For the last few months I have been collecting information about a few tools that can be commonly used in blogs and for normal web usage also. This list is not restricted to tools alone, but also some useful sites and downloads are included.
I use Firefox for browsing. So, I have listed some of my favourite firefox extensions also.
I have used a bigger font for my favourites in this list.
1. Blog Hosting sites
Blogger – Used to blog here. Limited functionality, but offers template customization.
WordPress – Offers a lot of functionality and customization. Would like it even more if it offered the facility to alter the HTMl/CSS code for the template. Also, offers software for hosting on your own server.
Typepad (Paid hosting)
Livejournal
Bloglines – Offers a free Web-based RSS reader.
Blogsome – Uses WordPress.
There are some more sites like Moveabletype and thingamablog which provide software for hosting on your server.
2. Search Engines for Blogs
Technorati – Most widely used service.
Google Blog Search
Blogniscient
Sphere – Direct competitor to Technorati. Recently signed a deal with Time.
Blogpulse
3. Publishing tools
Performancing – This post was published using Performancing. Wonderful add-on for Firefox users. (Another reason to move to Firefox.)
Flock Browser – Offers in-built blogging facility. Supports most of the blogging services. I use this frequently, as I was not able to install Performancing in Office.
Blogdesk – I use this occasionally.
Blogjet – You have to pay for this.
Ecto – Have no idea about this. But a friend mailed this link to me. So, it should be useful.
Rocketpost – A trial version is available.
There are a lot of other tools like Zoudry and Post2Blog, but most of these are paid tools.
4. RSS Readers (Am only providing web-based RSS readers.)
Bloglines – One of the popular web-based RSS readers
Attensa
Google Reader
Check the website of Newsgator, Rojo etc for desktop based tools. A lot of RSS readers are available for free.
Feedburner – This provides feed management for your blog.
Feedpass
Netvibes
5. Useful Websites ( A lot of this stuff is concerned with Blogs and Firefox)
Statistics
Sitemeter
Statcounter
Google Analytics
Social Networking
LinkedIn
Facebook
Consumating
My Fav. Firefox Extensions
Meebo – Try this if your office firewall doesn’t allow logging in to GTalk or Yahoo. Is available as a Firefox extension.
StumbleUpon – Wonderful firefox extension. I think they have released a toolbar for IE also.
Gmail Space – Firefox add-on for using your gmail account for file storage. Similar to a FTP client.
TabMixPlus – Adds a lot of features to the tab menu.
Torrent Search – Useful torrent search engine. (Try Opera if you use torrents frequently.)
PDF Download
Mouse Gestures
Websites
Digg – If you are a techie, then please log on to digg. As good, if not better than Slashdot.
Newsvine – My Newsvine site. Nothing much is available there except for the books section.
Reddit
TravBuddy – My TravBuddy Site.
Rollyo – Trusted Search engine.
Tagcloud – Make tagclouds. The site is under renovation. 
Google Sitemaps – Indexing for Google.
YouOS – Still in Alpha stage. But tries to provide a web based OS. You will get most of the desktop functionality on this page like a web browser, email client, RSS reader… Beware, this is still in an experimental stage.
Stuff for your Blogs Sidebar – Some of this is really not useful, but nevertheless you might find something fancy.
gChart - Based on Google Maps API. Provides a visual idea of the time at different places.
Thinkfree – Get MS Office compatible facilities. Have tried it and it looks fine.
Thumbstacks – Primitive presentation builder. (Try this if you want to make basic PPT files.)
6. Start Pages
Pageflakes
Netvibes – I use this. I find this much more easy to use compared to Pageflakes or Google’s personalize or Live.com.
Google Personalize
Live
Protopage
Goowy
Nowsy
(Have no idea about the last 3 links. Just added it coz, Techcrunch reported about these sites.)
Will try to add to this list. Planning to add links about Photo hosting, email tools and browsers next time.
Great resource for anyone new to blogging.
Includes Tools to maximize and publicize your blog.
Hello aramki,
Why do you think others like netvibes are more simple to use ?
I’d be glad to receive your commentaries and make it better.
Thanks,
Joao Gazolla
I just downloaded Flock. I read somewhere that Flock’s web browser is related to Foxfire and that it is possible to add foxfire extensions. Is this so? Have you tried to incorporate any FoxFire extentions into your Flock web browser?
I have tried using Firefox extensions with Flock and they work pretty well most of the times. There are exceptions though.
If you have a specific extension in mind, then I can check that.
Hi all
its cool and interesting site. i love you for mechanic tool
.