Archive for January, 2006

1/31/2006 ↓

  • Google Toolbar API

    Google Toolbar API: A quick look at the Google Toolbar APi and how it can work as a feedreader. Niall has also published some code to build your own custom button for the Google Toolbar but only for Movable Type so far. (0)
  • DreamHost Wordpress Rebate

    DreamHost Wordpress Rebate Get your hosting from Dreamhost and receive $60 rebate for the first year by using code WORDPRESS60 in addition to already reduced prices. Via Email. PS: If publishing this rebate item is against any policies, please email me and I shall remove it. [EDIT] Use code S90 for $90 off your yearly price. Thanks Stephen in comments. (13)
  • WP Theme: RevvedUp

    WP Theme: RevvedUp Three column, standards compliant, easy to modify theme for Wordpress with template support for a bunch of plugins built in. (1)
  • Blogtimize! AdSense

    Blogtimize! AdSense Some tips from the Adsense blog on optimizing adsense ads specifically for blogs and bloggers. Most of this information is old, but useful nonetheless. (0)

1/27/2006 ↓

1/26/2006 ↓

Ringtone Uploader Updated 5comments

Author: Mark Ghosh Category: Cool Scripts, General

Thanks for visiting! If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed. This blog posts regular Wordpress news, updates of themes, plugins, ideas, hacks, quick fixes and everything about blogging, especially about Wordpress. Go ahead, subscribe to our feed! You can also receive updates from this blog via email.

Ringtone Uploader Updated: By popular request, I have updated my free ringtone uploader. Now it includes Virgin Mobile, T Mobile UK, AT&T, Sprint PCS, Cingular, T Mobile US, US Cellular, Verizon, Alltel and Nextel. Uploads work in some cases and fail miserably in others. I know it works well for Sprint PCS since I have tested it extensively myself! ;) You will need internet access on your phone to be able to download the ringtones. Charges may apply from your carrier for Internet Services. I try to resolve bugs as soon as possible so please post any problems you might have. I might add a text messaging and blog posting system if the mood strikes. Have fun!

  • WP Plugin: Quick Social Bookmarking

    WP Plugin: Quick Social Bookmarking This plugin creates a set of icons that allow you to quickly bookmark the current post/page at a number of social bookmarking sites. Features Wordpress 2.0 compatible, easy install, CSS styling, automatic generation of appropriate submit links for: Del.ici.ous, Digg, Blinklist, Furl, Reddit, Fark, Yahoo My Web, Spurl, and Simpy. Via Email (0)
  • Wp Theme: Happy Blog

    Wp Theme: Happy Blog I like the shadows in this three column colorful (pastel?) theme for Wordpress with lots of possibilities. This would make a very good journal theme for casual bloggers. (1)
  • Tapping Into The Blogosphere

    Tapping Into The Blogosphere Wow. Tom has said in 1000 words or less why blogs and bloggers can be so useful and important. He uses the example of Indeed.com and explains how they used the power of blog evangelism to push their product which would have otherwise faltered. A good read for the corporate types looking to understand and leverage the power of the media. Lots of examples thrown in. (0)

1/25/2006 ↓

  • Blog Analytics with Blogbeat

    Blog Analytics with Blogbeat: Another high profile, coolness added blog tracking and analysis tool. The review is pretty involved and the tool looks to be quite good. Bloggers that are unhappy with their present tracking tools (which I am not) can give this one a try. There is only so much information from your blog viewers that can be remotely useful. (0)

1/23/2006 ↓

  • Best computer for blogging?

    Best computer for blogging? Is it going to be a PC or a Mac? I have always been a Windows user with Mac undertones. I cannot see myself switching completely, ever. (14)
  • CustomScoop - Blog Search Watcher

    CustomScoop - Blog Search Watcher Still in private beta but could be a very cool tool for PR people in particular and bloggers in general looking to keep tabs on blog searches in real time. Thanks to Threadwatch. (0)

1/20/2006 ↓

Wordpress Meetup in India 22comments

Author: Mark Ghosh Category: General

It looks like I am going to be at Calcutta, India for two weeks around the end of February and would like to get together with Wordpress and blogging folks from that region.

March 4th (Saturday) is the tentative date for the meetup and my initial thoughts are to meet at the Park Hotel (on Park Street). I will post updates as and when they develop.

I would like to judge the level of interest. Please leave a comment if you are interested. Also, please link to this post if it would help to get the word out.

[EDIT]: Not sure if people realize this or not, but I am originally from Calcutta, India. My fiance’ and I are going to visit my parents for a couple of weeks and this is more of a pleasure trip than anything business. Any business conducted will be incidental and will have less priority. I am also glad to know that there is such a concentration of bloggers in Mumbai and Chennai. How about independant blog meetups there?

  • Web sites judged in a blink

    Web sites judged in a blink “If the first impression is negative, you’ll probably drive people off.” We always knew this but there is more research behind first impressions on the web. However, how does this work when content is read through syndication? (5)
  • Interview With Digg.com Founder

    Interview With Digg.com Founder Speaking on the Digg technology, recent VC funding, redesign and the effect of Digg ing on the blogging world. Nothing really revelatory there, sad to say. A good writeup on the internal technology would be nice. (0)

1/19/2006 ↓

1/18/2006 ↓

  • More VC equals More Pro Bloggers?

    More VC equals More Pro Bloggers? More fun on Web 2.0 VC funding for “Pro” blogging. This article looks at the other side of the coin. In my opinion, all of this funding does not spell the demise of print. (1)

1/17/2006 ↓

Squidoo 9comments

Author: Mark Ghosh Category: General

Squidoo: Can user generated content directed at marketing and making a profit from ad sales really ever be good content? I have been trying to follow some of the Web 2.0 startups and trying to fathom the principles of user generated content that these sites are hoping to build on. But after looking at some of the existing proponents of the model (such as Squidoo), I wonder if this is good for web publishing in general and the ad/search industry in particular.

I really could write a thesis on this but for starters I find myself quite dissociated with the content on Squidoo. The content looks remotely useful but also feels unnecessarily padded and somewhat redundant. Hundreds (maybe hundreds of thousands) of authors are vying for the elusive few dollars in shared advertising revenue and pumping out article after article on search engine stuffers such as Senseo Coffee makers. Squidoo reminds me of a legitimate version of Hot Nachos with a revenue sharing plan on a grader scale than Hot Nachos.

There is the argument that keyword stuffers and spammers are already using blogs to make money through advertising and this is just another such venture that benefits both the author and the company reaping the ad revenue, so this is more of the same old but with a new twist of lemon. However, I just have a bad feeling about this.

On the other side of the picture are the blogging networks. Those tend to create better content since the authors are hand picked and their performance has depended (so far) on the quality of their work, their personalities and unique perspectives.

Tags:
  • dPolls: AJAX Online polls for free

    dPolls: AJAX Online polls for free Create free online/dynamic polls using AJAX. Looks like the service is ad supported and the code can be embedded into existing blog posts. I have not tested it in Wordpress. Via Email (2)
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