WordPress, the software that powers this blog, has periodic updates. The update instructions, however, are wrong:

1. Get the latest WordPress. Either download and extract it to your computer or download it directly to the server.
2. Copy the new files to your server, overwriting old files. You may use FTP or shell commands to do so.

NOTE The wp-content folder requires special handling, as do the plugins and themes folders. You must copy over the contents of these folders, not the entire folder. Copying the entire folder overwrites all your customizations and added content.

Perhaps in an effort to make the upgrade sound easier, they didn’t list a most important step: deleting all the existing WordPress files other than those in the wp-content folder. The problem is addressed in the Extended Instructions, but I couldn’t figure out what was wrong until I found this Support Topic. And it shows this has been known for three months … BAD WORDPRESS! BAD!

Still, its hard to criticize people who volunteer their time to create free software. WordPress is a remarkable product, and I have several clients who enjoy posting to their blogs and even managing their sites with WP (I set up WP at no additional charge with the hosting packages I sell).

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