Wordpress plugins you should install

Few months back I have shifted my blog to self hosted wordpress blog at this location. I have passed few months trying new things on this blog like themes, plugins and its been fun playing with it. During this time I have tried several plugins, so wanted to share some of the plugins that I liked the most:

Aksimet: filters spam comments and tracksbacks. You don’t want your post to be filled with useless comments.
Wordpress.com Stats: Its a light weight plugin but still provides detailed representation of important statistics
Google Sitemap Generator: Generates sitemap for your wordpress blog which is by Ask.com, Google, YAHOO and MSN Search.
Get Recent Comments: Display the most recent comments or trackbacks with your own formatting in the sidebar.
FeedBurner FeedSmith: It redirects your wordpress feeds to feedburner so that you can easily track your subscribers.
Plugin Central: Automatically installs and updates WordPress plugins.
Wordpress Data backup: Its a necessary plugin to backup your blog. I still haven’t restoring posts from backup though.

For some specific users plugins like wp-latex, are also useful. It generates PNG images from inline $\LaTeX$ code in your posts and comments. I have installed latex on my hosting service( hostmonster) and still working on making simliar plugins(LatexRender) to work.

You can find many more such list on web if you do a google search. But Lorelle has a nice compilation of list of favorite wordpress plugins.

May 22, 2008 | Filed Under blog, listing | 2 Comments

Evolution of a blogger

It has been almost 3 year, When I started blogging. Looking back to see how my blogging style has changed, change in content of blog post or change in my motivation for blogging to sum up how I am evolved as a blogger. First I’ll tell you how my reasoning behind blogging has changed:

Why do I Blog ?

Because I wanted to blog, seeing so many on internet.
Then as catalog of stuff I’m doing, for me and may be for others to know.
And with time it changed to showcasing what I like, what I’m doing, sharing tips and then taking readers opinion, discussing with them. (at leasts thats the aim)

In all above cases common things can be to pass time and share experience plus along with we are (I am) also always looking for recognition and admiration.

And about change in my blog content:

May 2005, Posted some pictures, wanted to avoid much writing.
June 2005, Just write about your projects, so that you don’t have to dwell for blog content.
November 2005, You try to write some good posts(Solving Rubik’s Cube, Speed up firefox) but you end with posts like Unnatural laws whose content is generally a email forward or similar.
February 2006, You try your best looking for good content to post but most of post were result of “submit to blog” button on digg.
July 2006, Most of blog post consists of linking to stories of others blogs or quoting parts of posts from other blogs.
September 2006, Now blog posts are mixture of posts from above categories.
January 2007, Now You are improving with some good posts (sharing knowledge firefox: about pages). Also tried covering some events in IITB (Techfest 2007: Feeding the Fish, Creative Commons, India launched on 26th Jan at IIT Bombay)
Then there is also a time when you stop blogging for some time (for me this hibernation period was from May 2007 to Nov 2007)
Decemeber 2008, January 2008: You are trying to get back in form and you want to write good posts now)
February 2008, Some good posts which includes what new you tried Adobe AIR: Web to Desktop, Trying hands on Google gadgets) or tips you want to share(Google movie search tricks).
Now I feel, I have a good enough blog which people (atleast some) want to read. And I’m always ready to try, explore new things and share with my viewers and always waiting for there feedback. (Check my posts for this month)

In all these time periods you will always have some good posts and some just blog posts.

Share with your motivation behind blogging and how you pick up content for your blog. I’m not a good writer (I try to share mostly technical, geeky stuff through my blog) so any suggestion/feedback to writing style are always welcome.