Help with newb getting started, just got modx running

I used Modx on my last site, an older version, it asked me to make a file read-only in assets or cache, but I cant remember which one it was. Its not reminding me this time, Im wondering if the vulnerability has been fixed with this new version (1.0) that I am unfamiliar with.

The only thing that you really need to have writable on a bare-bones installation is the assets/cache folder and the two idx.php files in it. MODx must be able to write to that folder to generate the pages’ cache files, and keep the main site cache file updated.

If you want to be able to upload images with the rich text editor, then the assets/images folder also needs to be writable; not only so it can upload images but so that it can generate the thumbnail images for the directory listing of the images. Likewise the assets/files and assets/media folders need to be writable if you want to be able to upload to them using the rich text editor’s menu.

If you want to use MaxiGallery or any other snippet, module or plugin that generates files, the folder they use needs to be writable.

So its ok if I leave EVERYTHING as Read/Executable?

I thought that world executable was bad, since you can slip a script into a folder and run it from inside the site, gaining permissions of the admin. What if anything should I remove executable from?

index.php?
ht.access?
manager folder ?

There are attribute settings that are more safe, I am wondering how safe I can get.

None of the files should be executable. The directories need to be; for a directory, all executable means is that you can open it. If it’s not executable, then nobody can get into it.