Plugins Used In Gazette Theme
I wanted to tell you about the plugins I use with Gazette to make it into what you see on this site. All the plugins listed below are in use here.
A theme isn't what you see when you first view it fresh from the developer's editor. It is what it becomes after you customize it by changing colors, backgrounds, add information, and images. Only then does it become yours, and makes your blog unique. That is what I tried to accomplish here at the PCB.
I'll begin at the header. I am using the flashfader plugin to rotate the images you see. I used it as a substitute for the header image you see on the Gazette Theme Site . You can get it at B Sides , along with the instructions for setting it up.
Everything you see in the left two columns are built-in WordPress items such as the links, calendar, and internal navigation like categories, archives, meta data, and rss links.
In the center column where the actual writing goes, I am using Content Extract from Web Space Works . For the longest time, I felt that my content column was way too long, and I didn't want the contraints of using the built-in excerpt or using the more tag, so I stumbled on this plugin, and it worked perfectly for me. It is flexible, and can be adjusted to the length that you want your excerpt to be, even putting in your own message for your readers to see at the bottom of each post. I wanted to add that the guy at Web Space Works was very helpful when asked about a problem I was having.
In the rightbar inner-column, I am using Chait Gear's CG-Feedread plugin. It comes bundled with several other plugins that I know little about, and his website says it works with WP 1.5x, but as you can see it also works with WP 2.x. I am probably using it in a little bit of an unorthodox way. I have set mine up so that there are four different feeds, and have them listed in a different category for each.
In the rightbar outer-column, the only actual plugin I am using is the Weather Icon plugin. Here again the author only states that it works in WP 1.5x, but it is working in 2.x for me. Everything else in the outer right column is my Amazon ads, CounterSpy ads, and Tip Jar.
I will write again soon with more details of the other great plugins I use to help customize Gazette.
