Want a sidebar widget linking to your favorite blogs?

Do you want a little sidebar widget that will highlight posts from your favorite blogs? I figured out a way.

...Here is your chance to show your readers what you find interesting on other blogs....

Could it be a mashup? Well, maybe not, but close enough for me. You will need to open a del.icio.us account. I personally have two accounts. One exclusively for tagging posts from my blog and one for this purpose. We will be discussing the latter which I named anniebluesky. After opening your account, go either to 'Help' or 'Settings'. Then click on 'Linkrolls'. This is where you configure your widget.

1. First box is 'show'. Default number is 15, but for my purpose I thought 5 would be better.
2. Second box is 'title'. Default is my del.icio.us. which I left as is. I titled the sidebar section 'Blogs on Blogging'.
3. Third box is 'show tags'. I left it blank.
4. Fourth box is 'show notes'. Since I wanted to include part of each post, I checked it.
5. Fifth is the 'icon' selection. Up to you what you like, if anything.
6. Sixth is the 'bullet' selection. I liked the run of the mill bullet.
7. Seventh is 'Sort chronologically or alphabetically'. This also is up to you, but I chose chronologically.
8. The last 2 boxes are 'show your del.icio.us username' and show 'add me to your network' link'. I checked them both.

When you are done there, scroll up and copy the code and paste it in your template where ever you want to see it.

Next, go back to the del.icio.us to the help section. Under 'Browser' you will see 'Internet Explorer buttons' and 'Firefox extension'. Click on the browser you use and follow their instructions. This will put a little del.icio.us box and tag on your upper toolbar. They give very good instructions, along with visuals (I love visuals) so it is pretty easy to install and use.

Speaking of use. You are ready! When you are browsing and find a post you want to highlight in your blog, click on the title so the post page opens. In step #4 it enables the widget to show notes...so you highlight how much of the post you want to show in your sidebar (no need to include the title...that is put in automatically) and then click on the 'Tag' icon in your toolbar.

That is pretty much all there is to it. Since I put mine to chronologically and limited it to 5, it automatically puts the newest one to the top and removes the oldest! Spiffy.

Update: 11/08/06 I edited this a bit...removed the icons and my tag line. Slimmed and trimmed it down.