I’ve just uploaded the plugin I’ve written to customize my meta box (lower widget in the sidebar). The meta widget part of the default WordPress installation provides 5 links but does not allow you to select which of them you want to display. That’s why I’ve started writing this widget, just to be able to select which of those 5 links I want to see.

Then I wanted to be able to display a few additional links as well. Since this widget is constantly evolving and now provides much more functionality than the original WordPress Meta Widget, I’ve decided to host is on wordpress.org in case anybody else is looking for such a widget.

Here the link.

The current functionality are:

• Show/hide any of the 5 default links.
• Select a link category. All links in this category will be shown in the widget.
• Enter a feed URL and define how many items should be shown.
• Show a password lost link.
• Show a link to the site admin (this link is also shown when register is active and the user is logged in, but you might need it if you hide register).
• Show a link to the XHTML validator

Coming up in the next version:

• Display a google search box to search this site or the web.

The links displayed in the Meta Widget can be configured either in the plugin settings page or in the widget administration.