Incorrect update notifications in my WordPress plugin

I released an update for Members Only that fixes a small bug that caused WordPress to show an update available for Members Only, even when the latest version was already installed. This incorrect update notice was only shown for a short period of time (4 hours at most), and if you installed the same version … Continue reading→

Access Passes now in Members Only

Members Only v1.3.0 was released this week, with support for Access Passes. This allows you to manually grant membership access to users. This is great for use cases like invoice-based billing, offline payments, complimentary access, migrating members from other systems, and more. Access Passes have a Start Date and an End Date, letting you define … Continue reading→

Mailchimp support in Members Only

Members Only received another update this week, with the release of v1.2.0. This update brings support for Mailchimp, allowing members to be automatically added to a Mailchimp mailing list when they sign up for a membership. I initially built the “Mailchimp Connector” as a separate plugin. That model comes with some benefits, like keeping the … Continue reading→

Contributions to WordPress

Over the years, I’ve contributed to WordPress in a lot of ways: reporting and/or fixing bugs, testing patches, writing patches, writing documentation, helping in the support forums, giving away plugins/themes/code, and more. Lately I’ve been focused more on contributing and was able to get some props in the WordPress 6.8.2 release. My name is in … Continue reading→

New password reset flows in Members Only

Members Only received its first update since launch, with the release of v1.1.0. This includes some quality-of-life improvements that make the login, registration, and purchase flows even better than before. The user experience (UX) is one of the most important aspects of a product or service. It has the ability to instill confidence and joy … Continue reading→

A New Chapter: Introducing Primo Plugins

I’m excited to announce that I’ve started a new software company! Primo Plugins is focused on creating simple, high-quality business software for WordPress. Our first product, Members Only, is an easy-to-use membership and e-commerce plugin designed for speed and simplicity. Why Start a Software Company in 2025? I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, having owned … Continue reading→

Cleaning up the WPForms admin pages

WPForms is a great form solution for WordPress, and it provides one of the best interfaces for creating and managing forms. But, over the years they’ve littered the interface with pages that upsell their other products, and I think it’s taking away from the user experience. At the time of this post, they’ve added the … Continue reading→

Chipmunk

This chipmunk lived in our campsite at Wild Duck Campground in Scarborough, Maine.

Video 1 – Chipmunk exiting hole

Video 2 – Chipmunk returning to hole

Video 3 – Chipmunk returning to hole with more

Sunset at San Angelo State Park

San Angelo State Park in San Angelo, TX is a quiet park. The breezes by the lake are salubrious.

How to use an email address for the username in Restrict Content Pro

Out of the box, Restrict Content Pro requires members to enter a username when registering. This makes sense because RCP uses the built-in WordPress user database, and the username is a requirement. However, we often see people wanting to use the email address as the username, and they want to know how to remove the … Continue reading→

John Parris

In the woods…