NEWS

WordPress 5.6 Brings the Good, the Meh and the Ugly

Published

4 years ago

December 10, 2020

WordPress 5.6 has been released with dozens of improvements and new features. Code named Simone (honoring singer Nina Simone), WordPress 5.6 has been met with a positive response, possibly because it didn’t break anything.

The substance of what’s new in WordPress 5.6 can be described as mostly good, some meh and one issue that’s ugly.

The Good

Enable jQuery Migrate Plugin Updated

The last two updates were somewhat rocky due to millions of websites breaking or accidentally updating with a beta version of WordPress.

The biggest potential issue was with the jQuery Migrate deprecations and updates.

WordPress 5.6 managed to avoid the legacy jQuery plugin issues experienced with the WordPress 5.5 update in August 2020. That was the update that caused websites to stop functioning in myriad and unexpected ways.

The reason those issues were avoided this time around is because WordPress 5.6 updated the Enable jQuery Migrate plugin in order to avoid a repeat of websites crashing.

When the plugin is active and the publisher is logged in, the plugin will detect outdated jQuery and log it, presenting a display at the top of page to signal the problem.

The plugin detects jQuery issues from page to page as the pages are served to the publisher as they browse the site.

There is an option to perform similar logging using pages served to users are browsing the site, but WordPress warns that this could create significant server load and recommends not turning it on.

There is a deprecation log page that shows the plugins responsible for the warnings. After updating a plugin the publisher can clear the old log and resume browsing again to see if the Enable jQuery Migrate plugin detect additional issues.

WordPress stated:

“With the above in mind, the Enable jQuery Migrate Helper plugin was updated for the release of WordPress 5.6, this provides a temporary downgrade path to run legacy jQuery on a site when needed.

The reason this is considered a temporary solution, is that the older version of jQuery no longer receives security updates, and the legacy version will not be patched manually if anything should occur that warrants updates to it.”

The Meh

WordPress 5.6 is shipping with their first version of WordPress that is (somewhat) PHP 8 compatible, the newest version of PHP that was released in November. However, this compatibility is meant to be regarded as beta compatible.

Because the WordPress PHP 8 compatibility news manages to be both good and less than good news it ends up being… meh.

As noted in the official guidance of WordPress 5.6 and PHP 8 Compatibility:

“WordPress Core aims to be compatible with PHP 8.0 in the 5.6 release (currently scheduled for December 8, 2020).

…Significant effort has been put towards making WordPress 5.6 compatible with PHP 8 on its own, but it is very likely that there are still undiscovered issues remaining.”

Publishers should test first before upgrading their version of PHP because themes and plugins at this point in time will very likely not be ready for PHP 8.

That’s why WordPress’ announcement framed PHP 8 compatibility as one of the first steps, because of potential compatibility bugs and because themes and plugins may not be compatible yet.

According to WordPress:

“5.6 marks the first steps toward WordPress Core support for PHP 8.”

The Ugly

One of the new features in version 5.6 that the WordPress team are rightfully proud of also contains a potential downside to it that if fully exploited could lead to a full site takeover.

WP 5.6 introduces the REST API authentication with Application Passwords Feature

The App Passwords Feature allows third party apps to connect to your website and add functionality.

According to WordPress:

“Thanks to the API’s new Application Passwords authorization feature, third-party apps can connect to your site seamlessly and securely. This new REST API feature lets you see what apps are connecting to your site and control what they do. “

However, according to WordPress security plugin publisher Wordfence, a social engineering attack could be used against a site administrator to obtain administrator credentials.

Social engineering is a hacking method that relies on tricking into providing information or access.

For example, Phishing is a form of social engineering where an attacker may email a victim posing as their bank, requesting that they reset their login credentials.

A link in the email leads to a copycat site that resembles a bank website where the victim enters their user name and password which is then harvested to obtain access to their banking account.

Wordfence describes a social engineering attack where a criminal could create an app that impersonates a trusted App, leading the site publisher to issue a password and allow a secure connection to their website. Wordfence describes the complexity of this attack as “trivial.”

According to Wordfence:

“An attacker could trick a site owner into clicking a link requesting an application password, naming their malicious application whatever they wanted…

Since application passwords function with the permissions of the user that generated them, an attacker could use this to gain control of a website.”

Wordfence produced a video describing and demonstrating the potential for a social engineering attack compromising the new Application Passwords Feature:

Wordfence Description of WordPress Application Passwords Feature Vulnerability to Social Engineering

WordPress 5.6 Overview

WordPress 5.6 is largely a success. There’s much that is so right with it. While it’s not a major advance it does have incremental improvements into site design functionality and improvements to functionality.

That this release manages to avoid the drama of the last two release makes this update a win considering there’s still a few weeks left in 2020.

Citation

WordPress 5.6 Warnings, Announcements and Documentation

Wordfence article:
WordPress 5.6 Introduces a New Risk to Your Site: What to Do

Official Announcement: WordPress 5.6 “Simone”

Version Documentation WordPress 5.6

Handling potential jQuery Issues in WordPress 5.6

Searchenginejournal.com

NEWS

OpenAI Introduces Fine-Tuning for GPT-4 and Enabling Customized AI Models

Published

3 weeks ago

August 21, 2024

Max

OpenAI Introduces Fine-Tuning for GPT-4 and Enabling Customized AI Models

OpenAI has today announced the release of fine-tuning capabilities for its flagship GPT-4 large language model, marking a significant milestone in the AI landscape. This new functionality empowers developers to create tailored versions of GPT-4 to suit specialized use cases, enhancing the model’s utility across various industries.

Fine-tuning has long been a desired feature for developers who require more control over AI behavior, and with this update, OpenAI delivers on that demand. The ability to fine-tune GPT-4 allows businesses and developers to refine the model’s responses to better align with specific requirements, whether for customer service, content generation, technical support, or other unique applications.

Why Fine-Tuning Matters

GPT-4 is a very flexible model that can handle many different tasks. However, some businesses and developers need more specialized AI that matches their specific language, style, and needs. Fine-tuning helps with this by letting them adjust GPT-4 using custom data. For example, companies can train a fine-tuned model to keep a consistent brand tone or focus on industry-specific language.

Fine-tuning also offers improvements in areas like response accuracy and context comprehension. For use cases where nuanced understanding or specialized knowledge is crucial, this can be a game-changer. Models can be taught to better grasp intricate details, improving their effectiveness in sectors such as legal analysis, medical advice, or technical writing.

Key Features of GPT-4 Fine-Tuning

The fine-tuning process leverages OpenAI’s established tools, but now it is optimized for GPT-4’s advanced architecture. Notable features include:

Enhanced Customization: Developers can precisely influence the model’s behavior and knowledge base.
Consistency in Output: Fine-tuned models can be made to maintain consistent formatting, tone, or responses, essential for professional applications.
Higher Efficiency: Compared to training models from scratch, fine-tuning GPT-4 allows organizations to deploy sophisticated AI with reduced time and computational cost.

Additionally, OpenAI has emphasized ease of use with this feature. The fine-tuning workflow is designed to be accessible even to teams with limited AI experience, reducing barriers to customization. For more advanced users, OpenAI provides granular control options to achieve highly specialized outputs.

Implications for the Future

The launch of fine-tuning capabilities for GPT-4 signals a broader shift toward more user-centric AI development. As businesses increasingly adopt AI, the demand for models that can cater to specific business needs, without compromising on performance, will continue to grow. OpenAI’s move positions GPT-4 as a flexible and adaptable tool that can be refined to deliver optimal value in any given scenario.

By offering fine-tuning, OpenAI not only enhances GPT-4’s appeal but also reinforces the model’s role as a leading AI solution across diverse sectors. From startups seeking to automate niche tasks to large enterprises looking to scale intelligent systems, GPT-4’s fine-tuning capability provides a powerful resource for driving innovation.

OpenAI announced that fine-tuning GPT-4o will cost $25 for every million tokens used during training. After the model is set up, it will cost $3.75 per million input tokens and $15 per million output tokens. To help developers get started, OpenAI is offering 1 million free training tokens per day for GPT-4o and 2 million free tokens per day for GPT-4o mini until September 23. This makes it easier for developers to try out the fine-tuning service.

As AI continues to evolve, OpenAI’s focus on customization and adaptability with GPT-4 represents a critical step in making advanced AI accessible, scalable, and more aligned with real-world applications. This new capability is expected to accelerate the adoption of AI across industries, creating a new wave of AI-driven solutions tailored to specific challenges and opportunities.

GOOGLE

This Week in Search News: Simple and Easy-to-Read Update

Published

2 months ago

June 30, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

This Week in Search News: Simple and Easy-to-Read Update

Here’s what happened in the world of Google and search engines this week:

1. Google’s June 2024 Spam Update

Google finished rolling out its June 2024 spam update over a period of seven days. This update aims to reduce spammy content in search results.

2. Changes to Google Search Interface

Google has removed the continuous scroll feature for search results. Instead, it’s back to the old system of pages.

3. New Features and Tests

Link Cards: Google is testing link cards at the top of AI-generated overviews.
Health Overviews: There are more AI-generated health overviews showing up in search results.
Local Panels: Google is testing AI overviews in local information panels.

4. Search Rankings and Quality

Improving Rankings: Google said it can improve its search ranking system but will only do so on a large scale.
Measuring Quality: Google’s Elizabeth Tucker shared how they measure search quality.

5. Advice for Content Creators

Brand Names in Reviews: Google advises not to avoid mentioning brand names in review content.
Fixing 404 Pages: Google explained when it’s important to fix 404 error pages.

6. New Search Features in Google Chrome

Google Chrome for mobile devices has added several new search features to enhance user experience.

7. New Tests and Features in Google Search

Credit Card Widget: Google is testing a new widget for credit card information in search results.
Sliding Search Results: When making a new search query, the results might slide to the right.

8. Bing’s New Feature

Bing is now using AI to write “People Also Ask” questions in search results.

9. Local Search Ranking Factors

Menu items and popular times might be factors that influence local search rankings on Google.

10. Google Ads Updates

Query Matching and Brand Controls: Google Ads updated its query matching and brand controls, and advertisers are happy with these changes.
Lead Credits: Google will automate lead credits for Local Service Ads. Google says this is a good change, but some advertisers are worried.
tROAS Insights Box: Google Ads is testing a new insights box for tROAS (Target Return on Ad Spend) in Performance Max and Standard Shopping campaigns.
WordPress Tag Code: There is a new conversion code for Google Ads on WordPress sites.

These updates highlight how Google and other search engines are continuously evolving to improve user experience and provide better advertising tools.

FACEBOOK

Facebook Faces Yet Another Outage: Platform Encounters Technical Issues Again

Published

6 months ago

March 20, 2024

Max

Uppdated: It seems that today’s issues with Facebook haven’t affected as many users as the last time. A smaller group of people appears to be impacted this time around, which is a relief compared to the larger incident before. Nevertheless, it’s still frustrating for those affected, and hopefully, the issues will be resolved soon by the Facebook team.

Facebook had another problem today (March 20, 2024). According to Downdetector, a website that shows when other websites are not working, many people had trouble using Facebook.

This isn’t the first time Facebook has had issues. Just a little while ago, there was another problem that stopped people from using the site. Today, when people tried to use Facebook, it didn’t work like it should. People couldn’t see their friends’ posts, and sometimes the website wouldn’t even load.

Downdetector, which watches out for problems on websites, showed that lots of people were having trouble with Facebook. People from all over the world said they couldn’t use the site, and they were not happy about it.

When websites like Facebook have problems, it affects a lot of people. It’s not just about not being able to see posts or chat with friends. It can also impact businesses that use Facebook to reach customers.

Since Facebook owns Messenger and Instagram, the problems with Facebook also meant that people had trouble using these apps. It made the situation even more frustrating for many users, who rely on these apps to stay connected with others.

During this recent problem, one thing is obvious: the internet is always changing, and even big websites like Facebook can have problems. While people wait for Facebook to fix the issue, it shows us how easily things online can go wrong. It’s a good reminder that we should have backup plans for staying connected online, just in case something like this happens again.