Re: adding content to the 1.2 default theme homepage
Copy your index.php contents into a new template called blog.php.
Add this to the very top:
<?php /* Template Name: Blog Home */ ?>
Then create a new page called “Blog” in your wp-admin area. On the right menu of the page creation screen you’ll see a dropdown called “Template”, select “Blog Home” and save the page.
Go to “Settings > Reading” and check the “A static page (select below)” and select nothing for the first dropdown and “Blog” for the second dropdown. Save.