IntroductionYou’ve heard of RSS.
You’ve seen those small orange icons on web sites.
You’ve heard co-workers and acquaintances swear by it, but still have no idea what RSS is.
Well, you’re not alone.
RSS is not only revolutionizing the way news and content creators share information, but it is swiftly changing the way everyday users consume information.
RSS stands for “Really Simple Syndication” and is written in XML that works behind the scenes for sharing web content. It allows users to view updated web content with a "reader" (also called an aggregator), without visiting every web site looking for the new content. The RSS reader checks Web sites to which you have subscribed, and then displays new or updated content in your reader.
RSS feed readers come in four basic forms.
- Web-based sites (Bloglines or Google Reader).
- Delivered to your email inbox (With email software such as Microsoft Outlook, Thunderbird, or through Web sites like Feed My Inbox.)
- Built into Web browsers (Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer)
- As standalone programs downloaded to your computer (SharpReader or RSSOwl)
This module teaches Bloglines at http://www.bloglines.com/, Google Reader at http://tinyurl.com/yfnrwmu and Feed My Inbox at http://www.feedmyinbox.com/ .
- In keeping up with the news by collecting headlines for you to scan, with links to the full articles.
- Broadcasting to others headlines of articles you post on your Web sites or blogs.
| Bloglines http://www.bloglines.com/ Google Reader http://tinyurl.com/yfnrwmu | Feed My Inbox http://www.feedmyinbox.com/ |
| These aggregators maintains RSS feeds on Web sites. Since it is a Web site, it is available from any computer attached to the Web. They do not clutter your email inbox with RSS feeds. | Feed My Inbox is a Web site that delivers up to five RSS feeds to your email inbox. Delivering feeds to your inbox is advantage to people who forget to check Bloglines for long periods and, when they remember to check, find hundreds or thousands of feeds to scroll through. |
| Both have searchable databases of thousands of RSS feeds. This makes finding feeds easy. For example, searching Bloglines for "librarians" retrieves a list of 213 RSS feeds for librarians. From this list, it is easy to subscribe RSS feeds to you can read through Bloglines or Google Reader. | Feed My Inbox does not have a searchable database. Instead give "Feed my inbox" a URL, i.e., Web address, to a Web site. Feed My Inbox finds all RSS feeds associated with the Web site and lists them so you can choose which ones you want to subscribe to. For example, give Feed My Inbox "http://www.dilbert.com/" and it displays two RSS feeds: "Dilbert Daily Strip" and "Dilbert.com Blog". Click the check box(es) beside the RSS feed(s) you want and click "Confirm." "Feed by inbox" sends a confirmation email requiring your response to subscribe to the feed. |
| Recommendations | |
| Use Web-based aggregators to subscribe to RSS feeds you want to browse once a week, once a month, or whenever you have time. | Use Feed My Inbox for up to five RSS feeds you definitely want to see when it is posted on your favorite Web sites. |
Tool instructions Bloglines
Videos
- Bloglines tutorial (8:03 minutes) starts with signing up and continuing basic use features.
- Setting up a Bloglines account goes step-by-step through the sign up and use of Bloglines
- Subscribing to RSS feeds using Bloglines takes you step-by-step through the process.
- RSS Reader how to (6:09 minutes) is another explanation on how to use Bloglines.
- Add RSS feeds to Bloglines (1:16 minutes) focuses on just subscribing to RSS feeds.
Written directions
- Using Bloglines is an illustrated guide: sign-up, subscribing to feeds of various sorts.
- Using Bloglines Tutorial gives step-by-step instructions: creating an account, logging in, finding RSS feeds, adding feeds, uploading an OPML file to Bloglines.
Google reader
Videos
- Google Reader series: Interface overview, subscribing to feeds, viewing feeds, organizing feeds, using tags, searching, changing settings, bookmarks, offline, on cell phone, etc.
- How to create a feed with Google Reader (1:23 minutes)
- How to use Google Reader (3 minutes) is a large clear demonstration of subscribing and reading the New York Times.
- How to read RSS feeds (9:24 minutes) demonstrates free downloaded software called RSS Bandit and Google Reader.
Written documents
- What is RSS? A Step-by-step guide to Google Reader covers setting up, subscriptions to feeds, reading and managing subscriptions, scanning options.
Videos
- Verbal explanation of "Feed My Inbox"
- "Feed My Inbox Bookmarklet" demonstrating a bookmarklet which speeds the process of creating RSS feeds with Feed My Inbox. Bookmarklets are buttons you can add to your bookmarks toolbar. Bookmarklets can do really cool things.
- Feed my inbox - How does this work? explains how Feed My Inbox gets RSS feed links emailed to you.
Action Activities Do one on the following activities.
Activity #1 (Receiving RSS feeds)
- Decide which RSS feed method you want to try.
- Follow the videos and read the written documents to subscribe to 2 RSS feeds.
- Post on your 23 Things Blog a paragraph explaining how you chose a RSS feed reader and listing the feeds you subscribed to.
- If your Web site or blog has an RSS feed link on the home page, create a bookmark with instructions telling patrons how to use Bloglines, Google Reader or Feed My Inbox to subscribe to the RSS feed.
- Pass the bookmark out to your patrons.
- Post on your 23 Things Blog the instructions on the bookmark.
Activity #3 (Putting a FeedMyInbox form on your Web site for people to receive feeds by email.)
- If your Web site or blog has an RSS feed link on the home page, right click that link and left click "Copy link."
- Go to http://www.feedmyinbox.com/feeds/formCode/
- Paste the copied link into the box and click "submit."
- Highlight and copy the code.
- Paste the code on the side bar of your Web site or blog. This displays a form. People type in their email address and receive your RSS feeds in their email.
- Tell people about it on your blog.
- Post the story on your 23 Things Kansas blog.
