Introduction to RSS

Introduction to RSS Kathy Petlewski [email_address] View this as a web page at: http:// plymouthlibrary.org/bloggingclass/centrarss.htm March 2009

Class Goal for this class:

The goal is to give you, the participants, the necessary background and skills to enable them to decide if RSS is a tool they will utilize in their work or leisure environment and to create an account on a news reader.

RSS – Define the Terms

What does RSS stand for ?

In 1999, RSS version .91, stood for Rich Site Summary (named by David Winer)

In 2002, Winer left Userland but came out with RSS version 2.0 and said it stood for Really Simple Syndication .

RSS: The technology behind RSS allows you to subscribe to websites that have provided RSS feeds, these are typically sites that change or add content regularly. To use this technology you need to set up some type of aggregation service. Think of this aggregation service as your personal mailbox. You then have to subscribe to the sites that you want to get updates on. Unlike typical subscriptions to pulp-based newspapers and magazines, your RSS subscriptions are free, but they typically only give you a line or two of each article or post along with a link to the full article or post.

(Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_syndication )

RSS –Simpler Definitions

- one file syndicating new content on one page

(Steven M. Cohen, Introduction to RSS, Internet Librarian 2003)

- a text-based format, a type of XML

(Faganfinder.com – July 15, 2006 http://www.faganfinder.com/search/rss.shtml)

Web Syndication: is a form of syndication in which a section of a website is made available for other sites to use. (Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_syndication )

Aggregator (or News Aggregator):a program used for watching feeds from news sites, blogs, podcasts and videoblogs or vlogs; also known as an RSS aggregator or News Aggregator. An aggregator generally assembles a number of user-specified XML content feeds into one easily readable webpage, client application or device.

(Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/aggregator )

- also called a news reader!

XML : stands for extensible markup language. XML is the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) recommended standard for creating formats and sharing data on the Web. att-promotions.com/glossary.php

Atom: - an XML-based document format for the syndication of web content such as weblogs and news headlines, and an HTTP-based protocol for editing weblogs based on the format. (Used by Blogger, Movable Type, and LiveJournal) (Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atom_%28standard%29 )

What Does a RSS Feed Look Like?

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1" ?> <!DOCTYPE rss (View Source for full doctype...) >

- <rss version="0.91">

- <channel>

<title>Book News</title>

<description>Library Journal Book News Articles</description>

<language>en-us</language>

<link>http://www.libraryjournal.com</link>

<copyright>Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information. Subject to its Terms of Use</A></copyright> <pubDate>Thu, 06 Oct 2005 :19:17

This goes on for 4 more pages !

Reasons to Subscribe to RSS Feeds

Saves time – rather than visit many individual sites, RSS brings all of the sites to one consolidated spot.

Eliminates ads and spam – many of the RSS readers have no advertising on the page.

Keeps you current – As soon as the feed is published, it is delivered to you.

Reasons to Subscribe to RSS Feeds cont.

You only get the news you want - You subscribe only to the feeds you wish to read. Then, you can scan through the headlines and decide which articles are worthwhile.

End E-mail Clutter! – Unless you so specify, RSS does not deliver content to your e-mail box, but to a separate reader.

Easy to Republish from RSS – If you are also publishing a blog or website, you can easily capture the news/information and republish it on your own site.

RSS Readers Bring it all to you !

Finding Your RSS Reader

RSS Readers – exhaustive list – Windows versions from RSS Compendium

Ultimate Free RSS Reader Review

Blogspace – Finding RSS Readers

A directory of AtomEnabled software and services

Client-based vs. Web-based Readers

Client-based Advantages:

Fast – they reside on your own computer so you aren’t waiting for the browser to load.

You can read them off-line, so you aren’t dependent on web access.

Most have lots of options and features.

Web-based Advantages:

You are not tied to a single computer. You can read them from any computer that has web access.

Most of them are free.

Client-Based Readers

Newzcrawler: http:// www.newzcrawler.com

Feedreader: http:// www.feedreader.com

BottomFeeder: http:// www.cincomsmalltalk.com/BottomFeader/index.html

NewsMonster: http:// www.newsmonster.org (only for Mozilla or Netscape)

FeedDemon 2.7 : http:// www.newsgator.com/individuals/feeddemon/default.aspx

FeedDemon 2.7 Screenshot

Hosted RSS Readers

Bloglines: http://www.bloglines.com

MyYahoo: http://my.yahoo.com/index.html

NewsIsFree: http://www.newsisfree.com

Pluck Reader: http://www.pluck.com/

Google Personalized Homepage: http:// www.google.com/ig?sourceid = navclient&ie =UTF-8&hl=en

Google Reader: http:// www.google.com /reader/view/#overview-page

Adding Feeds to your Browsers In Firefox , your feeds show up right at the top of your toolbar. Simply click on the icon and the feed pops up in a new window. IE7 also allows you to easily add RSS feeds directly into your browser.

Checking out Bloglines

View of Google Reader

iGoogle’s Customized Page

Content on My Yahoo! Page

Not to Forget Windows Live !

Let’s Set up our own Reader now!

Bloglines - http:// www.bloglines.com /

My Yahoo - http:// my.yahoo.com/index.html

Google Home Page - http:// google.com /

Choose your own reader, depending on your personal preferences.

Finding RSS Feeds

Syndic8: http://www.syndic8.com/feedlist.php

2RSS: http://www.2rss.com/ - has a directory as well as software to add RSS feeds to your own site. (requires PHP or ASP)

Feeds Too Good to Miss!

LISFeeds - http://lisfeeds.com/search.php- - “The one place to read library news headlines from 268 library blogs.”

LII (Librarians Index to the Internet) - http://lii.org

Library Journal - http:// www.libraryjournal.com/index.asp?layout = Learn_RSS

Feeds Too Good to Miss!

The Weather Channel Blog - http://www.weather.com/weather/rss/subscription?from=footer

CNN - http://www.cnn.com/services/rss/

The Onion - http://www.theonion.com/content/news_feeds

NPR - http:// www.npr.org/rss /

Adding External Feeds to Your Site

Feedroll: http:// www.feedroll.com / Choose from a pre-selected list of feeds to add to your site. You must know CSS. (choose RSS viewer) my example .

RSS Feed Reader: http:// rssfeedreader.com / Another free, web-based service, this program formats the script in php. (Horse, ejn54oi2)

Example of twitter page done with rssfeedreader

Denver Public Library (library example) http:// www.denverlibrary.org /

Libraries/ Agencies Creating their own RSS Feeds:

Hennepin County Library: http://www.hclib.org/pub/search/RSS.cfm

Library of Congress: http:// www.loc.gov/rss /

Cincinnati Public Library http:// www.cincinnatilibrary.org /feeds/

Michigan.Gov List of RSS Feeds: http://www.michigan.gov/som/0,1607,7-192----RA,00.html

Creating RSS Feed from Catalog Searches or Article Searches

Horizon System: http://catalog.hclib.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?profile= elibrary - focus

Innovative Interfaces Catalog (iii): http:// www.aadl.org /catalog/

Infotrac General OneFile: http:// find.galegroup.com/itx/start.do?prodId = ITOF&userGroupName = lom_plymouthdl

Implications of RSS in Libraries

Implications for patrons:

1. They can track new library materials in a personalized way.

They must know how to use this technology.

Implications for staff:

1. Staff must first be trained themselves.

2. Staff must then train patrons, either formally or one-on-one.

3. This service must then be publicized.

Creating RSS Feeds for Your Site

1. Hand-rolling (don’t do!)

2. Fully-automated – blog or software creates a feed for you.

3. Semi-automated – you type the content, software generates the markup. You must cut and paste in RSS software creation. FeedSpring or Listgarden will do this.

The Semi-Automated Solution http:// www.softwaregarden.com/products/listgarden /

Creating RSS Feeds for Your Site More 3 rd Party Solutions