May 12, 2016 — Revelations like Edward Snowden’s about NSA spying, and Google’s announcement that it will begin considering a site’s HTTPS status in its rankings, led to a lot of talk about moving websites to secure connections. Similarly, the rise in ecommerce, and the simplicity with which one can accept payments online, has increased the need for sites to be available securely. With so much terminology that’s likely new, often very similar, and rarely more than a stream of initialisms, this entire discussion can be very intimidating. I’ll clarify basic terminology, offer some reasons why it’s worthwhile to secure a site whenever possible, and share several solutions to cover everything from simple to enterprise needs.

While securing a site can be intimidating at first, the recent introduction of Let’s Encrypt (https://letsencrypt.org/) significantly simplifies the process for most sites. Many hosts have introduced support for this service, which I’ll discuss before delving into options for sites and circumstances that aren’t suited to Let’s Encrypt.

November 3, 2014 — Lighting Talk:
I’ll highlight the major steps in WordPress’ loading process and shed some light on the various APIs used. You’ll leave with enough understanding to dig into WordPress Core for greater detail and a better comprehension of how its many APIs work together.

July 7, 2013 — This presentation discusses the true power behind WordPress’ roles and capabilities system, map_meta_cap. Starting with an overview of how it relates to the system as a whole, then some real-world examples to demonstrate how the map_meta_cap function and filter can be properly used to fully leverage WordPress’ capabilities system.

Presentation Slides »

July 2, 2013 — WordPress’ roles seem simple enough on the surface, but behind the Administrator, Editor, and the other default roles is a powerful system that can be customized extensively. While some have said that other CMS’ have an advantage when it comes to security and customizing capabilities, this presentation demonstrates that that isn’t true.

Presentation Slides »

February 13, 2013 — Erick Hitter walks through the process WordPress undertakes when your site is accessed, how the permalinks are translated to database query that ultimately delivers the content. He also sheds light on the various APIs used & how these APIs work together to make the software function.

Presentation Slides »

December 2, 2012 — Erick Hitter goes in-depth on the roles that control user accounts in WordPress, the various capabilities given to each role, as well as how behind the Administrator, Editor, and the other default roles is a powerful system that can be customized extensively.

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August 14, 2012

March 4, 2012