RSS: A Real Simple Introduction

January 19, 2006

Derik A Badman
215-283-1389
dbadman@temple.edu
AIM: derikbad

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RSS

Acronyms are never easy.

Really Simple Syndication
Rich Site Summary
RDF Site Summary
There is not a consensus on the matter.

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What is it?

The Technical Side

Text-based computer language
Form of XML
Similar to HTML

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An Example of an RSS feed as code.

How an RSS feed looks in plain code in your browser window.

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This is an RSS 2.0 feed. Note the descriptive coding with mark-up tags such as "title", "link", "creator", "subject." In this case RSS 2 also uses the Dublin Core metadata schema.

What is it?

The "How Does it Work" side

Distillation of a site's content OR
A string of information (links, new books, etc.).
Automatically updated
Called an "RSS Feed"
Feeds are "syndicated"

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Who has feeds?

Everyone? Not yet.

Blogs (built in to all blog platforms)
News sites (NY Times, CNN, Time)
Search Engines (Google, Technorati)
Journals (Nature, Oxford)
Libraries and Databases

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www.oxfordjournals.org
www.nature.com/
http://blogsearch.google.com/

Why would I use RSS?

What's in it for me?

Keeping up is easy
All in one window
No need to remember to visit sites
No filling up your email

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How do I use RSS?

Feed readers and reading feeds

Requires a "feed reader" program OR
A compatible browser (Firefox, the next IE)
Feed readers also called "aggregators"
Readers are available offline or online:

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A feed reader screenshot (NetNewsWire for Mac).

A screenshot of Mac feed reader NetNewsWire.

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How to Find Feeds?

"RSS" or "XML" links.
Common buttons (often orange).
Browser auto-detection.
Search engines (Feedster, Technorati).
File types: .rss, .rdf, .xml

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Finding a feed Ex. 1.

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Finding a feed Ex. 2.

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Finding a feed Ex. 3.

Firefox screenshot with RSS auto-detection icon.

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Need more information?

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Fagan Finder's All About RSS: http://www.faganfinder.com/search/rss.shtml
Karen Schneider on RSS: http://frl.bluehighways.com/frlarchives/000123.html
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rss

Credits:

This presentation was created in HTML using CSS and adapted by Derik A Badman from a concept/template by Jessamyn West. The layout and stylesheet are available to borrow via a share and share alike creative commons license. See source code for details.

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