In reply to Eric.

Second Post:

So what can I do to try not walk into the center of the battefield?

Remove signatures, those footprints.

Step 1 in that is get rid of comments in CSS, HTML and Javascripts.

Step 2 is run an obfuscatory tool over the javascripts.

Dont worry about jQuery or Bootstrap.js etc. But the plugins stuff. Yes.

Well then what if I need change things?

Ok... here we go.

With your websites ALWAYS keep TWO local versions. OR, use a LOCAL repository application again, two copies of the current production site.

Your development setup should consist of THREE computers (preferably 4).

If you use Xampp or Mamp or Wamp you can use RAID ability to keep a mirror of drives OR you can use any number of tools to mirror directories over a LAN to another box. We do both.

So any change I make on this site is mirrored over to a backup if you will automagically.

I recommend people actually setup a real LAMP stack. If you are unfamiliar with Linux/Unix then you can begin with say Linux MINT and start learning. Then move up to uBuntu. When comfortable with it, then move to CentOS or Fedora Core or Rehat Enterprise.

CentOS is the community edition of RedHat Enterprise.

Why?

Because knowing the underlying operating environment is important to growth.

For example. If your using a hosting firm thats running uBuntu that says something right from the word go. uBuntu is a user friendly linux release. 98% of all hosting firms run CentOS, Fedora Core or Redhat Enterprise. They are not user friendly but they are performance friendly.

If a host firm is running uBuntu it tells me, "They are not linux/unix experts".

Thats not to say uBuntu is bad. Its great. And to learn by even better!

I recommend developers/designers setup a LAMP stack. You can use any decent PC, an older Quad core is perfect or dual core if one insists.

There are tools that remove all comments from files out there (we coded our own Windows application for it. Probably no big deal to release it I suppose).

There are many javascript obfuscation tools out there. Use them on the files on the production sites. You can do this as well with CSS.

Point being your minimizing your visibility on the battlefield Net.

If your site is not identified as a WP site than most bots will just skip right past it. Your site(s) are identified by these signatures, watermarks. "Powered By" statements.

All that being said there is ONE problem.

ALOT of the plugins etc. say, "Dont remove this" as part of the license. If your using this javascript menu then "Dont remove this from the comment header" or Keep our "powered by" statement in place.

Keeping that in place, any of it, may make your site a target. So... up to you.

As updates come along then you need go through it again. So it is work.