WordPress 2.1 Released

Posted on by
Reply

The WordPress team has announced the release of version 2.1 of their WordPress blogging software on Monday. A list of the changes can be found in the release announcement.

Sure, this is old news (by internet time standards) but I just got around to getting caught up. I’ve upgraded the site and the process was absolutely painless. All of my current plugins worked as far as I can tell.

For those who have a bit of trepidation over upgrades and the compatibility of plugins, I can tell you that my installation, with over 17 plugins active, seems to be working fine after the upgrade this morning after a total upgrade time of around 15 minutes including backups of my installation directory and database. As usual, the upgrade instructions are available on the WordPress site.

The WordPress team is planning its next release, Version 2.2, around the April 23 timeframe.

I haven’t had a great deal of time this morning to play around, but it does seem that the site runs just a tad bit faster then it did under the previous version.

HowsThatJob? : Starbucks rates in bottom 5

Aside

Before people start pegging me as someone who only sees the positive in Starbucks as of late, it is worth mentioning that a new site, Hows That Job?, has Starbucks listed in the Bottom 5 companies. Now, the site only has 45 reviews right now (in total – with only one for Starbucks) – but it is an opposite point of view. This reviewer also qualifies the rating, saying that it was the customers that made it terrible.

Starbucks Green Apron Book

Posted on by
23

Photo by rbieber

Did you know that you could just walk into your local Starbucks and request a "Green Apron Book", that outlines the principles of Starbucks? I heard about this little booklet from a recent book I had read about the company and went in to my local Starbucks and asked for a copy. I was a tad surprised when the employees were extremely happy to give one to me. There’s something to be said about a company that is not afraid to share their core principles with their customers. There’s much more to say when they do it so enthusiastically.

I was totally impressed with being able to walk into my local Starbucks and get a copy of their “Green Apron book” after reading The Starbucks Experience: 5 Principles for Turning Ordinary Into Extraordinary.

I did find another review of the book and it was really cool to me that the reviewer offered the same observation that I did around the structure of the Starbucks principles:

After reading it that afternoon, what impressed me the most was the absence of rules. In their place were suggestions, goals, and the empowerment to make every customer’s experience a memorable one. It was at that moment that I realized the significance of Starbucks’ philosophy—not only for business, but for life in general.

This really parallels my thoughts on what I had read:

One thing that comes out fairly strong in most of the books I read about Starbucks (and Toyota as of late) is the acknowledgment of senior managements importance in setting the culture, ideals, and principles of the overall business while giving the “people doing the work” the ability to act within the framework of the principles.

Another cool thing I noticed. When you dig down into the detail of the Be Welcoming principle, you find the following:

Get to know your customer by drink or name.

This completely impressed me – because I experienced it. As a matter of fact, it impressed me so much that I wrote about the experience in the post “ Reaching “Norm” Status – The Ultimate in Customer Service” back in March of 2005.

“Real Life” Starbucks

Aside

Earlier this week I reviewed a book on Starbucks. Most of these books you get the “rosy view” of the world. I found this article today and was riveted by the comment thread that includes contributions by many Starbucks employees. Looks like Starbucks is, in many respects, like any other company. The thread is absolutely fascinating and worth spending the time to read every entry.