Summaries and Customer Reviews are supplied by Amazon.com

Professional blog designer Lisa Sabin-Wilson shows you how to use all the latest upgrades to WordPress 2.5 and helps you decide whether to use the Wordpress.com hosted service or self-host your blog with WordPress.org. Whether you’re just venturing into the blogosphere or you want to shift an existing blog to WordPress, WordPress For Dummies, 2nd Edition will help.

• Explore theme development and learn where to find free WordPress themes
• Extend WordPress through plug-ins, CSS, custom fields, and more
• Find out about archiving, interacting with readers through comments, tracking back, and handling spam
• Get the scoop on domain registration, Web hosting providers, basic tools like FTP, and more
• Create a unique blog theme and presentation by using template tags with CSS
• Sign up for WordPress.com, log in, set options, and create a profile
• Install WordPress.org, set up a MySQL database, explore RSS feeds, and organize a blogroll
• Discover the secrets of creating a blog that draws readers
• Get tips on wonderful widgets, upgrades, and plugins you can add to make your blog extra cool
• Learn how to use the Dashboard, manage comments, and make permalinks work with your Web server

With WordPress For Dummies, 2nd Edition on hand, it’s easy to make the most of the free software and build a blog that stands out in a crowd.

Average Customer Rating:

The Most Excellent Service of Amazon	Customer Rating:
Options, selection, comparison, preview, quick shipping, feedback, follow up, more new options, . . . Amazon rocks the shopping world!

A very helpful introduction to WordPress	Customer Rating:
I'm starting to build a website for a campus organization, and WordPress for Dummies has helped me know what needs to be done and how to do it. It's step-by-step instructions are a boon when you're doing your own webmastering!

Made my move to self-hosting SO easy!

Customer Rating:

When I first thought about moving to self-hosting and using Wordpress.org, I also thought a plugin was what connected my laptop to the wall. I bought Wordpress For Dummies specifically because I wanted guidance on moving to Wordpress.org platform for self-hosting. This meant that the first part of the book (about Wordpress.com, how to start blogging, etc.) was largely ignored, but the part I needed was superb and well worth the cost of the entire book. For a detailed story on how this book helped me make my move to Wordpress.org, see my blog post at http://shesgotbaggage.net/2008/10/done-woo/ Overall, I am very happy with this book. It gives great step-by-step instructions and wonderful recommendations for places to find themes, plugins, FTP, and so on, all of which have worked very well for me. If you need help getting set up with self-hosting and you want to use the Wordpress.org platform (which I also HIGHLY recommend for its functionality), Wordpress for dummies will get you there quickly and painlessly. Rebekah http://shesgotbaggage.net

Don't bother with this book

Customer Rating:

Wordpress is not really an easy to use platform for people who know little to nothing about php or code. So, I got this book to get some help with the more complicated aspects of wordpress. To my amazement, this book does not shed any light on things like 1.) how to redirect a domain name I already own to my wordpress domain name 2.) How to change the code directly in the wordpress stylsheet to adjust my theme 3.) How to correct 404 errors etc.., the list goes on. This book focuses on the things you can figure out for yourself! I don't need to know how to edit a post, that's fairly intuitive. I needed this book to help me with the meat and potatoes of the wordpress platform and this book failed miserably at that. In addition, it's jumbled and hard to follow. Listen, don't waste your money, just google for helpful hints.

Good Beginner Book	Customer Rating:
This is a good book if you have never used WordPress before. Not much info for advanced use.