Pro Blog Design

Today, we’re going to replace the standard “Older Posts” links on your blog. Our plugin will create a button to instantly load the next page of posts, without reloading the page (Similar to what Twitter used to do at the bottom of profiles)

Click here to load the demo site and see the final project in action.

You can also download the completed files as a plugin here (Just upload and activate it).

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Ever wanted to browse through the older post archives only to be staring at the screen for ages in frustration while the content slowly loads up? A quick fix would be to make use of AJAX to load the post archives. In this tutorial, I will show you how to do that using the ever popular JavaScript framework; MooTools on a typical 2 column WordPress theme.

The code is quite easily digestible and with a little CSS tweaking, you could get it to work for your theme.

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Have you ever seen blogs where the popular posts, top commentators, and blogroll are all tabbed into one small area? Those blogs are using DOMtabs.

DOMtabs is a free script and by using the guide below, its quick to install. I’ve also created a simple stylesheet that you can use to easily restyle your DOMtabs.

You can see DOMtabs in action in the sidebar here on Pro Blog Design. It is a very user-friendly way of saving space on the page, and cutting your clutter.

Lastly, this guide is written with WordPress in mind, but the script can be used anywhere. If you’re on another platform, try applying the steps to your own platform, or read the help on the script’s site, and comment here for help if you need it.

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Ajax is a great technology. It allows you to update various aspects of your page, without ever having to refresh.

The Trouble With Ajax

The trouble with Ajax is that it is overused and abused. Many people try to do too much with it. If you’re building a web-app, fantastic, use it all you like! If you’re just building a blog though, remember your restraint.

Good use of Ajax comes in small doses, and only when it helps you achieve your goals. Can it save you the hassle of reloading the same page? Will it let you accomplish simple tasks quickly? If so, then you’re using Ajax well.

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This week’s design review will be a little different. NTugo isn’t just a blog, it’s a blog aggregator, showing posts from all the sites in the network. Matt, the owner, has allowed me to write a review, so here goes!

What Has Been Done Well?

• Color. Matt has managed to find a shade or two of green that is light enough to look good on the button background, but dark enough to be legible in the main text. The green is the most memorable aspect of this design.

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