Since I’ve started creating this blog, I have had many problems especially with the restrictions I have with uploading codes, widgets etc on this blog. This is only because this version of wordpress doesn’t allow certain features to be added on here. As much as I wanted to add more features such as games, iframe, plugins digital clocks etc I just can’t add it. Also this version of wordpress doesn’t allow any plugins to be added. So basically I can only work with what wordpress provides.

Never the less I have tried my best to take advantage of the existing features and adding and editing what I can. I’ve come to the point now where I am happy to say I can’t really add anything else! I’ve tried and tested what I can and included what I believe is appropriate for my blog, and this blog what your viewing is the end result.

I’ve found this module very practical and hands on which I think has been the best way for me to develop my understanding of blogging and web2.0 better. This module is definately something I will not forget as I now know how to create a blog with confidence, and if someone asks me what web2.0 is, I think I can answer with confidence! Its been a good learning process.

So have a browse, feel free to leave comments etc and start surfing!

I’ve completed my essays and you can check it out on the essay page. I took my time deciding on what I wanted to do the essay on and after a long think I decided I wanted to it on privacy. I’ve included files to make it more interesting and have used various forms of research to validate my points such as YouTube.

I was going through the options I can include in wordpress. I was on wordpress just looking at what if anything else I can add, and I come across Slideshare. Slideshare is an application which enables you to upload and share slideshows like powerpoint presentations, with the benefit of being interactive. Its the new way to send and share presentations. It wasn’t hard to add a presentation.. just go to slideshow.net to get the right code you need for your server and copy and paste it. Take a look at an example of a presentation. (Click on slideshow to activate it). This was an option for me to add from my admin area. WordPress I think are beginning to improve, but its a shame really because by the time I finish this blog, i can’t add anything extra even if there are new features available! I’ve updated some of my pages now to include slideshows like this one below.

I can’t add any subcategories in my blog which I wanted to do, but never the less, I can still add links to my page which acts like a sub-category in its own way. What I have done though is add a link which goes back to the top of my page. If you click on my pages and scroll to the bottom- you’ll notice a button saying ‘back to top of page’. This as really easy to do and it makes navigating this blog so much better with that little link!

All I done was create a html link- and linked the text ‘back to top of page’ to the page the text is on. So what it actually does is refresh the page and make’s it jump back to the top.
Clever little idea I think

I feel a little bit happy now and I feel like this has made up for not having sub categories in my pages. Weird?

I’ve tried and tested the available widgets I can use in my sidebar. I tried different options to see the best options. At one point I added and configured all the sidebar widgets available! But I thought my sidebar looked to busy. So I decided to keep the widgets I think are jut right for my blog. I have an option to the amount of ‘text boxes’ which are basically empty text boxes for me to add coding. This sounds good but I’m still limited to what I can add. Prior to the sidear widgets I have got now, I had sonific songspot- a widget that plays songs.

Other sidebar widgets I included but i then decided to remove are:
• Meta (admin area login)
• RSS1 feed (additional option to add more feeds)

Things I added are:

• Drop down list for my categories and archive (only newly introduced)
• Box.net- a widget to upload files and share them easily (had to register and add code)
• Top clicks ( Didn’t need to configure)
• My stats ( Didn’t need to configure)
• Tag cloud (similar to zoom cloud, I selected various display options)

Since I’ve had this blog, the options I had were very limited in terms of not having the option to add any additional plugins (can only use the limited choice wordpress provides) and with widgets. It’s only been since March I created this blog and within the time I’ve had it, I’ve began to notice small changes/improvements to wordpress. For example- Box.net wasn’t available for me to install, neither was the simple option of a drop down list for my category list and achieve. As well as this, I tried to install zoom cloud but wordpress would simply reject the code. Now wordpress has given the option to add ‘Tag cloud’ (same as zoom cloud) which is a good sign…
Anything is an improvement from before!!

I added a cool widget called box.net. I think wordpress administrators have begun to listen to people on wordpress.com and are understanding the limitations we had!! I’m saying this because I’ve noticed a couple of new features which I can configure and add to my blog..And I’m taking advantage of these features..
Boxfile- in my sidebar menu I made an acount with box.net, uploaded files I want to show and once I registered, box.net generated coding which I copied and pasted into my text box in admin.

Take a look at the songs, images and even word document I’ve uploaded.. I’m happy with this handy tool and if you want any of them, jut click and share!

I just added a screen print of what the process is like just to help you understand more

Since I noticed the reason why my theme alignment was coming out of place, I attempted to alter the CSS styling sheet to see if any improvement was made. I have an option in my presentation page in my admin aea to d this. But I couldn’t see a difference. Also to change the layout of the theme to a more advanced way of editing, I would have to upgrade- basically pay some money to enable me to change any code.

Strangely enough, I’ve begun to notice that depending on which browser you use to view my site, it can make a difference. On mozilla firefox my blog seems to appear fine, but in internet explorer, sometimes the theme is out of line and other times it isn’t.

So maybe after all it isn’t my RSS feed buttons- it can be where you are viewing the site from.

Well i’ve been researching why my theme hasn’t been in line, and I discovered that my feed buttons are placed slightly outside the sidebar menu. This forces the alignment of the body of text to be shifted to the left which is why my theme looks as it does. When I removed the RSS feed buttons, the alignment of the theme appeared fine- how it is supposed to be.

I think the RSS Feeds are a handy and useful widget to have and I want to keep it.

I’m thinking of ways to change the position of the feed button without having to chage my theme. I have an option of changing my CSS coding- but again, I’m limited to what I can do

I’ve noticed since i’ve fixed my feed button, my actual alignment on the theme i have got has changed. The theme isn’t in line as shown below, i have tried to alter the presentation in my ‘presentation’ option in my wordpress account, but i can’t seem to change anything. This version of wordpress has restrictions on what I can and cannot do. I’m looking and researching whether i can altder the theme presentation.