Shortcodes in the Sidebar

Shortcodes are used to insert complicated or customized content into a page or post with minimal fuss. They usually look something like this:

[shortcodekeyword]
Sometimes they will have other information along with them like this:

[shortcodekeyword value='somevalue']

Since WordPress 2.5 the process of outputting shortcode has been simplified. Unfortunately it’s not posssible, out of the box, to use shortcodes in the sidebar text widgets. Enabling this feature is simple, though. Simply add the following line to the functions.php file in your active theme:

add_filter('widget_text', 'do_shortcode');

Of course, if the thought of adding code to your theme gives you hives you can always use this plugin: Sidebar Shortcodes

Digsby, the ultimate Instant Messenger Client and Much More!

Digsby Instand Messenger, Email, and Social Networking

Disgby is the new kid on the block when it comes to Instant Messaging aggregation, but they have come a long way in a short time. What makes them really stand out from the pack is that they go way beyond Instant Messaging by adding in email and social networking support.

Here’s a listing of the instant messaging services currently supported:

  • AIM
  • Yahoo Messenger
  • MSN Messenger
  • ICQ
  • Google Talk
  • Jabber
  • Facebook Chat

They also have Email integrated in the program so I am able to get notification of emails to all my various email accounts including Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail, Gmail (including Gmail for domains), IMAP and POP3 accounts

And just to make the list complete Disgby throws in Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter notifications for good measure. The interface is skinable so you can choose from tons of options for how to display your chat screens!

One thing that really sells me on this service is that all my settings and preferences are stored remotely so when I log into Disgby from another computer everything is right there just the way I set it up.

Disgby also has it’s own IM service which allows you to put a chat widget in Facebook, MySpace and on your blog or website to allow anyone visiting those pages to chat with you, as long as you are logged into Digsby. I often send people to my website to chat with me through the widget as a way to communicate with people.

The application is available only for Windows at the moment but versions for Mac and Linux are in the works. Updates to the application are downloaded automatically, and frequently as improvements and additions are made to the software.

I highly recommend trying this application! And if you would like to chat with me, check out the widget in my sidebar!