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VirusHead Updates and Tweaks

VirusHead Updates and Tweaks

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I’ve been trying to troubleshoot to find out what is making the blog take so long to load. In the process, I’ve been updating and optimizing the new design. Here’s what’s new:

  • Imported the tag database from the Simple Tags Plug-in to the new native tags function of WordPress 2.3, deactivated the old plugin, and implemented the new Tag format in the template file.
  • Installed the Technorati Tags and Related Posts for WordPress 2.3, and implemented them. Got rid of the old Related Posts plug I was using.
  • Added the new sidebar code from Techorati.
  • Got rid of the users online code that I was using and installed the Users Online plugin. Added a page so that you can how many guests, users and bots are on the blog.
  • Updated the Text Links code, and added a “Feedvertise here” button on the sidebar.
  • Deactivated the Twitter plugin, which doesn’t work with WordPress 2.3 and has not yet been updated.
  • Deactivated the WP-Amazon plugin, which really really needs to be updated (get on that!). Also took off the context-sensitive ad because it was slowing things down.
  • Deleted the Sociable plugin, since I prefer the AddThis Bookmark code.
  • Deleted WP-PostRatings, just because it seems a bit silly.
  • Deleted the Kill Preview plugin because the new version of WordPress doesn’t need it.
  • Updated the All in One SEO pack plugin.
  • Updated the WP-DB-Backup plugin.

Still to do

  • See if there are updated options at Amazon.com.
  • Find out when the Twitter update is expected.
  • Change the styling of the “VirusHead” text header at the top of the left-hand column. I don’t like it.
  • Research new anti-spam options. If nothing looks very good, consider updating Peter’s Custom Anti-Spam, and trying it again. I haven’t used it in a while, but I’m getting some leaks over Akismet again.
  • Look at the css stylesheet and figure out why all the links are suddenly underlined. I want them bold in the post, and unstyled in the sidebar.
  • Get rid of the space before the Related Posts are listed. It’s not in the template, so check the php file.

Any other suggestions? Is anyone still getting a script error?

TTLB Graphs, Technorati Issues

TTLB Graphs, Technorati Issues

Comments 1 comment

Today I’m a Slithering Reptile in the TTLB Ecosystem. The descriptions are cute, and very humbling! I was an “insignificant microbe” for a while when I first had the blog. I was a “Flappy Bird” for less than a day once – I think that’s the highest up I’ve gotten.

In addition to the regular blog stats, The Truth Laid Bare now has graphs of incoming links and outgoing links (by frequency). Here’s my most frequent incoming links graph:

Who Links to VirusHead

(larger, interactive version)

These things are great, but I’ve been having some technical difficulties with both TTLB and Technorati.

The main problem is that both TTLB and Technorati seem to slow down the loading time of my blog, freezing it for a wee bit while the scripts do whatever they do. I’m not really sure how it works.

It would be great if faster-loading solutions were implemented. I’m not sure what I can do on this end. I did try a WordPress plugin to speed up the loading time of TTLB with some kind of cache, but it doesn’t really do anything that I can tell.

Also, I can’t view the Technorati site with Firefox. It doesn’t appear to process the style sheet at all. When I go to the site, I have to open IE. Even then, the site loads very slowly. I can’t tell whether it is more to do with my own settings, or with their site.

The last problem is about my own settings, I’m sure. On every computer but my own, I can see the Technorati image and links on my sidebar. Here I don’t see it, either in Firefox or IE. I’ve played with settings for my firewall, antivirus, spyblaster, and everything else I can think of, but it just doesn’t show. Is it considered a malicious javascript?

Suggestions welcome.