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Web 2.0: RSS
The original web only allowed users to view web pages and follow links to other pages. Web 2.0 is a collection of web services that allows users to create content, share ideas, and collaborate with other users and communities.
What is it?
- Use Favorites or Bookmarks? If you have ever bookmarked a site, then you know you have to keep returning to the site, hoping to see new content. Wouldn’t it be great if there were a service that would let you know when your favorite sites are updated? RSS does exactly that.
- Names - RSS stands for many different things: Rich Site Summary, RDF Site Summary. Most commonly “Really Simple Syndication.”
- What does it do? It tracks sites (feeds) you select, and collects changes to show you the next time you log into your feed reader. This is how podcasting and vidcasting work.
- Common RSS Symbols:
To read a feed
- Need a feed reader
- Web – Google Reader, Bloglines.com
- pros: can access from any computer, well organized, intuitive. cons: extra clicks to get there.
- Browser/Desktop – pros: handy – right in your “favorites” tab. cons: can only access feeds from that computer.
- Custom start page – pros: it’s waiting for you as soon as you get to the Internet. cons: sometimes only on one computer. iGoogle and My Yahoo are exceptions.
Set up a Google Reader account
- Register – Go to google.com/reader. If you do not already use another Google service, fill in the form to create a new account. Make sure you choose the correct time zone.
- Preferences and privacy – Login and choose “options.” Configure as desired. “Blog settings” has privacy items, and “User Profile” is optional.
- Search for feeds: Click the “search” tab in the right-side window and enter a keyword. Or, choose a category above the search box to browse.
- Adding with the symbol: If you see a “Bloglines” button on a website and you have your Bloglines account connected, just click the Bloglines button to subscribe. Multiple feeds may be available. http://michaelatmo.blogspot.com/2005/01/how-to-subscribe-via-rss.html
- Cut and paste adding: Copy the web address of the feed, blog or webpage. Go to Bloglines and click “add.” Paste into the blue “subscribe” window and click “subscribe.”
- Organize your feeds: Click “edit.” From here, you can create new folders, drag and drop feeds for folders or trash, sort folders and feeds, and change some displays. The last two tasks are found in the “choose and operation” drop-down box. Click “finish” to return to the normal view.
- Delete a feed: Click “edit” and drag the feed to the “trash.” You can also unsubscribe to the feed from the top menu while viewing the feed.
NOTE: Steps are similar for setting up a Google Reader account, though the layout and wording is different.
Reading Hints
- Mark as read: As you read your feeds, you’ll notice a check box at the lower right of each feed marked “Keep New.” If you do not check that box, the feed will not show up next time you log into your account. It assumes you have read the post.
- Longer time period: To see more posts than are offered in your window, look just below the last post in a feed. There is a drop-down box labeled “Display all items within the last…” Choose a time period and click “display.” This will bring back all previously “read” posts for that time period.
- Oldest/Newest first: When viewing a feed, you have the option to sort newest or oldest post first along the tip, under the title of the feed.
- Truncated entries: Some feeds only display a “teaser”, or the first few sentences of each post. To view the entire post, click on the title.
- To email or blog a post: Choose the desired option at the bottom of the post.
- Use to weed out, then go to site to read. The teasers are a great way to weed out posts you don’t care to read, without wasting time wading through each whole post.
Take the Next Step
Now that you’ve dipped your toes into RSS, try configuring a custom home page, like iGoogle!
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Last Updated on Thursday, 22 March 2012 16:50 |
