Incremental improvements

Sometimes, it takes a horror story to realize even the smallest enhancements can make the biggest differences.

My friend Lauren Rabaino updated a client’s site to WordPress 3.0.2, updating Twenty Ten in the process. She was using a child theme, but had been accidentally making modifications to Twenty Ten instead, because the theme editor shows you the files of both themes at once.

She was forced to redo some work, even though she believed — and rightfully so — that she was doing everything right.

This really bothered me. I spent a long time with the theme editor over the summer, but too little of it was ready for 3.1. (I plan to revisit it all for 3.2.)

At first, I suggested a quick fix in the form of a small warning. But talking with Jane Wells led to a series of small enhancements that make the theme editor experience just a little bit better. Every incremental improvement counts.

Lauren’s very thoughtful post includes screenshots of what’s to come.