Jeff Chandler has been writing about software for eight years and is the founder of the popular WordPress publication, WP Tavern. This week he has taken over the ManageWP AMA. People came in with a lot of good questions regarding dealing with negativity online, Back to the Future, and the future of WP Tavern.
Here are five takeaways.
Chandler Wants To Grow WP Tavern’s Community.
Yes, Tavern is read and commented on by many each week, but that’s not enough for Chandler. He would like to turn it into the second largest community outside of WordPress.org.
“It would be awesome if the Tavern was that place where developers, users, and all people in between could gather to talk WordPress, share ideas, and help take WordPress further,” Chandler said. “Something that goes beyond comments and is more of a community.”
It is a goal that WP Tavern will be working toward each year. Part of making this happen is giving users one place to come together and talk productively.
Comments Are Getting More Negative.
Anyone who has accessed the Internet knows how negative and unproductive a comment section can get. At one point, Tavern’s got so bad that Chandler had to take a step back from the site. He found himself focusing on dealing with commenters more than creating content.
“I don’t know if the WordPress world has gone mad, it’s just that a very vocal handful of people with a lot of time and energy on their hands have made it a point to use the Tavern’s comment section as their soapbox,” Chanlder said.
The solution to this problem is a tricky one, because getting rid of comments section altogether is unproductive. Chandler suggested taking the anonymity out of commenting like other large-scale publications have done. The hope is people will be less willing to go negative if they are held accountable. It might come down to putting certain users on time out until they can bring something productive to the conversation.
Matt Mullenweg Is A Great Interview.
Chandler lists Mullenweg as one of the most interesting people he has ever interviewed. Not only because he is the co-founder of WordPress, but because Chandler doesn’t dole out the easy questions.
“I ask him questions that no one else does or feels comfortable bringing up,” Chandler said. “I bring up things from the past that may have been forgotten about to hold him accountable.”
Chandler Wants To Ride The Rails.
If not for WP Tavern, and WordPress in general, Chandler would write about one of his other passions, trains. Specifically, the Railfanning movement. Then, on his time off, he would learn how to build something with his hands and even dabble in storm chasing.
“Driving a tank through a tornado sounds exhilarating but I don’t know how much that pays,” Chandler said.
Chandler Is Not A Superhero Fan.
Some of you may be disappointed, but Chandler admitted superheroes aren’t really his thing. However, growing up he loved Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, and Captain Planet.
“I don’t know if you would classify him as a superhero but Goku [from Dragon Ball] is pretty badass and the one I’d choose to be like,” Chandler said.
Check back every other Wednesday for another AMA with a WordPress influencer!
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