I’ve been closely watching the Linux and open source developments since 2001, and I must say that it is a feel-good factor to be actually using some of these open source services and applications.

I will cut short my pep talk on how I came across these free and open source solutions, and would rather post some info on the top ten plugins that I’m using on this website (or blog, in geek terms). I think it’s also a good idea to include some screenshots of certain plugins to give an idea on how they look - perhaps, making it easier for you to see them in action while you explore this website.

Please note that the following plugins are running fine on my Wordpress 2.6 installation!!

1. Subscribe2

As soon as you post a new article on your blog, a notification (excerpt or full post) is sent out to an e-mail list of subscribers. This plugin gives you a lot of options, including automatic subscription of new users that are registering with your blog.

UPDATE: Lately, the Subscribe2 plugin is not working properly since something went wrong with the installation when I did an ‘auto-upgrade‘. The plugin is still working in the back-end for those who had registered with it before. New subscribers will get regular updates from my blog via Google Feedburner. Just enter your e-mail id in the field below to subscribe now!!

2. Wordpress Database Backup

I need not say much, this is an essential tool to backup up your Wordpress database - on-demand or automatic. You can download the backup file to your computer or can mail it across to your e-mail id of choice.

3. Snazzy Archives

Since I use a lot of images on my website, I was always on the lookout for a nice archive tool that will be visually and functionally appealing. Snazzy Archives just accomplishes this task aesthetically! Click on Archives to see this in action.

4. NextGEN Gallery

Well, I love photography, and love flaunting some of the best pics on my gallery page. This plugin has got a plethora of options, and this is widget ready too. You can also see the thumnail teasers at the bottom of this page. What more? you can watermark your pictures via this plugin before publishing on the website!

5. DISQUS Comment System

Ever since I installed this comment system, I’m simply loving its sheer flexibility and power in handling the site’s comments - centrally! This facilitates you commenters to ‘appreciate’ certain comments by giving ‘points’, and you can also decrease the points. The key aspects of this comment system is that you can have threaded comments and can paginate long list of comments - easy on your website visitors. Want to see this in action, try commenting!

6. Global Translator

Who doesn’t love having a global audience for one’s website? Imagine your global audience getting to read your website in their native language - you’ll get top honors! This nice plugin supports fourteen languages, and you can choose the translation engine (Google Translation Engine, Babelfish Translation Engine, FreeTranslations.com, Promt) from the manage plugin page.

7. Google XML Sitemaps

Search engines love sitemaps from websites, making them easier to crawl and better index pages. This plugin generates sitemaps that are compatible with sitemaps.org, and you can directly update Google, MSN, Yahoo and Ask search engines. This is a cool tool that every webmaster will love.

8. Feedburner FeedSmith

As you all know, Feedburner has been acquired by Google some time ago. If you have a Feedburner account, this plugin will detect your website feeds, and redirect them via Feedburner.

9. Similar Posts

It is always a good practice to retain your visitors, when they land on a certain article, by giving them a list of other related posts. You can see this plugin in action just before the comment section, at the end of every article. The accuracy of the related posts depends on various parameters that can be tweaked via the manage plugin page.

10. StatPress Reloaded

Finally, every blog owner or webmaster would be interested in knowing about his/her website’s performance metrics - like page views, unique visitors, user operating system/browser, spiders, search terms and the landing pages, and so on. This is an excellent plugin, once installed, will make you write more on your blog.

Well, I’m not just recommending the aforementioned plugins just for the sake of it. I’ve been using them on my Wordpress 2.6 installation without problems. I’ve written this post with a belief that it would benefit the bloggers, and to appreciate the good work of the authors of these free and open source applications.

Long live the open source community!