An interesting alternative to some of the stats packages I’ve been using. Give it the once over then decide if you like it! SlimStat — A simple web stats analyser based on ShortStat.

If you would rather try another package, here are two that I like:

1.  TD Word Count for counting words in your posts! It says I have 12 words in this post! I should refresh! Very useful, slightly odd first set up, but operates smoothly after that!

2. WordPress.com Stats Plugin which claims to track views, post/page views, referrers, and clicks. It requires a WordPress.com API key and a Wordpress.com Account (both free)

3. WP Stats which I no longer use, and can’t find the link either!

Bonus Section!

4. Google Analytics works well, but is not a plugin, and requires a Google Account.

5. MyBloglog but fairly useless! #4 works better than that!

Of course, if you are self-hosted, you likely have access to your own logs and perhaps even your hosting company can provide software for analyzing traffic.

There are many options out there, but there seems at the moment little point in some of the for pay services as the good ones are either free or already paid for by your hosting plan.

A disturbing story about Digg.com. It is no longer (if ever it was) democratic or fair.

Digg.coms Autobury Secret Blacklist…Are you still being banned by automatic burying?

I’m not sure that I would ever want this site to be dugg to the front page, though there is a digg button on the bottom of every post! It seems like it’s become some group’s little fiefdom. But that’s ok! On the internet, you’re only one click away from another website! So, let digg.com digg itself into a shallow grave!

Do you care for Digg.com? Ever been dugg? What happened? Ever been auto-buried? I’d like to hear your story, too!

There is so much opensource software available these days that you can pretty much find an equivalent product to something from Microsoft or another major software company. The problem is that it is difficult to find the software. Some of the databases and websites list hundreds, even thousands of projects. So how do you find opensource software without wading through those listings. Well, there are two websites that are quite useful in helping filter the software to the ‘best of..’ category.

The first is called TheOpenCD. This website lists half a dozen projects in major categories that you might find of value. In fact, that’s how I found Scribus (an alternate to MSPublisher) and Audacity (an alternate for Nero Editor). The other great website that lists popular options is perversely, PortableApps, but with the increasing interest in running applications on a USB device, this helps sort the wheat from the chaff for the uninitiated in opensource software. Both of these websites have complimentary but interesting suggestions.

Naturally, I’m increasingly suspicious of MS’s motives with online activation, increasing copyright protection, and rising prices! They are seeking to control much more of what we can do with their applications, and, ergo, MY data. I don’t like that. I don’t like that at all. I’m not against paying for software, indeed I have spent $1000’s over the years to amass a useless collection of CD roms and 5-inch disks; but MS is going way beyond what I feel comfortable with. So, I’m now using OpenOffice, Firefox, Thundbird, NVU,  BlogDesk, etc. wherever I can to avoid using MS software as much as possible. One day, I’ll throw out the OS, too. But babysteps!