[deadparrot]

We are using the Fluida theme for several sites. It IS released as GPL, etc.

Now, We do NOT ever advertise that a site is wordpress based, so we have to change this.

And We did find the location of the “powered by” text in a core.php, but wondered if there is an easier way to remove the ‘powered by WordPress text’ and link?

Sid B.

[Zed]

There is an easier way, and that is provided as part of our Priority Support service.

With the theme being released under GPL you are free to modify the code in any way (as long as you don’t claim the derivative work to be your own in its entirety). GPL however does not ask us to provide instructions on how to remove our link or to provide support for the modified theme 🙂

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Please check the available documentation and search the forums before starting a topic.

[deadparrot]

While I understand wanting to be paid for support, this is NOT the approach I would recommend – and considering how many people ask about this (based on a search of your posts) and the replies you got, I’d say a fair number of your potential users feel the same. I don’t mind paying for a little support. I don’t mind paying a bit for a GPL version (I can use on All our sites) with extra features/customization’s.

BUT turning that text off should be a standard feature.

Speaking as a Corp. running 500+ WordPress sites and tens of thousands of users, the “powered by WordPress” designation is a BIG security risk. We used to test/hack sites for organizations. There are scripts on the dark web that identify potential WP sites to attack quickly, by just checking the main page for those words. It’s like putting up a sign. And easier to look for that sign, than to walk the site looking for the wp-admin directory (which Plesk and CPanel now put in a SUB-directory now by default).

No offense, but the fact that you use the easy removal of this text as a sort of strong arm to get people to buy support, is the main reason my review on wordpress.org will not be as positive as it could be, once I finish testing your theme. So far, everything else seems to work well.

Sid
VP, Dead Parrot Software, Inc.

[Zed]

There are plenty of ways for bots to check if a site is WordPress-powered, removing one instance of the word “WordPress” from it will not make it magically safe(r).

The code is not hidden or obscured in any way, the theme is GPL which means you can edit it as you see fit.

So the theme is not worthy of a good review despite all its features and functionality (most of which others lock behind a ‘pro’ purchase) because we’re not offering one extra drop of blood for free…
That’s an interesting view on free (as in free software) and open source, wouldn’t you say?

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If you like our creations, help us share by rating them on WordPress.org.
Please check the available documentation and search the forums before starting a topic.

[Kay]

@deadparrot Just to put a bit more emphasis on what Zed said, if you think that removing the “Powered by WordPress” text helps in any way you are mistaken. Check out this post by one of the lead developers at WordPress.

WordPress is by far the most used CMS at the moment and apart from the varied ways in which a bot can tell if your site is WordPress-powered, most times it will just assume it, due of its popularity, and look for all the right files in all the right places.

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[deadparrot]

Guys, facts are facts. There ARE scripts for that – we have seen them. It IS an extremely fast and extremely easy way to find a WP site – there is a reason that some of the biggest sites using WP do NOT advertise that fact!

And we manage 643 sites – and every one that had that designation still in it, over the past 2 years, was attacked.

But I am not here to get into a great debate with you over what lazy hackers do and don’t do. Even without that reason, we would remove the designation.

As I said, there are other ways to get some money for your efforts without using that – and my rating is about the defensive and caustic replies I have experienced so far, and have seen elsewhere here to others, that is affecting the rating. It is not just about code – but also about who creates and supports that code.

Sid

[flhtth]

You can remove these two lines in the Theme Footer (footer.php)

Go to the WordPress Dashboard. Under Appearence, go to Editor and open the Theme Footer file.
Scroll to the bottom of the file and remove these two lines.

<?php cryout_master_footer_hook(); ?>
<?php wp_footer(); ?>

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