Considering switching from WordPress to Ghost (or maybe the other way around)? Scroll down, you’ve come to the right place.

As a power user and not affiliated with either platform in any way. In this post, I’ll give you my honest and straight-up review of why and when you should use one platform over the other.

We’ll also cover a side-by-side comparison for three different use cases, building corporate sites, standalone blogs and affiliate sites.

Ready? Let’s go.

What is WordPress?

WordPress is a free and open-source content management system written in PHP and using a MySQL or MariaDB database. If you’re not familiar with any of this, let me explain:

Launched in 2013, WordPress is one of the most popular publishing platforms. In fact, WordPress powers more than 35% of all websites on the internet today. People use WordPress to power any kind of website, from simple blogs to corporate sites. WordPress is extremely powerful and it’s a great choice for many looking to start and scale an online business.

You can either host WordPress yourself (it’s dead easy) or use WordPress.com which has some restrictions, e.g. you can’t customise it with themes and plugins.

I’ve always self-hosted my WordPress sites so can’t really comment on using the WordPress.com service.

What is Ghost?

Now, this is where it gets interesting.

John O’Nolan, the founder of Ghost, was the former deputy design lead for WordPress. He started his idea of launching Ghost in November 2012.

Yes, I was surprised too.

Nolan was frustrated with the complexity of using WordPress as a blog rather than a content management system. In a blog post for Chart Mogul, Nolan says:

“We’re hoping to use technology to level the playing field of modern media and power some of the greatest journalists in the world.”

In 2013 he released the prototype of Ghost during a kickstarter campaign which is clearly targeted towards publishers. More on that later.

Ghost is also free & open source – although they’re also offering a PRO version which includes hosting. It’s built on NodeJS and modern technologies.

With the basics of both platforms covered, here’s the dilemma.

WordPress vs. Ghost: A Dilemma of Choice

As long as I can remember, I’ve been building blogs with WordPress. In fact, my first blog, “The Purity Experience”, launched in early 2010, seven years after WordPress was first released. (Just FYI, I don’t run this site any longer)

Back then, WordPress was really about blogging. And blogging was becoming the new hot thing – similar to what podcasts are today.

I’ve designed, dabbled, tinkered and developed and set up blogs for my friends and anyone who wanted to start writing.

But over the years things have changed. WordPress has become the tool of everything, not just blogs.

Today, I’m using WordPress primarily as a content management system (CMS) to build full websites and no longer simply as a standalone blogging platform.

I’ve not only used WordPress for the website of my design subscription service, not only corporate sites but also job boards, market places, eLearning platforms, eCommerce solutions & marketing pages.

At Zengrowth for example, we’re helping our clients build entire marketing systems on WordPress, from landing pages to email capture processes, to side-project marketing & more.

The fact that WordPress has a huge marketplace of free, paid and freemium plugins makes it the perfect platform for everything really. If you can think of it, you can probably make it in WordPress.

Now…

When I saw John Nolan’s kickstarter campaign for the first time, he marketed his “project” as:

“The open-source blogging platform which makes writing pleasurable and publishing simple”

A platform just for blogging? SEO out of the box? Markdown editor included? Blazing fast experience?

Clearly, Nolan had enough of the clunky WordPress experience for writers and publishers. And I do see where he was coming from.

But one thing really confused me.

Somewhere along the lines it also said something about being the “alternative to WordPress”. And I think this is what causes confusion in many peoples’ eyes.

People expected a new WordPress with similar goals, yet, Ghost’s value proposition was clearly based around publishing and writing and not building fully-fledged websites or web applications.

And that’s why I think the dilemma started in the first place.

Onwards.

With almost every technology, there are different use cases. Below, we’re exploring three different ones and I’ll share when I would use WordPress over Ghost and vice versa.

WordPress vs. Ghost: Different Platforms, Different Use Cases

Use Case 1: Building Corporate Websites

WordPress: If you’re a seasoned developer, you know what you’re doing and you’ve probably done it a million times, WordPress is awesome. You have full control over everything, plus you already know your way around, which plugins to install and how to make your WordPress website ultra fast.

Plus, most hosting sites offer easy one-click installs for WordPress. WordPress has a huge community supplying themes and extensions for almost every industry & use case.

Ghost: There are definitely sites that run Ghost as a fully-fledged CMS. Here’s an example, and here’s another one. But Ghost is designed to be a publishing platform. It’s not a fully functioning website CMS and you would probably need to hack it quite a bit to make it work. In my opinion, it’s not worth even trying. There are two completely different use cases.

Recommendation? Go with WordPress.

Use Case 2: Building & Publishing Standalone Blogs

WordPress:  WordPress is overkill if you’re looking to become an independent publisher or create a standalone blog. For example, to create a subscription service like Substack or a similar experience like Medium, you need to install or design custom themes. You need to dabble with plugins for SEO, plugins for caching, plugins for social sharing and plugins that help with speed optimization.

What’s the point of publishing if no one reads your content, right?

In addition, WordPress is notoriously slow unless you know how to optimise for speed and have the time.

Ghost: Ghost, on the other hand, has amazing support for SEO and social sharing out of the box. You don’t need any plugins or extensions, and you don’t need to write extra code. It simply works.

Here are a few corporate & personal blog examples:

• The Browser
• Ali Abdaal
  
• Buffer Blog
  
• Close.io Blog

Ghost provides you with everything you need in order to start and launch your online publication. Check out these corporate publications built with Ghost:

Ghost is built with Node.js which has a massive community of developers to help it scale.

It’s super lightweight and focuses on the main area, writing and publishing. If you’re already familiar with online publication platforms like Medium or Substack, Ghost integrates with Unsplash for imagery, offers subscription functionality, Disqus comments, analytics and accelerated mobile pages.

Recommendation? Ghost
(unless you’re already running a corporate website on WordPress)

Use Case 3: Building Affiliate Websites

If you’re looking to use affiliate marketing in your business model, let’s say through product review sites, you may also be exploring WordPress vs. Ghost.

Most users are concerned about using monetization tools like Amazon Affiliate or Google Adsense, but there are also concerns about each platform’s suitability.

Let’s break it down.

WordPress: WordPress is a great platform to build strong affiliate sites. And it doesn’t matter if you’re using networks like Amazon, Clickbank or Google. WordPress already has a huge library of affiliate related themes and plugins that work out of the box. The alleviates the need to custom code any solutions. Most affiliate themes are optimized for speed out of the box.

Ghost, on the other hand, doesn’t have anything specific in the realm of building affiliate sites. If you want to integrate Google Adsense, you need to add the codes via script code injection. If you want to have link tracking, you can use out-of-the-box tools like Bit.ly.

Recommendation? It’s a tie between Ghost & WordPress. Product review sites where you need a lot of custom HTML to create tables & are you’re probably better off using WordPress. If you’re a blogger who has affiliate links here and there, you could benefit from Ghost’s simplicity, focus & ease of use.

WordPress vs. Ghost:

This one seems obvious.

Whenever I’m confronted with picking the best technology, I look at the founders’ story and their goals. Instead of trying to find the all-dancing, all-whistling all-in-one solution, I tend to go with specialised software. And if that specialisation matches with my intentions and goals, I make a quick decision.

Now, why am I writing this?

The choice between WordPress and Ghost is much easier if you know your goals.

Here are my two cents on Ghost vs. WordPress

Ghost

• A far better user interface: You can get everywhere in just a few clicks
• Amazingly fast: In comparison with WordPress, Ghost is many times faster and has SEO already built-in
• Markdown: If you love markdown, you’ll fall in love with Ghost

WordPress

• Developer freedom: You can customise the heck out of WordPress. If you do know how to code (and enjoy it), WordPress is awesome
• An amazing community that supports WordPress users
• Many different themes & plugins for every use case
• Incredible site-building tools like Elementor & Oxygen Builder

Let me summarise:

If you’re looking for a platform that does everything and you don’t mind wading through menus, installing and maintaining dozens of plugins, have some coding knowledge and experience and want to build fully-fledged websites rather than content-driven blogs, then WordPress might be the best solution for you.

If you’re looking for an easy-to-use, simple, and focused publishing platform that allows you to focus on content more than anything else, go with Ghost.

Final Thoughts

Let’s be real here: WordPress is not going anywhere. It’s a popular tool used by many to achieve a vast number of things. But if you’re a serious publisher and you care about the user experience for you and your team you should definitely have a go at Ghost. It’s simply beautiful.

Searching for a gift for a computer programmer can be tough, however, if you know where to look, there are so many options, from the practical to the weird and wonderful. In this guide, no matter what you budget, we've got 25 great gift ideas for the geek programmer in your life.

25 Awesome Gift Ideas For Computer Programmers

1. Ghost Stand

Many programmers love apple computers and the add-ons that are made for them.  This is a great accessory for the Mac-lover on your list. A ghost stand makes a great gift for programmers that spend a lot of time on their MacBook’s.

With this stand, you can elevate your MacBook and it will be much easier to view the screen.  The design is amazing. It is functional and beautiful. It is made of transparent polycarbonate. It makes it look like the MacBook is actually floating in the air. It would make a great present this year.

2. Computer Glasses from Gunnar

If you happen to have a programmer on your shopping list, chances are they suffer from eye strain from staring at a computer so much. This can be doubled if they happen to wear glasses. These nifty computer glasses from Gunner might be just what they need.

The glasses are designed to resist up to 65% of the nasty blue light that is produced from electronic devices, such as computers or cell phones. They are lightweight and come with an anti-reflective coating to provide optimum eye protection to those who look at a computer screen for hours.  These glasses are sure to make your favorite computer programmer’s life at work a little easier.

3. WD My Passport Wireless

Having a programmer on your shopping list can prove to be difficult sometimes. Most programmers have a lot of data they need to carry on a regular basis. That’s why a my passport wireless external hard drive might be exactly what they need.

This 1 TB external hard drive makes it simple to transfer and store files with a touch of a button. There are no wires needed for data transfer. It transfers the files wirelessly and is capable to connect to 8 separate devices. Best of all an internet connection is not needed to browse over their files. Any programmer would have an appreciation for this gift which will simplify their life.

4. Sennheiser PXC 550 Wireless Headphones

These wireless headphones will be sure to please that programmer in your life. They are so light and comfortable they will barely know they are on. These headphones also allow the wearer to roam around as they listen to their favorite tunes or programs without the worry of being restricted by a cord.

The sound quality of the headphones is amazing and will provide them with at least 30 hours of battery life on a single charge. These headphones also provide NoiseGard noise-canceling technology that will ensure no background sounds will distract them from their work or relaxation. These wireless headphones are the perfect gift for any programmer.

5. Eton BoostTurbine Charger

For the programmer on your list that enjoys life on the go, the BoostTurbine backup battery charger will be sure to surprise them.  This handy little charger can actually be powered up by hand, simply turn the hand crank that is on the charger.

The unit includes a LED light that will let them know when the battery charge is full. This battery pack is perfect for taking anywhere, and it is so lightweight the user will barely know they have it with them. Your friend will be able to charge their tablet or phone anywhere, even when there is no electricity.  This gift will be sure to power up their lives.

6. Fitbit Fitness Wristband

For those health-conscious programmers in your life, this fitness wristband will be a pleasure to open up.  This wristband does it all and is very simple to use. As well as telling time, it is capable of tracking heart rate. It will also help measure how many calories you burn in a day.

It monitors sleep patterns, steps taken, and can even sync to your phone so you can see texts by simply looking at your wrist. Your programmer will even be able to wear the wristband for up to five days before they have to recharge it. For your friends that enjoy living healthy, this will be sure to make their day.

7. Bottle Opener Case

For the programmer in your life that enjoys playing as hard as they work, this handy little bottle opener case will be sure to give them a giggle. This case comes with a slide-out bottle opener, so the programmer will always have a way to open their favorite brew in their time of need.

When needed, simply slide the opener out and return it to the case when finished. The stainless steel is very durable and will be sure to last a while without breaking or getting lost like typical bottle openers. They won’t believe their eyes when they open this up this gift this year.

8. Web development books

For the programmer in training in your life, this JavaScript and JQuery book will be sure to satisfy what they have been craving. This first edition book will provide your friend with all the information they could need to start enhancing programming on their very own.

This guide will be sure to take their website design to a whole new engaging and interactive level. It will be sure to enhance any existing page or new pages they decide they want to create. These simple step-by-step procedures will be sure to lead them in the right direction, and they will be sure to thank you for it.

9. Wand Style Remote Control

Most programmers like to keep up to date on their technology, so it can be hard to buy them something they do not already have. This wand style remote control might make a good addition to their collection. This remote control is gesture-based and is capable of being used on many electronics that use remotes, such as a TV, DVD player, stereo, and more.

It can be programmed with thirteen different command gestures of their choosing. From a clockwise motion changing the channel to a flick upwards to turn up the volume, this innovative remote control would make any programmer happy.

10. Tool Kit

Some programmers out there enjoy building their own computers so they can manipulate the functions of the computer to suit their needs. To do this type of work, it will take precision tools. This 64 bit driver kit might be exactly what they need to get the job done. It features just about any size bit you may need to get the job done.

The lid of the kit is even magnetic which is great for sorting screws. This precision set will enable them to work on other devices as well. This would be a great addition to any programmer's set of tools.

11. Logitech Wireless mouse

Some programmers out there need to work on multiple computers to get their job done. This mobile wireless mouse could be just what they need to make work easier.  This mouse can be connected either wirelessly through a USB connection, or it gives the option to connect by Bluetooth.

The mouse can be switched and used on up to three separate MAC or Windows devices. All they need to do is switch the button to choose the device they need at the time. Never again will an extra mouse or two clutter up a programmer's desk, they will be sure to thank you for it.

12. Intel Compute Stick

Any programmer on your list would be happy to get one of these this year. The new Intel Compute Stick is a new innovative way for them to be able to take their work with them anywhere. This small device simply plugs into the TV and provides the user with their own portable computer.

It features a Windows 10 operating system and operates with a quad-core Intel processor, which will enable high data transfer.  This handy compute stick is the size of a pack of gum, so it can go with them anywhere. The programmer on your list will be sure to smile once they open this up.

13. Drone

This mini RC Quadcopter Drone is sure to make any programmer smile. They will have hours of fun using this drone. It comes complete with a 1280 x 720 resolution camera that can capture quality video as well as photos. It has full 360-degree maneuvering capability as it flies and hovers.

As they fly their drone they will be able to capture their entire adventure for up to 50 meters. This drone also comes with an extra battery so they will be able to fly it even longer.  Your programmer is sure to be happy when they get this.

14. Amazon Echo

The Amazon echo is an amazing new devise offered by Amazon. You can completely automate your home with this one small device. It uses voice recognition software to automate your entire home. You can tell it to play music, have it control your TV, make phone calls, send messages, turn lights and appliances on and off, and many other tasks.

It includes 7 microphones so it can pick up voice commands even while it is playing music. The computer programmer on your list this year will love this handy little device and get lots of enjoyment out of it this year.

15. Curved monitor

This curved monitor is the perfect holiday gift for any programmer. The huge display makes it possible to see every detail on the screen. The 34-inch curved monitor makes images look more stunning and lifelike for the ultimate entertainment experience.

Games are much more immersive with this monitor because it provides a wider field of view than a traditional monitor can provide. It features Flicker-less technology for improved viewing. Two, high quality, built-in speakers really bring this monitor to life. It features an HDMI port and 5 high-speed USB ports as well. It is the ultimate gift for the computer programmer this season.

16. GoPro

The GoPro is a great gift idea for those who love getting outside after being in front of a monitor all day. This wearable camera can go anywhere. It combines one-button simplicity with a waterproof design. With this camera, you can capture smooth stable 4K video with crystal clear audio.

It can be voice-controlled and is equipped with GPS technology. When you are ready to edit the footage the camera automatically uploads the images to the cloud so you can have access to them from any device. Capture and share pro-quality photo and video footage like never before with this great adventure camera.

17. 5 Piece Cartoon USB Drive

Programmers always need jump drives to store and transfer data around. This cute 5 pieces set of superhero shaped jump drives will help your favorite computer programmer stay organized and have fun at the same time.

You get a complete set of superheroes to help you with your work. These great USB thumb drives come in various capacities up to 32GB per drive. They are shockproof and designed to eliminate any electromagnetic interference. With this set, you get Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Captain America, and the Green Lantern. This unique gift is sure to please this holiday season.

18. LEVO Tablet Floor Stand

This is a great gift idea that is suitable for the tech-savvy people in your life. This great LEVO Tablet Stand will hold any tablet in just about any position you may want it in. You can stand, sit, recline or lie down while the five-axis articulating swing arm stand holds your tablet securely for easy viewing.

The stand is on wheels so you can roll it from room to room with you to hold your tablet while you work on another device or it can free up your hands for other projects. This great hands-free stand will get plenty of use whether you are working or relaxing.

19. TrackR Pixel Tracking Device

Programmers are notorious for having lots of electronic devices to keep track of. You can help them keep track of everything with this great 8 pack set of TrackR Pixel tracking devices.

You simply attach one of the trackers to anything you want to keep track of and you can instantly locate it using the TrackR app on your phone. Each Tracker has flashing lights so you can see the item you are looking for more easily.

You can look at a map on your phone and it will show you where all your tracked items are located. Never lose your keys or tablet again with these great tracking devices.

20. 1byone 50-Mile Amplified HDTV antenna

When it is time to relax this greatly amplified antenna is just the thing you need. You will never need to pay a cable or satellite bill again with this powerful home TV antenna system.

It features a 50-mile range and is easy to install. Pick up all your favorite network channels without paying for TV service again. The unit is lightweight and features a slim design so it can fit right behind your TV.

It can even be powered directly from your TV’s USB port. The computer programmer on your list will appreciate this beautiful and functional antenna system this year.

21. LCD mini projector

Give the programmer in your life a present they can use this year. This great LCD mini projector is just the right thing. It is over 50% brighter than most other projectors its size. It has an updated sound system and a quieter fan for enhanced sound quality.

You can even play movies with your cell phone or tablet with the Bluetooth connectivity this device has to offer. You can project images as small as 32” but you can go as large as 176” with this amazing device. It will make a great addition to any home entertainment system.

22. Matter MOD-t 3-D printer

The Matter MOD-t printer is a great option for computer programmers who want to experiment with 3-D printing. This easy to set-up unit is ready to go right out of the box.

It features low maintenance, high reliability, and is wi-fi enabled so you can print from any device. It is a quiet and safe unit and is simple enough the whole family can use it.

It has a clear cover to protect your projects while they print. It is simple and fun to use. If your computer programmer does not already have a 3-D printer then this will be a great gift for them this year.

23. HTC VIVE Virtual Reality System

For a truly immersive virtual reality system, the HTC VIVE is just the solution. This system comes complete with two controllers and a viewer. You can play hundreds of VR games for free from Steam-VR.

Connect with all your friends and play together no matter where you are located. Built-in sound ensures that you feel like you are really in another world. For safe play the system alerts you when you reach the boundaries of your play area and a built-in camera can show you what is happening around you in the real world when you need to use it.

This high-tech gaming system would be great fun for the programmer who wants to relax and play a few games.

24. Heated Shoulder Massager

Leaning over a keyboard all day can cause your neck and shoulder muscles to become stiff and tight. You can help alleviate this problem with the Naipo heated neck massager. This great massager fits around the neck and offers three different vibrating speeds.

It also includes 8 shiatsu deep-kneading massage nodes to help relax those tight shoulder and neck muscles.

A built-in warming unit features an automatic shut-off after 20 minutes. The intensity is adjustable and it is an ideal gift for anyone who needs to be hunched over the computer all day. The computer programmer on your list is sure to love this present this year.

25. MocDoo webcam cover

Never worry about protecting your privacy again with one of these handy webcam covers. They will fit on any device that has a flat webcam. The magnetic slide easily allows you to cover and uncover your webcam when you want to use it but protects your privacy when you do not want prying eyes looking at you.

It is easily installed with an adhesive strip and can just as easily be removed with no residue. It will not scratch or damage the finish on your computer. Help the computer programmer in your life protect their privacy with this handy little invention.

Adobe PhotoShop is an indispensable tool for web designers as it gives a web designer enough power to achieve almost anything he can imagine. Today, i’ve compiled a list of 23 really inspirational PhotoShop web layout tutorials which you can use or take an idea to build some impressive web designs.

1. How To Create a Grunge Web Design Using Photoshop

 

2. Create a Tech Blog Layout in Adobe Photoshop

 

3. Chocolate Pro WordPress Style Layout

 

4. Making the Clean Grunge Blog Layout

 

5. Grunge Digital Portfolio Website

 

6. Old Paper Layout Tutorial

 

7. How To Create a Grunge Web Design in Photoshop

 

8. Create a Dark Themed Web Design From Scratch

 

9. Create a Sleek High End Web Design

 

10. Designing Freelancer Portfolio Layout Tutorial

11. Design a Beautiful Website From Scratch

12. Create a Worn Paper Web Layout Using Photoshop

 

13. Create a Web 2.0 Layout in Photoshop

 

14. Create a Sleek and Textured Web Layout in Photoshop

CSS is the essential component of modern web design. But writing the CSS code from scratch for each web design project is a tiring and time-consuming job. Here are 15 CSS tools ranging from layout generators, form generators to code compressors that will save you a lot of time writing the CSS code for your next web design.

1. CSS Typeset

CSS Typeset is a handy tool that allows to test different font-styles on a piece of text and provides with the CSS code for chosen font-style that you can copy paste into your stylesheet quickly.

2. TypeTester

TypeTester is similar to CSS Typeset but with this, you can compare three different font-styles simultaneously and choose the one you find suitable. It also lets you specify the base font-size to adjust the em values.

3. CSS Frame Generator

CSS Frame Generator generates an empty CSS frame for provided HTML elements. Just copy paste the XHTML content and it’ll create a CSS Frame and then you can add styles to the CSS frame which will save you a lot of time.

4. YAML Builder

YAML Builder is another layout generation tool that uses YAML framework to create grid layouts.

5. JotForm

JotForm makes creating HTML forms a breeze. With its Visual drag drop interface, you can quickly create HTML forms. Also there are pre-built templates like registration form, feedback form which you can use to set up your web forms in almost no time.

6. CSS Sprite Generator

CSS Sprite Generator is a big time saver. Just upload a zip file containing all the images you want to convert into CSS sprite, it’ll not only create the sprite image but will also provide you with CSS styles which you can quickly use in your web page to utilize CSS sprites.

7. W3C CSS Validator

W3C CSS validator is perhaps the most widely used CSS validator. It is a great time saver in the sense as it points out various errors within your stylesheet so that you can create better and more accessible web pages.

8. Format CSS

With FormatCSS, you can upload your CSS code and select from the options available to achieve code formatting the way you want. For example you can convert a compact CSS code into readable form with proper line-breaks and indentation or vice-versa.

9. CSS Optimizer

CSS Optimizer is a tool for optimizing the file size of CSS files. It extracts every whitespace character out of CSS file to considerably reduce the file size.

10. CSSTidy

CSSTidy is an open source CSS optimizer and parser that cleans up unnecessary white space within CSS file, modifies the color values to reduce the file size and optimizes margin, padding values and removes the last semi-colon from style definitions to reduce the file size.

If you know of some other CSS tool that you think should be listed here, do tell us in comments below.

Textures are very useful for web and graphic designers as they liven up the overall look and style of the design. Here are 15 fresh high quality texture sets that have been released in last 50 days which you might find useful for your next web or graphic design project. All of these texture sets and collections are free to use in personal or commercial projects.

1. Bokeh Textures Pack

 

2. 2 Old PostCards Textures

 

3. 10 Free High-Quality Jeans Textures

 

4. 50 High Quality Free Leaf Textures and Resources

 

5. 75 High-Quality Free Wood Textures

 

6. Free and High-Quality Cloud Textures

 

7. Glitter Bokeh Texture Pack

 

8. Fractal Textures

 

9. 12 Free and High-Res Grungy Wall Textures

 

10. Tree Bark Texture Pack

 

11. 60+ Totally Free Rusted Metal Textures For Designers

 

12. 9 Free Rusty Photoshop Textures

There’s no doubt that with those nifty javascript frameworks like jQuery, creating a nice image gallery or slideshow has become quite easier but still they are far behind the way interface can be built using Flash. Here are 25 really amazing flash based image gallery scripts that provide not only nice user interface but are free and easy to adapt into your website.

1. Polaroid Gallery

Polaroid is an amazing gallery for displaying your photos in an unusual way. It places images as if they are actually lying on table such that you can drag and change their position. To view image in full, double click any image. And it stores the data about images in XML file.

2. Flash Gallery

Flash gallery is a lightweight and easy to deploy flash photo gallery. It uses XML file to store information about images to be displayed.

3. dfgallery

This amazing flash image gallery is not only good for its interface but also for its customization options. It has an amazing theme engine built to support custom themes with multiple skins for each. The administration console built on CodeIginter lets you manage multiple galleries and albums of different types.

4. PostcardViewer

PostcardViewer will place your images like those postcard or notices pasted onto wall. You can navigate through images using mouse or cursor keys on keyboard. It offers a lot of options to choose the way in which images to be displayed are provided ranging from Picasa to custom PHP script.

5. SimpleViewer

SimpleViewer is a lightweight easy to configure flash gallery that provides an intuitive way to navigate through images using mouse scroll button or cursor keys.

6. TiltViewer

This one is an amazing image gallery with nice 3D effects. You can load images even from your Flickr stream or use an XML file.

7. AutoViewer

Autoviewer displays images in a linear sequence with captions. It is essentially designed for hands-free image viewing experience.

8. Free Flash Photo Album 2

This is a free, easy to install and configure flash image gallery and uses XML file to store information about images.

9. Photo Viewer

PhotoViewer is simple yet impressive flash image gallery. Uses XML as data store.

flShow Carousel is a little Flash movie that you can use to enhance your web pages presenting your images with a nice and stylish carousel effect.It is light and easy to configure by means of an external xml file.

10. Flash Gallery

Flash Gallery is a free application that allows you to create a slideshow on your website easy and fast. Just embed it into your website and script will automatically form a slideshow from a specified folder or from Flickr photostream.

11. Spread Photo Gallery

This one is like Polaroid gallery above but provides a different and pleasing interface to show images along with captions.

12. Fisheye Photo Gallery

13. Circular Photo Gallery

As its name suggests, thumbnails are displayed in continuously scrolling circular bar that slows down on hover.

14. Stack Photo Gallery

Display your images in a nice stack using this flash gallery.

15. Image Gallery v1.0

This script provides you with a lot of options like multiple album support, flickr and picasa integration and also provides with rich set of transition effects. Download

Captchas are an essential part of an online web form to prevent automated spam bots accessing your application. Though creating captchas is not a rocket science in PHP and can be easily integrated into web based forms but creating a more usable and accesible captcha which can even read out captchas on the fly is a tough job.

But with reCaptcha this won’t be a big task. reCaptcha is a free captcha service that lets you integrate more accessible and friendly captchas into your web application, it shows words from various digitized books rather than creating a cryptic code generated from a random string and can read out captchas to the user.

Here’s how to integrate a customized reCaptcha into your PHP based web application.

1. Get reCaptcha API Key

First of all, you’ll need to sign up with reCaptcha for an API key to use the captchas in your application. You can get an API key fo either a single domain or if you have multiple websites, you can sign up for a global key that’ll work across domains.

After signing up, you’ll have two keys one Public an other Private.

2. Download reCaptcha Library

You don’t have to mess around with fsock functions to talk to reCaptcha service, they provide a library that’ll let you access reCaptcha service easily. Just downloa the latest reCaptcha library and place it in your application folder.

3. Add Captcha to your Form

Now to include captcha in your form, you need to include the recaptcha library you downloaded earlier into your form page and output the recaptcha widget. You’ll need your Public API key to display the captcha. Here’s the sample code that you should add to Form page, make sure it is compiled by php.

//Include anywhere within the form tag of your page
<?php
require_once('recaptchalib.php');//change path to where you placed the library
$publickey = "..."; // your public reCaptcha Key
echo recaptcha_get_html($publickey);
?>

4. Process the captcha

Now when the form is submitted, you’ll need to check the validity of the captcha and if it is ok then proceed to process rest of the form. In order to check the captcha, you’ll need the private API key and then use the recaptcha_check_answer function to check the validity. Here’s the sample code to be include on the php page that processes the submitted form.

require_once('recaptchalib.php');
$privatekey = "...";//Your Private Key
$resp = recaptcha_check_answer ($privatekey,
                                $_SERVER["REMOTE_ADDR"],
                                $_POST["recaptcha_challenge_field"],
                                $_POST["recaptcha_response_field"]);
if (!$resp->is_valid)
        echo "<p style=\"color:red; \">The entered value doesn't match that of the shown string ".$rep->error."</p>";
else
        echo "<p style=\"color:green; font-weight:bold;\" >Form OK</p>";

With this, your captcha is ready to roll, but wait there is more to look for.

5. Customizing the reCaptcha widget

By default, the reCaptcha widget shows up in red theme. There are other themes you can use namely white, blackglass and clean. To use a different theme, add this into the head section of the page on which form is displayed.

 <script type="text/javascript">
 var RecaptchaOptions = {
    theme : '<theme name here>'
 };
 </script>

And if you’d like to have your own custom theme, you can certainly do that.

6. Creating your own Custom Theme

The captcha image and textbox in which value is to be entered is mandatory to use recaptcha, other elements like refresh, switch to audio are optional. Now in your form tag create a div element with id as recaptcha_image and a text input box with name and id set to recaptcha_response_field.

And to avoid screen flickering while recaptcha loads, you can include all the widget elements within a div having an inline style of display:none.

Here’s the code to include within the form tag. Code is self-explanatory.

<div id="divrecaptcha" style="display:none;">

    <div id="controls"><a href="#" onclick="Recaptcha.reload(); " >Get another Captcha</a> <br />
       <a href="#" onclick="javascript:Recaptcha.switch_type('audio');" class="recaptcha_only_if_image" >Get Audio Captcha</a> 
       <a href="#" onclick="Recaptcha.switch_type('image'); " class="recaptcha_only_if_audio" >Get Text Captcha</a> <br />
       <a href="#" onclick="Recaptcha.showhelp();" >Help</a>
     </div>

       <div id="recaptcha_image"></div><!--Important-->
    <p>
 <input type="text" name="recaptcha_response_field" id="recaptcha_response_field"  /><!--Important-->
<span class="recaptcha_only_if_image">Enter the words shown above separated by space</span>
<span class="recaptcha_only_if_audio">Enter the numbers you hear</span></p>

     </div>
     <?php 
    require_once('recaptchalib.php');
    $publickey = "..."; // your public API key
    echo recaptcha_get_html($publickey);
    ?>

And in the head section of the form page, add this code.

<script type="text/javascript" >
 var RecaptchaOptions = {
    theme : 'custom',
    lang: 'en',
    custom_theme_widget: 'divrecaptcha' //div enclosing widget elements
 };
</script>

I added some styles to the widget elements in order to give an idea. You can apply any style to the elements you want.

<style type="text/css" >
#divrecaptcha{ 
    width:500px;
    font-size:12px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; 
}
#controls{ width:180px; float:right; }
#recaptcha_image{ 
    padding:2px; background:#f9f9f9; 
    border:1px solid #e0e0e0; 
} 
#recaptcha_response_field {
   border: 1px solid #999 !important; //Text input field border color
   background-color:#ccc !important; //Text input field background color
   width:120px !important;
   padding:5px;
}
#divrecaptcha a{ 
     font-size:11px;    font-family:Verdana; 
    text-decoration:none; color:#3366ff; 
}
#divrecaptcha a:hover{ 
     color:113399; text-decoration:underline; 
}
</style>

This completes the customizing of reCaptcha widget and here’s how it looked.