Meh, what started as a small job to update the Google search box on the Writing page, turned into a six hour renovation including re-coding old unsupported plugins to work with the latest PHP 8.x version (create_function, damn you). The site feels a lot faster now?!?
I also went through a ton of pages that need their content converted to “blocks” in WordPress speak and fixed a bunch of formatting.
While I was messing around, I also added an object cache as suggested by WordPress, however, I think any savings from that are being completed blown away by the size of picture frame used around the edge. The sprite image needs to be optimized next and it looks like if I use WebP images I can shave a couple 100Kbs from the loading page will will get rid of a half second loading time. Maybe another time.
I discovered that ChatGPT v4.0 does a fantastic job of helping fix old code; plug in the old code, tell it to upgrade to PHP 8.0 and out pops the fixed code. ChatGPT v3.5 made the code work but it was not functionally equivalent.
I also got rid of the drop down across the top which relied on two unmaintained plugins and most of the functionality had been disabled ages ago, like registration, signing up for a newsletter and using the contact form. Everyone can just email me at sean at (you know the domain!) which works just as good and means no plug updating, don’t have to worry about spam, etc.
I tried getting rid of the “Auto Thickbox Plus” plugin too which I forgot is used to pop up all the pictures inline on the page but, because the plugin hasn’t been updated in nearly a decade, it has a known cross-site scripting exploit. But from the details of the exploit, I knew which file was the problem and ChatGPT fixed the code! It took thirty seconds to generate and apply the code. I then realized from the “Auto Thickbox Plus” settings page that the problem file only existed because of a “beta” download setting which is never used. After fixing the code, it turns out it is easier to remove the setting, then delete the file with the exploit (download.min.php) . I documented the solution on WordPress dot com. Here is hoping there is nothing else is severely wrong with the plugin. I now have a much better idea of how WordPress sites get hacked – plugin developers leave shiite code hanging around in their plugins. I wonder if I can get ChatGPT to go through all the PHP code in all the plugins I use and evaluate them for exploits, hmm. Not sure I want that nasty long list.
I am not sure anybody even notices, but I also fixed Fry’s little UFO that flies around in the background on the site – give it a second to emerge from the top left! The cookies which should have been site wide instead of page specific are now fixed, which means the UFO stays at the same spot on the page as you navigate through the site. Did you know you can hide all the text on the screen by running your mouse cursor to the bottom right and clicking on the little portrait at the bottom right. Then you can “Stop” the UFO using the other button and drag the UFO around to get the best picture. Try it!