The current system of analytics tracking is so very broken, let us count the ways: Most solutions require third party trackers These are easily blocked by third-party ad blockers/privacy tools They are mostly javascript (and javascript can be disabled) They are a privacy nightmare, even when implemented properly They slow a site down by increasing ... Read more
Detecting a visitor's location can provide a semi-customized experience that can work out well. However, it can also lock visitors into an assumption that is incorrect, and that may create a worse experience. For example, changing default languages based on location is not a good idea (it is better to use cookies and reasonable defaults, ... Read more
As with security in general, escaping the scourge of WordPress form and content spam requires a layered approach. Here is what works. Databases and Behavioral Anti-Spam The first step is the one that nowadays works the least well. In the beginning we had Akismet, and things got better, but this is an arms race, and ... Read more
Site performance comes down to two issues: Perceived relevance Perceived responsiveness Actually, perceived responsiveness could be considered an aspect of relevance (but not the other way around). To be relevant is to be speedy and relevant. Catch 22 - Speed vs. Functionality For WordPress, the architecture is one where responsiveness goes down logarithmically to the ... Read more