Feed Readers
RSS Feed Readers
1) The RSS feed allows the information to be “republished” in a format that you can view elsewhere. You do not have to visit the website daily to get the news you want to read as it will come to you.
2) In order to do all of this, you need an RSS feed reader
3) The Feed Reader is software that is also called an Aggregator as well as a newsreader. The feed reader is designed to subscribe to websites through syndication, and automatically download the website updates. The user can review the updates when they are ready.
4) There are 2 main types of feed readers:
a) Web-Based: Google reader, Yahoo, Bloglines, iGoogle (just a few of the web-based services). Some browsers have this as a feature built into it. Most newer browsers have this feature.
b) Offline: email programs or special software. Feed Demon is a program that works in Windows. There are some that work in your email program, such as Outlook.
The advantage of the web-based reader offers greater mobility.
5) Some of the readers are freeware and others may be commercial products. Some products all ready have a reader built into them such as Apple’s Safari browser and Microsoft’s Internet Explorer.
a) Bloglines: http://www.bloglines.com/ a free web-based aggregator has some great features.
b) FeedReader: http://www.feedreader.com/ Also a free web-based service.
c) Wizz Rss: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/424 a free add on for Firefox browser.
d) Go to http://www.rss-specifications.com/rss-readers.htm for a complete and current list of rss readers. You will find one that will meet your needs.
e) Google directory of Feed Readers: http://www.google.com/Top/Computers/Software/Internet/Clients/WWW/Feed_Readers/
6) Some of these readers have advertisements with targeted ads. Some aggregators will block the ads.
How to use the feed reader to subscribe to feeds:
However, each RSS feed reader has its own method for subscribing to feeds:
1) When you see a page you want to subscribe to, find the feed icon. You may need to look around. Once you find the icon or “chicklet” (see figure) you may be able to just click on it to subscribe. The graphic shows several chicklets that may represent your reader.
2) If you see your reader’s icon such as Yahoo or Google select that and it will automatically be saved in your web-based reader. If you do not all ready subscribe, the button may automatically help you get the reader. What happens when you click on the RSS feed depends on your reader. Each reader manages the feeds independently and it is based on the program. Just follow the directions of your reader.
Depending on the feed reader, you may need to right-click (alternate-click) the icon and select “copy link location” or “copy shortcut”. Go to the reader and look for an “add feed” option. Now you have it!
3) Once you’ve subscribed to a site’s feed, you can view updated content in your feed reader.
Using Google Reader to Track Tweets from Will deBock on Vimeo.
What are other options for viewing newsfeeds
1) There are websites that are built based on feeds. These are “personalized start pages” that allow you to have feeds and tools called widgets. You determine the content on the page. It can even be your home page. Here is my iGoogle page that I use. It has many great features. Netvibes and Pageflakes are great too. See below for more information.
2) Netvibes, Pageflakes, Microsoft’s Live.com and iGoogle are all examples. iGoogle is one that I have used but the other 3 (and some others) function in the same way. You build the page based on Feeds and other tools that you can add to the page. This can be your homepage if you want.
Netvibes and Pageflakes allow public pages. What I have done is develop a public page of RSS files in Netvibes. You can have your students add feeds and you can select feeds and they will all show on this public page. In addition, you can do a private page that has your private information such as emails, etc.
Here is my public Netvibes page! http://www.netvibes.com/kcercone#General
3) iGoogle does not allow you to share your pages except via private emails. NetVibes as well as Pageflakes are both great personalized websites that allow you to share pages and make them public. In fact, Pageflakes has some social aspects of Web 2.0 as part of its structure and sharing.
4) If you want to share your feeds with others, such as students, this may be of interest to you. You can develop a page of feeds to links of interest to a special topic or field.
