Index: export.php
===================================================================
--- export.php	(revision 31249)
+++ export.php	(working copy)
@@ -116,9 +116,10 @@
  *
  * @since 3.1.0
  *
- * @param string $post_type The post type. Default 'post'.
+ * @param string	$post_type The post type. Default 'post'.
+ * @param bool		$oldest_month_selected Should the oldest month be selected? Default false.
  */
-function export_date_options( $post_type = 'post' ) {
+function export_date_options( $post_type = 'post', $oldest_month_selected = false ) {
 	global $wpdb, $wp_locale;
 
 	$months = $wpdb->get_results( $wpdb->prepare( "
@@ -130,14 +131,18 @@
 
 	$month_count = count( $months );
 	if ( !$month_count || ( 1 == $month_count && 0 == $months[0]->month ) )
-		return;
+		echo '<option value="0">' . __( 'No dates available' ) . '</option>';
 
 	foreach ( $months as $date ) {
+		
 		if ( 0 == $date->year )
 			continue;
+			
+		if ( true == $oldest_month_selected && $date == end( $months ) )
+			$selected = 'selected="selected"';
 
 		$month = zeroise( $date->month, 2 );
-		echo '<option value="' . $date->year . '-' . $month . '">' . $wp_locale->get_month( $month ) . ' ' . $date->year . '</option>';
+		echo '<option value="' . $date->year . '-' . $month . '" ' . $selected . '>' . $wp_locale->get_month( $month ) . ' ' . $date->year . '</option>';
 	}
 }
 ?>
@@ -169,13 +174,12 @@
 ?>
 	</li>
 	<li>
-		<label><?php _e( 'Date range:' ); ?></label>
+		<label><?php _e( 'Include posts from:' ); ?></label>
 		<select name="post_start_date">
-			<option value="0"><?php _e( 'Start Date' ); ?></option>
-			<?php export_date_options(); ?>
+			<?php export_date_options( 'post', true ); ?>
 		</select>
+		<label><?php _e( 'to:' ); ?></label>
 		<select name="post_end_date">
-			<option value="0"><?php _e( 'End Date' ); ?></option>
 			<?php export_date_options(); ?>
 		</select>
 	</li>
@@ -201,13 +205,12 @@
 ?>
 	</li>
 	<li>
-		<label><?php _e( 'Date range:' ); ?></label>
+		<label><?php _e( 'Include pages from:' ); ?></label>
 		<select name="page_start_date">
-			<option value="0"><?php _e( 'Start Date' ); ?></option>
-			<?php export_date_options( 'page' ); ?>
+			<?php export_date_options( 'page', true ); ?>
 		</select>
+		<label> <?php _e( 'to:' ); ?></label>
 		<select name="page_end_date">
-			<option value="0"><?php _e( 'End Date' ); ?></option>
 			<?php export_date_options( 'page' ); ?>
 		</select>
 	</li>