Textpattern has now moved to RC4 RC5. Yay!!! The features added during it’s RC3 incarnation are numerous and because I update my install, sorry, my 5 installs, on an almost daily basis it is difficult for me to remember what is new and what isn’t.

There are many bug fixes and several additional tags however the most significant change has been to the comments list and comment entry form. Most of the hard-coding that drew many complaints has now been removed making for much more flexible and individual styling. There’s even a nice Thank You message displayed when someone has submitted a comment, but here’s the really magic bit. You can now place the comments list or the comment entry form (or both) anywhere you want to. They are not tied to the front-page/back page any more. You can place them with any article on any page template in any section!

Should I mention the automated thumbnail generation!

I have always considered that TXP is the best CMS out there but the latest additions have put it several jumps ahead of anything else I know and it continues to evolve. It makes you wonder just how far it can go. Dean has now been joined by Kusor, Zem and Sencer as a more or less permanent development team supplemented by many of the forum users in the form of patches and bug hunting. Even I am hunting the little critters these days. Found the odd couple too.

With the release of RC5 Textpattern is now in feature lock-down, so it’s simple bug squashing and code simplification from now on until the release of 1.0 Full.

I can see the day when this CMS becomes a better blogging tool than WordPress, and I don’t say that lightly. I have to say that I’m just plain enjoying myself here. smile smiley