Title: I hate Widgets!
Last modified: August 19, 2016

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# I hate Widgets!

 *  [Mikael Boldt](https://wordpress.org/support/users/boldt/)
 * (@boldt)
 * [17 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/i-hate-widgets/)
 * Until now, I just avoided using them, but with my calendar project where others
   will take over, I have decided to use the widgets, in order to make it easier
   for others to maintain, expand or change themes.
 * Earlier I have built my themes from almost scratch and one of the things I liked
   was that the entire category list is visible, although there are no posts.
 * In the good old days it was just `<? Php wp_list_categories ( 'hide_empty = 0&
   orderby = id');?>` and, the whole list was shown in the order that was intended.
 * In the Widget “Categories” I can only select a title, show drop down, show numbers
   of posts, show hierarchy.
 * What is wrong?
 * kind regards
 * Boldt

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

 *  [Doodlebee](https://wordpress.org/support/users/doodlebee/)
 * (@doodlebee)
 * [17 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/i-hate-widgets/#post-1023190)
 * If you want to further customize the widgets to your liking, you can write your
   own functions to overwrite the defaults, or get a plugin (I like “Widgetize It”)
   that will allow you to put in your own code.
 *  Thread Starter [Mikael Boldt](https://wordpress.org/support/users/boldt/)
 * (@boldt)
 * [17 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/i-hate-widgets/#post-1023285)
 * > If you want to further customize the widgets to your liking, you can write 
   > your own functions to overwrite the defaults,…
 * Sorry, this is a very poor advise!
    Next time I make an update all my work will
   disappear.
 * I will give Widgetize-it some consideration, but I think I will drop the idea
   of using Widgets. Widgets are for people who don’t understand programming or 
   don’t care about details.
 * Moreover, because I am going to use WP in a calendar project, I have to make 
   some modifications anyway, so I will use a simple theme like 1024px a light and
   extremely simple theme with 2 columns, easy to modify and change via CSS.
 * kind regards
    Boldt
 *  [Doodlebee](https://wordpress.org/support/users/doodlebee/)
 * (@doodlebee)
 * [17 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/i-hate-widgets/#post-1023350)
 * >>Next time I make an update all my work will disappear.<<
 * What?
 * If you write your own functions file, and place it in your own theme, it certainly
   won’t. I didn’t say edit the *WordPress* functions.php file. The functions.php
   file in your theme is there for this exact purpose. WordPress doesn’t upgrade
   your theme files for you. The only way your work would disappear is if you overwrite
   it yourself with something else.
 * >>Widgets are for people who don’t understand programming or don’t care about
   details.<<
 * Wow. Or for people who do both, but don’t feel like wasting time reinventing 
   the wheel.
 * Apologies for trying to help.

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

The topic ‘I hate Widgets!’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

 * [categories](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/categories/)
 * [widgets](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/widgets/)

 * 3 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [Doodlebee](https://wordpress.org/support/users/doodlebee/)
 * Last activity: [17 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/i-hate-widgets/#post-1023350)
 * Status: not resolved

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