh for any reason or for no reason at all.  Just laugh.  Laughter cures a lot of problems.