Rethink default install content like "Sample Page", etc.

[krogsgard]

New installs of WordPress come built in with "Sample Page", a default blog post, and a built in comment.

I would like to propose that we rethink this content. In its current state, all it means is that any site owner needs to make some changes to their website, including either trashing or changing the sample page, editing the information in it and the sample blog post, and deleting the sample content.

IMO, there are a variety of steps I'd prefer to take, but I'll rank a few in terms of what I think have few consequences to options that may be more of a difficult sell.

1. Change the name of Sample page to "About". Nearly every website has an about page. It's a much better option in my opinion. It's even the recommendation of the current sample page.
2. Delete the sample comment on Hello World altogether. People get web comments, this just has to be trashed on all new installs.
3. Change the status of "Hello World" to draft. It's not ready to publish, so let's not make it published.
4. Change "uncategorized" to "general" or something that's not so awful. (I know this has been discussed elsewhere a good bit but I'd be sad to not mention it)

Currently the sample content is used as a defacto new user walkthrough. I would rather see proper new user onboarding, personally. But even if that's a step too far, I'd like to make some of these changes to the default content. Numbers 1 and 2 feel particularly doable to me, and 3 and 4 would be really nice additions.

[johnbillion]

See #14973 for the reason we switched away from creating a default 'About' page (tl;dr users would add an About page and it ends up with a slug of about-2).

[krogsgard]

@johnbillion That makes me want to throw my chair :) I would love if we could make the trashed post the -2 slug in those scenarios when there is clearly a new non-trashed post that wants the slug. Surely there is still a route to my first point. Maybe we think of what we want it to be and then consider the technical needs vs dumping the idea bc it's inconvenient? Not a criticism to your valid critique... I just don't want a conversation to get squashed before it starts.

[johnbillion]

Replying to krogsgard:

I would love if we could make the trashed post the -2 slug in those scenarios when there is clearly a new non-trashed post that wants the slug.

I completely agree. #11863

[scotthack]

As part of the installation process it would be nice if I could select "No" for creating the sample page, comment, etc.

It is the first thing I delete.

[ocean90]

Related: #36702

[Ipstenu]

New sample about page, props WCNYC 2016

[Ipstenu]

At WCNYC 2016, a few of us were chatting about this. The current 'sample page' hasn't been updated since 3.1, and the content is good but could use some modernization. While it shows two different examples (personal blog and company) it's not as clear as it could be which is which (though it should be easily inferred) and it doesn't really match the way usage of WP and the web has changed.

Per @krogsgard's suggestion, I named it 'about-page' so that if someone made a new 'about' it wouldn't cause 'about-2' but it could go either way really. My thought was that since someone might make the new page before deleting the existing one, it would still have a -2.

Props in 34116.1.diff go to @liljimmi @ipstenu @courtneydawn @camikaos @melchoyce

[dd32]

Sample Theme Content has largely replaced the default content in a way, does that resolve this?

[Ipstenu]

I don't think so, since the default is still pretty outdated. If a theme has no sample content, they get this.

[SergeyBiryukov]

Related: #47267

[marybaum]

I've had a thought that maybe we want to use those copy areas to really explain things. The copy is a little different as is on posts and pages -- we could push that into a discussion (Brief, I realize) of when you use a page versus a post.
Blocks, of course, have their own contexts.
We could carry that through to archives, custom fields and more, so that the first time anyone sees a particular content type they get an overview of what to put in it.

[SergeyBiryukov]

Related: #48758

[SergeyBiryukov]

Related: #53012

[bridgetwillard]

I agree with this wholeheartedly.

"Sample Page" can even be the Home Page since it seems that the sample version reflects what that theme's Home Page should look like.

I would love for Hello World to be set as a draft post. This is something my plugin Launch With Words does -- gives the site owner control over what is published.

This would streamline the onboarding of a new site tremendously.

Replying to krogsgard:

New installs of WordPress come built in with "Sample Page", a default blog post, and a built in comment.

I would like to propose that we rethink this content. In its current state, all it means is that any site owner needs to make some changes to their website, including either trashing or changing the sample page, editing the information in it and the sample blog post, and deleting the sample content.

IMO, there are a variety of steps I'd prefer to take, but I'll rank a few in terms of what I think have few consequences to options that may be more of a difficult sell.

1. Change the name of Sample page to "About". Nearly every website has an about page. It's a much better option in my opinion. It's even the recommendation of the current sample page.
2. Delete the sample comment on Hello World altogether. People get web comments, this just has to be trashed on all new installs.
3. Change the status of "Hello World" to draft. It's not ready to publish, so let's not make it published.
4. Change "uncategorized" to "general" or something that's not so awful. (I know this has been discussed elsewhere a good bit but I'd be sad to not mention it)

Currently the sample content is used as a defacto new user walkthrough. I would rather see proper new user onboarding, personally. But even if that's a step too far, I'd like to make some of these changes to the default content. Numbers 1 and 2 feel particularly doable to me, and 3 and 4 would be really nice additions.

[bridgetwillard]

This would be an excellent idea.

I love the intent behind it.

Even a blogging prompt would be great.

Replying to marybaum:

I've had a thought that maybe we want to use those copy areas to really explain things. The copy is a little different as is on posts and pages -- we could push that into a discussion (Brief, I realize) of when you use a page versus a post.
Blocks, of course, have their own contexts.
We could carry that through to archives, custom fields and more, so that the first time anyone sees a particular content type they get an overview of what to put in it.

[bridgetwillard]

This is definitely something the AI team could help with, especially if we came up with a madlib-style copy for the "About" (Sample Page).

This would allow WordPress to compete with GoDaddy Airo.

The AI would ask for the details that are left blank in the mad lib copy.

Example:

H1: [business name] -- The best [industry] in [city]

[business name] has been part of the local community here in [city] since [year started]. We believe in these three things: [brand identity 1], [brand identity 2], and [brand identity 3]. This is why we'd love to help you solve [most common problem].

Button: Contact Us Today

[Alexandrie]

I think it is not super obvious for people to set a home page and how to do it, so I agree with you on this, it would be great if the default/sample page was the homepage, and already set as homepage, most people don't use their site as a full blog with no intro these days. I would love to shift this away from a simple blog solution.

Replying to bridgetwillard:

I agree with this wholeheartedly.

"Sample Page" can even be the Home Page since it seems that the sample version reflects what that theme's Home Page should look like.

I would love for Hello World to be set as a draft post. This is something my plugin Launch With Words does -- gives the site owner control over what is published.

This would streamline the onboarding of a new site tremendously.

Replying to krogsgard:

New installs of WordPress come built in with "Sample Page", a default blog post, and a built in comment.

I would like to propose that we rethink this content. In its current state, all it means is that any site owner needs to make some changes to their website, including either trashing or changing the sample page, editing the information in it and the sample blog post, and deleting the sample content.

IMO, there are a variety of steps I'd prefer to take, but I'll rank a few in terms of what I think have few consequences to options that may be more of a difficult sell.

1. Change the name of Sample page to "About". Nearly every website has an about page. It's a much better option in my opinion. It's even the recommendation of the current sample page.
2. Delete the sample comment on Hello World altogether. People get web comments, this just has to be trashed on all new installs.
3. Change the status of "Hello World" to draft. It's not ready to publish, so let's not make it published.
4. Change "uncategorized" to "general" or something that's not so awful. (I know this has been discussed elsewhere a good bit but I'd be sad to not mention it)

Currently the sample content is used as a defacto new user walkthrough. I would rather see proper new user onboarding, personally. But even if that's a step too far, I'd like to make some of these changes to the default content. Numbers 1 and 2 feel particularly doable to me, and 3 and 4 would be really nice additions.

[Alexandrie]

I agree with the default category renamed to general, and also the default post to be as draft, so many times it is something we forget when we don't use the blog.

Like @bridgetwillard proposed, if we shift away from WordPress being primarily a blog solution, and more of a site solution, having the main page set, and draft mode the post is absolutely the best course!

Replying to krogsgard:

New installs of WordPress come built in with "Sample Page", a default blog post, and a built in comment.

I would like to propose that we rethink this content. In its current state, all it means is that any site owner needs to make some changes to their website, including either trashing or changing the sample page, editing the information in it and the sample blog post, and deleting the sample content.

IMO, there are a variety of steps I'd prefer to take, but I'll rank a few in terms of what I think have few consequences to options that may be more of a difficult sell.

1. Change the name of Sample page to "About". Nearly every website has an about page. It's a much better option in my opinion. It's even the recommendation of the current sample page.
2. Delete the sample comment on Hello World altogether. People get web comments, this just has to be trashed on all new installs.
3. Change the status of "Hello World" to draft. It's not ready to publish, so let's not make it published.
4. Change "uncategorized" to "general" or something that's not so awful. (I know this has been discussed elsewhere a good bit but I'd be sad to not mention it)

Currently the sample content is used as a defacto new user walkthrough. I would rather see proper new user onboarding, personally. But even if that's a step too far, I'd like to make some of these changes to the default content. Numbers 1 and 2 feel particularly doable to me, and 3 and 4 would be really nice additions.