In this guide I will show you how to create an additional user account in the latest version of WordPress.

Note: Depending on the role you choose while creating the account, the user may be a subscriber, a contributing writer or a full-blown admin, so choose wisely.

Software/Hardware used: WordPress 3.

1. Log in to the WordPress Dashboard.

2. Once logged in click the Users menu button on the navigation pane to the left.

3. You can click the Add New button or the Add New submenu link under Users. Either one will take you to the Add New User page.

Fill our the Add New User form and make sure to choose a difficult password and write it down.

A. If you are creating the account for someone else it may be a good idea to check Send this password to the new user by email.

This is also a great option if you would like to store the password in your email account for future reference.

B. Choose the new user’s role from the list.

4. Click Add New User when you are done.

Once the user is added, it will appear in the Users list along with other WordPress users.

If you have any comments or questions please use the comments form below.

First, you need a web host that will host your files on the web, second you will need a domain name (www.yoursite.com) and third you will need a MySQL database.

This guide is focused on the third step, setting up a MySQL database for your site with 1&1 hosting.

Note: 1&1 Dedicated Managed Hosting was used for the screenshots below, but instructions should apply to virtual and shared hosting using 1&1′s control panel.

Setup MySQL Database in 1&1 Hosting

The guide below assumes that you already have a hosting package and have administrative privileges.

1. After you sign-in to the 1&1 Control Panel, click on MySQL Administration in the Domains & Webspace box.

2. A listing of all the MySQL database should appear. If you don’t have any databases in your account, the list will be empty.

Click on the New Database button to create your first database.

Note from 1&1:

• It is not recommended that MySQL databases be used for log evaluation operations, ad clicks, chat systems, banner rotations, or similar applications. This will create a load on the server which will greatly inhibit the ability for backups of your data to be created as well as possibly cripple your server.
• Your MySQL databases are stored behind a firewall to protect your data. You can only access each one exclusively through your server. Direct access to your MySQL databases using a home PC (external ODBC connection) cannot be established.
• For Managed Server packages, there is no quota on storage space. This means that the storage space available for your MySQL database depends on the size of your hard disk space.

The Admin function gives you unrestricted access to your MySQL databases. Any changes made using this interface cannot be rolled back. Deleting entries in forum (ex. phpBB), guest book or similar applications should only be made using the administrative functions of the particular application.

Databases created will run MySQL version 5, version 4 is no longer supported.

Name the Database

Enter a description and passwords for the new database. Make sure to include the website/application the database will be used for.

Also make sure to use a complex password to protect the database.

3. When you are ready, click Set Up to begin the database setup process.

A. Write down or copy the database information in a safe place.

4. Click on Overview to see the status of the database.

Databases usually take a couple of minutes to be ready. Once the database is in the Ready status you will be able to use it with the CMS that requires it.

If you have any comments or questions please use the comments below.

The Meta widget I’m referring to is one of the default widgets that you will find on the sidebar in a default WordPress installation.

In this guide I will show you how to sign in to your WordPress site using the widget and the Dashboard link.

How to Log In to WordPress

1. Point your browser to your WordPress website Home Page.

2. Locate the Meta widget in one of the widget areas of your website and click the Log in link.

Note: If you can’t locate the Meta widget or any other Log in link from the homepage, proceed to Step 4 below.

3. The WordPress Log-in page will open. Enter your credentials and click the Log In button.

If your site does not have the widget the Log In link then you will need to access the log-in screen directly.

4. Point your browser to the following address:

http://yoursite.com/wp-login.php or you can enter http://yoursite.com/wp-admin

The second option is the link to the Dashboard. If you are not logged in you will be asked to enter your user name and password like in Step 2 above.

Once you are signed-on you will be able to access the WordPress Dashboard. If you have any comments or questions please post them below.

In this tutorial we will focus on the deployment of WordPress on your Windows-based PC. The Web Platform Installer is free so make sure to check out the screenshots below to see how I setup a test WordPress installation on my computer. If you have any comments or questions please use the comments form at the end of the article.

In this article we will cover the following topics:

• Download and Install the Web Platform and WordPress
• Setup WordPress

Download and Install the Web Platform and WordPress

1. Go to the Microsoft Web App Gallery to download and install the Web Platform Installer.

Note: The link above will take you directly to the installer website.

Depending on your browser you will see a prompt asking you if you are sure you want to run Web Platform Installer from Microsoft Corporation.

If you see the message make sure to choose the option that allows the installer to run. In Internet Explorer 8, click on the yellow information bar and click on Run Add-on.

2. When the Web Platform Installer loads click on the Web Applications tab.

3. Then click on the Blogs tab.

4. Scroll down the list and check WordPress.

5. Click on the Install button.

6. Click I Accept. This is a list of the dependencies that will be installed in order for WordPress to run on your computer.

7. MySQL requires that you set an administrator password for your database. Enter the password and write it down as you will need it in upcoming steps.

8. Click Continue to proceed.

The installer will download the required applications and components and install them. This can take anywhere from 10 minutes to a couple of hours depending on your PC and the internet connection you are using.

8. To keep things simple,  choose Default Website from the Website drop-down and name the application.

Note: The name you enter will be used when accessing the site – http://localhost/application-name. If you want to have control over the path of the application, port number, and IP addresses make sure to use New Website from the Website drop-down.

9. Click Continue to proceed.

10. Enter the information for the application in the highlighted fields.

A. Choose MySQL for Database.

B. Unless you have an existing database you want to use choose New Database from the list. Use the administrator password from step 7 in the Database Administrator Password field.

Note: Do not modify the fields after Database Name.

11.Click Continue to proceed.

You will see a download and installation progress bar. Depending on your computer and the internet connection this process may take anywhere from a couple of minutes to a couple of hours.

12. Click Finish to complete setting up all of the components necessary to run WordPress on your PC.

Setup WordPress

1. Go to localhost/your-application-name/ in your browser and you should see the following screen:

2. In the WordPress installation page enter the information about the site you are creating:

Site Title – Enter the site’s name, this can changed at a later time.

Username – Choose this wisely because you cannot change it (easily) once it is set.

Password – Because you are running this locally you can use an easy password, although I always recommend to get in the habit of using difficult passwords.

Your E-mail – This is the email address associated with this installation.

3. When you are done, click on the Install WordPress button. Installation should be quick.

4. Once you are done, click on the Log In button to access your site’s Dashboard and you are set. You have successfully installed WordPress on your PC.

If you encounter any errors during the setup make sure you verify the steps above and that you used the correct passwords during the setup process. You can also leave your comments and questions in the comments field below.

If you have any comments or questions please use the comments form at the end of the article.

Software/Hardware used: iPhone 4 running iOS4 and WordPress 2.6 for iOS.

How to Upload Videos in WordPress for iOS

The following assumes that you have the latest version of WordPress for iOS installed and that you have started a new post.

1. Tap on Media.

2. Tap on the Videos button.

3. Tap on the Add Video button.

4. You will have the option to use an existing Video from the Library, take a Photo, or Record a new Video.

5. In the example above I recorded a new video. You can preview or retake the video if you wish. When you are done recording the video tap on Use.

The video will be compressed.

6. You may be asked to specify the final orientation of the video, you can choose Landscape or Portrait modes, just make sure it matches what you originally filmed.

You are done. The video is now available in the Videos section and can be added to the post just like any other media type. Do you think that you will be using this feature to post videos to your blog?

The guide below will show you how to add a WordPress.org blog to the iPhone app. If you have any comments or questions please use the comments form at the end of the article.

Difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com – Simply put, WordPress.org is a self-hosted WordPress installation and WordPress.com is hosted by the folks at WordPress.com. There are other differences, but the main one is who hosts the installation. If you’re looking for more information regarding the differences please visit WordPress.org or leave a comment below.

Software/Hardware used: iPhone 4 running iOS 4.1.

1. When you launch the WordPress App for the first time you will notice that the blog list is empty. To add your blog to the list tap on the Add Site button [+].

2. You will have three options when adding a blog.

• Start a new blog at WordPress.com (hosted by WordPress.com).
• Add existing WordPress.com blog (hosted by WordPress.com).
• Add existing WordPress.org site (self hosted WordPress installation).

Choose one of the Add options.

3. Enter your blog’s URL, your User name, and Password. If everything is correct you will see a Good to go message below the sign-in section.

A. You can also specify Settings related to the blog account you are adding. Tap on Settings to view the options.

You will be able to set the following:

• Resize uploaded photos.
• Geotag images that are uploaded.
• Number of items to be displayed in the Recent Items list.
• Authentication for HTTP, User Name, and Password.

B. When you are done tap Save to return to the Add Site screen.

4. Tap Add Site to complete the setup.

5. You will be taken to the Blogs page where you can tap on the blog you just added to manage it using this great application.

With this App you will be able to edit, add, and delete posts, comments, and pages on your WordPress blog. Are there any features you would like me to write about? Please use the comments form below.

Once you are connected to your server you will be able to upload Content Management Software like WordPress, Drupal, and others or you can simply load HTML files created using an application like Dreamweaver. If this all sounds foreign to you there’s no need to worry. The aim of this series is to help you become familiar with your hosting account, the web, and all webmaster related topics. If you have any comments or questions please use the comments form at the end of the article.

Note: This guide was created with screenshots of FileZilla 3.3.2.

Copy Domain Information

1. Click on Domains in Administration.

2. Take note of the domain information you wish to connect to.

Note: When you use 1and1, the default domain is usually s#####.onlinehome.com, but if you’ve set other domains to connect to the root directory of your server or another location you can use those as well. On this guide I will be using the domain assigned by 1and1.

Connect to Sever Using FTP Client and Create Site Folder

Download and install FileZilla.

1. Open FileZilla (or your FTP client of choice) and enter your credentials in the Quickconnect bar.

2. Click Quickconnect to begin the connection.

A. Once you are connected to the server, browse to the location where you wish to host your site (make sure you are on the Remote site pane). I usually create a folder for each site at the root level this way I can see at-a-glance what’s running on a particular server.

3. Right click on the blank space to open the menu.

4. Click Create directory from the list.

5. When the Create directory dialog box opens, enter a name the for the directory.

6. Click OK to save the changes.

You are one step closer to hosting your own website. If you’re planning on running a WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal installation make sure to setup the MySQL database before proceeding.

This is a guest post from Richard Hay who is the owner and webmaster of WindowsObserver.com as well as a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional.

I would have never thought that I would get so many tech connections and observations during a recent road trip.  Tech is truly all around us and even running down the interstate it was very apparent that many things are changing on the tech landscape.

My wife and I did just over 2,250 miles on our motorcycle between Jacksonville, Florida and San Antonio, Texas.  I added 575 miles myself on a round trip to Dallas, Texas and back to San Antonio so I could visit the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

As we rode along I found myself thinking about a lot of the things I saw along the way and I want to share not only those observations but also some of the tech that helped us along our trip.

Wi-Fi – I think nearly every hotel billboard ad along the road showed Wi-Fi was available and the vast majority of them were offering free Wi-Fi with the rooms.  I remember when it was the exact opposite and you had to pay anywhere from $9.95 and higher to get online.  Reliability was also questionable but it seems that those issues are sorted out and we experienced a strong Wi-Fi signal in every room we stayed in.

3G Access – I am on AT&T for my HTC Tilt 2 and I had 3G access along the entire route along I-10 between Jacksonville and San Antonio as well as I-35 which I took up to Dallas and back.  At every gas stop and hotel stay I had a strong 3G signal and so could have used my phone for connectivity if necessary.  I know everyone complains about the various networks and their reliability but I was impressed to have such good access across over 2,800 miles of highway.

Electronic Billboards – These used to be a novelty to see along the road but there are a lot more of them out there now – especially within city limits.

Bing Mobile App – I used this for quick checks of distances between a stop and our next goal.  The app uses your mobile phones GPS to determine your current location and then you just type in the place your looking for.  Within just a few seconds I would have a quick idea of how many miles we had to our next stop or daily destination. by using the Directions tab.

Weather Radar App – We saw our share of rain along the way including crossing the Mobile Bay bridge with the rain blowing sideways at us.  This app was handy on stops to look down the road and see what type of rain might be waiting for us.  I even used this app to see that rain was dissipating in order to decide about not wearing rain gear for that next leg.  It was so accurate that  on both occasions the prediction was right and we did not get wet.

WinMoSquare App – I researched several ways to provide family with the ability to track us on our ride and it turned out that fourquare was the perfect way to do that.  At each stop I did a check in which marked a spot on the map and they were able to follow our progress that way.  Plus I earned a few badges along the way!

WordPress – Since I knew we would be on the road for most of each day I pre-prepared some postings for WindowsObserver.com that would post automatically using the WordPress scheduling feature.  This worked like a champ and I was able to make additional postings as necessary during our nightly stops.  Of course I was able to do that with the great free Wi-Fi along the road.

So even being on the road with motorcycle handlebars in my hands tech was coming at me from several directions.  As a connected guy that was important to me so I could stay in touch with what was happening in the tech community.

Have you noticed any new ways technology has helped you in your travels?

Image Via B-radlinks.

If you have any comments or questions, please use the comments section below.

Setup Word 2010 to Blog Offline

1. With Word open, click on File.

2. Click on Save & Send to expand the menu.

3. Click on Publish as Blog Post

4. Click on the Publish as Blog Post button on the right pane.

Word 2010 supports the following blogging platforms:

• SharePoint Blog
• WordPress
• Blogger
• Windows Live Spaces
• Community Server
• TypePad

You can create multiple accounts for each of the services listed above.

5. Before proceeding you will be asked to register your blog with Word 2010. Click on the Register Now button.

Note: You can skip this step and proceed to write, however you will eventually need to set up your account to be able to post online from Word 2010.

6. Choose the blogging platform from the list. I chose WordPress because I use it for GilsMethod.

7. Click Next to proceed.

8. Enter your blog’s post URL and account information. If you don’t know what the Blog Post URL is, please read this article.

9. Once you have entered your information, click on Picture Options.

10. The Picture Options window will open. You will have the option to select the provider for your images, options available:

• My blog provider
• My own server
• None – Don’t upload pictures

11. Click OK to save the picture options.

12. Once everything is set, click OK to proceed.

13. Click OK to proceed.

You can now blog offline using Word 2010.

Options Available

A. Click on Insert Category to choose a category from the list.

B. In Word 2010 you will be able to set the Category for blog posts, sorry no Tag support.

C. In the Blog Post tab you will have almost all of the basic formatting options available in Word.

D. The Insert tab provides bloggers with options to insert Tables, Pictures, Clip Art, SmartArt, and other items.

Don’t know what XML-RPC and Remote Publishing is?

XML-RPC Protocol – It’s a spec and a set of implementations that allow software running on disparate operating systems, running in different environments to make procedure calls over the Internet. It’s remote procedure calling using HTTP as the transport and XML as the encoding. XML-RPC is designed to be as simple as possible, while allowing complex data structures to be transmitted, processed and returned. Via XML-RPC website.

If you need help or have other WordPress tips, please post them below.

1. Go to your blog’s Admin page http://www.yourblog.com/wp-admin and log in.

2. Click on Settings in the Navigation Menu.

3. Click on the Writing link.

4. Scroll down the page until you find Remote Publishing and click on Enable the WordPress, Movable Type, MetaWeblog, and Blogger XML-RPC publishing protocols.

Once you save the changes you will be able to remotely publish blog posts using programs like Word 2010, Windows Live Writer, and other blogging applications.