What is a widget, you ask? It is a little bit of code that can be shared between many users that changes based on the information it receives via an RSS feed.
How can you have fun with widgets?
1) Create an account at some blog reader site, say Google Reader.
2) Subscribe to blogs you like to read.
3) In Google Reader click on “Manage Subscriptions.”
4) Organize the blogs you read into various folders or tags. (This is how we created a feed for each of our main categories at HighCallingBlogs.com)
5) Within manage subscriptions, click on “tags.”
6) Choose one tag to make into a widget, then click on “private” to make that tag “public.” I know this one is a bit counter-intuitive.
7) Click on “View Public Page.” This will open a new metablog that automatically aggregates the RSS feeds in that tag. Here is an example of our meta blog for blogs about writing on HighCallingBlogs.com.
Create a blidget at WidgetBox. (This is a multistep process, but they’ve made it pretty easy.)
9) Copy the code into your blog and viola:
(Did it work?)
23 comments ↓
Yea! It worked. Except the stupid blog software turned “8 )” into a smiley face with sunglasses. Oh well. That’s what I get for not using an ordered list.
Also, Gina Conroy, notice that you can share it easily on Ning.
Okay so I’m working on it for my blog and for the Intersection ning site, but I ran into a problem. Two of my folders, no problem. But two of them won’t allow me to make them public. Any suggestions?
Thanks for letting me know about this feature, by the way!
Hmmm. I’m not sure. Were you clicking on the gray RSS icon (so that it becomes orange)? Or were you literally clicking on the word “private.” I should have been more clear that you click on the icon just to the left of the word “private.”
I like the viola. But do you think I might be able to get cello instead?
So cool. Thanks so much. I added it to my personal blog and my new writing blog (www.wannabepublished.blogspot.com)
Blessings,
Mary
L.L., would you believe I played viola for a year in the fourth grade? We scratched out a painful concert for parents after a handful of short afterschool lessons.
Mary, sharing the widget is the best! I love you!
Mary, do you want me to add “So You Want to Be Published” into the writing feed? I’d be happy to do so.
So what you’re saying is you have no idea why I’m talking about violas, yes? (Hint: reread the end of your great post.)
I knew you were referring to my víola. But I was thinking about your daughter’s cello lessons and that old post many months ago that first got us connected.
I thought “widget” was that uncomfortable thing that happens to your shorts…
Craver, good to hear from you! You’re confused several words, though.
A wedgie is a) what happens to your shorts if you are a nerd in middle school and b) what you call a person who is suffering from definition a.
A wedget is the perpetrator of wedgies.
A widget goes back to 1931 (says the OED) when it already meant an indefinite mechanical gadget of some sort.
None of those to be confused with a widgie (or weegie): an Australasian teddy-girl; the female counterpart to a bodgie.
Got it all working. For some reason, it just took some time (as in several hours) to recognize something. When I came back to it, the others worked.
I added it to the Intersection community (http://intersection.ning.com) and will get it up on my blog soon, too. Thanks for the advice!
*roaring with laughter* Craver!
I must try out this new widget, Mark.
Okay, I uploaded my subscriptions and will play with it some tonight. Still getting the hang of it. I hope Google Reader has a widget for my Mac Dashboard like Bloglines does . . .
I have been developing widgets for about a year now, and of the services I have tried as a developer the easiest one to use that is feature rich would have to be Clearspring. Registration is free and takes like 10 seconds.
You’re always up on the latest stuff!!
spaghettipie, Google Reader has a widget for your dashboard, but I’m sure Bloglines can organize your feeds too. No need to switch to Google just because I did.
Widget User, interesting promotional plug. Honest and on topic, so I appreciate it. The HighCallingBlogs.com staff are checking out Clearspring. We like the widgets we see others creating, but we’re having trouble seeing how we can do the same.
RLP, that’s my job dude. I’m not sure widgetbox is really that cutting edge. We’ve just finally organized our feeds well enough to use it. Thanks for all the work you’re doing on HighCallingBlogs.com.
Oh great…another thing I have to add to my to do list!
I just added the High Calling widget to WI. Do you know why there’s a lot of white space at the top of the widget?
Okay, I know it’s late, but not as late as it says it is! I have another question…I clicked on Michelle’s review of the Betrayed and it took me to a page on WI that’s not scheduled to post until next week! How is that possible? Very strange!
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