Comment Avatar Plugins

As promised yesterday, here are some brief reviews for plugins that will add author Gravatars or avatars to comments. A Gravatar is a globally recognized avatar. To get a Gravatar, users must register with Gravatar. MyBlogLog users can upload an avatar when registering their blog with MyBlogLog.

Some Gravatar and Avatar Resources

Keeping the Conversation Going

How many times have you left a comment on a blog and forgotten the exact URL or wondered what others might have to say next? Subscribe to Comments takes care of that. This is one of my favorite plugins.

Subscribe To Comments

Inserts a checkbox under the comment form where users can choose to receive an automatically produced email alert whenever someone else posts a comment to that specific post. Users can manage their own subscription.
Based on version 1 from Scriptygoddess By Mark Jaquith.
Configure at Options > Subscribe to Comments

Allows readers to receive notifications of new comments that are posted to an entry.

Plugins for Comments – Gravatars and Avatars

Gravatar

In version 1.1 the link to the plugin page (above) is broken. This is the correct link. This plugin requires simple editing of the comments.php file. Users who are not as familiar with editing a template file may appreciate a reminder to enclose the suggested code in an image tag, like so:

<img src="<?php gravatar("PG", 40); ?>" alt="" />

Users who are comfortable with PHP will find ways to customize this plugin, but it is not as well documented as Filosofo’s WordPress Gravatar Plugin.
By Tom Werner.
No configuration option from the dashboard

This plugin allows you to generate a Gravatar URL complete with rating, size, default, and border options. See the documentation for syntax and usage.

Filosofo’s WordPress Gravatar Plugin

Requires simple editing of the comments.php file. Filosofo.com’s usual straightforward documentation includes a way to specify a CSS class and a default image for those who are not registered with gravatar.com.
By Austin Matzko.
No configuration option from the dashboard.

Add Gravatars to your WordPress theme in a way that customizes easily and degrades nicely.

Easy Gravatars

Though Easy Gravatars uses only Gravatars and doesn’t have the configuration options of other Gravatar plugins, it has enthusiastic supporters because of its simplicity. CSS, maximum size and rating are configurable, and a blank, one pixel gif is inserted when no Gravatar is available. No need to edit the template – just install the plugin and Gravatars will appear.
By Dougal Campbell.
Configure at Options > Easy Gravatars

Add Gravatars to your comments, without requiring any modifications to your theme files. Just activate, and you’re done!

MyAvatars

MyAvatars is my favorite. It works, and you get both MyBlogLog avatars and Gravatars, because MyBlogLog avatars are used unless Gravatars are found. Requires simple editing of comments.php. Fine tune by adding desired formatting to the comment section of your style sheet and you’re good to go. In my case I used this:

 img.MyAvatars {float: left; margin: 0 5px 5px 0;}

By Andrea Micheloni & Napolux.
No configuration available from the WordPress dashboard.

This plugin allows you to add MyBlogLog.com avatars to WordPress comments.

WordPress Gravatars

No editing of the theme is needed. Has a nice configuration page, and can add a Gravatar or use a favicon. If this one also supported MyBlogLog avatars I’d be using it, because it has nice integration with other widgets for Author Profile and Recent Comments. It can even insert a Gravatar at the top left of post content, where you’d want an author image.
By Rune Gulbrandsøy.
Configuration available at Presentation > Gravatar

Makes use of Gravatars, places Gravatars in the comments section. Uses the comment authors email to display their Gravatar. It also gives the user an Author Profile picture, based on his or hers Gravatar. Change your options here. As of version 2.2 there is also a widget for Recent Comments with Gravatars.