RSS Tutorial

RSS Tutorial - Update 2008/06/20

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 22:38:04 -0700

Changed Webhosting Vendors. Moved the RSS Tutorial with everything else. I am testing to make sure everything made it over correctly.

RSS Tutorial - Update 2008/04/15

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:55:19 -0700

I added a new page for Yahoo Groups and RSS. I kept getting questions about it.

The new page describes how to find Yahoo Groups with RSS.
How to use Mail Bucket to subscribe to Yahoo Groups with no native RSS feeds.

RSS Tutorial - Update 2008/04/13

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 07:15:27 -0700

The Section RSS for webmasters has been revised. The major revisions are as follows:

Reviewed the lessons and updated for 2008
Cleaned up all the examples of generating content using RSS

RSS Tutorial - Update 2008/04/07

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Mon, 7 Apr 2008 11:09:51 -0700

The Section RSS for subscribers has been revised. The major revisions are as follows:

Added a fair number of new RSS directories to help find RSS feeds. There is a new section on specific purpose directories
Added an entirely new lesson on managing the RSS feeds. The big challenge for RSS subscribers went from how to find and subscribe to feeds to how to manage all the feeds. The new section describes the tools to manage, filter, and mash RSS feeds.

RSS Tutorial - Update 2008/04/02

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Wed, 2 Apr 2008 22:08:41 -0700

The Section RSS Introduction and Overview has been revised. Each of 6 lessons in that section were reviewed, updated, and revised. Most of the changes were the normal changes that occur in technology over a 12 month period.

RSS Tutorial - Update 2008/03/26

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 06:48:32 -0700

The Tutorial was originally prepared for a Yahoo Group now called the Tech Training Yahoo Group. I will send out the lessons one at a time to the Group for review and feedback.

RSS Tutorial - Update 2008/03/25

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 06:44:39 -0700

The latest revision of the RSS Tutorial is complete. Each of the sections received some updates. The two major overall changes were 1) Adding information on how to manage feeds using the new filtering tools 2) Combining the Blog and Website areas into one area for Publishers.

RSS Tutorial - Update 2008/03/24

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:21:13 -0700

Add this information. Now the RSS is starting to get wider exceptance, the new issue is how to manage RSS Feeds. This section covers managing, filtering, and mashing RSS Feeds.

RSS Tutorial - Update 2008/03/23

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 01:32:08 -0700

Updated the pages on finding RSS Feeds using Search, Directories, and other methods.

Deleted those sites that are now obsolete.

RSS Tutorial - Update 2008/03/22

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 02:28:00 -0700

Added Testimonials Page
Reviewed all the Pages in the Introduction and Overview and made all appropriate changes and updates.
Updated the information on RSS Feed readers
Reviewed RSS Readers that go to IM, voice, iPhone, email, and browser tickers

RSS Tutorial - Update 2008/03/21

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 07:05:19 -0700

Technical Changes

Changed the entire tutorial to PHP and server side includes
Added privacy policy
Added some menu items to the bottom
Planned for next version

RSS Tutorial - Update 2007/07/12

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 06:47:20 GMT

Introduction and Overview - Changes complete

Deleted obsolete links
Added another Intro to RSS Video
Made sure everything was up to date

RSS Tutorial - Update 2007/07/10

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 00:03:53 -0700

Created an RSS Reference Blog to save articles, tools, and services. It will be the raw material for the Tutorial. It is a place to save information between Tutorial updates. The tutorial now contains a display of the blog.

RSS Tutorial - Update 2007/07/07

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Fri, 6 Jul 2007 14:31:30 GMT

Set up an Amazon astore with RSS Books

RSS Tutorial - Update 2007/07/06

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Fri, 6 Jul 2007 05:23:22 GMT

Cleaned up the RSS Feed using RSS2HTML

Cleaned up the template to get rid of all HTML Errors

Added a Favicon - I used the RSS Icon for the Favicon

Added some clarifying text to the Outline to clarify

Target	Section
Readers	Use RSS to Stay Current
Webmasters	Use RSS to Create Content
Publishers	Use RSS to Promote Blogs Use RSS to Promote Websites

RSS Tutorial - Update 2007/07/04

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Fri, 6 Jul 2007 20:06:02 GMT

Infrastructure Changes. Part of changing a website is applying the knowledge gained since the last update.

I enhanced the CSS to enable print without navigation and ads.
I organized the folders and the files within the folders.
The software and services used on the site were checked for new versions.
All the links were checked.

RSS Tutorial - Update 2007/07/03

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Tue, 3 Jul 2007 23:48:50 -0700

Time for another update to the RSS Tutorial. It has been a little over a year since the last update.

RSS continues to change.
Changes and corrections are saved over the course of the year, and all of them will now be applied.
Please send any tools, services, or links you would recommend to have included.

RSS Tutorial - Change Log 2006/03/27

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 22:40:06 -0800

The Tutorial is undergoing a revision. Things have changed with RSS: The Tutorial needs to change. The change log will note when a section has been updated.

The "Use RSS to Promote Blogs" section was completely updated. A new lesson was added. It now contains 3 lessons as follows.

Blog Feed Considerations
Blog Feed Guidelines
Blog Feed Promotions

RSS Tutorial - Change Log 2006/03/26

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Sun, 26 Mar 2006 18:36:08 -0800

The Tutorial is undergoing a revision. Things have changed with RSS: The Tutorial needs to change. The change log will note when a section has been updated.

The Use RSS to Create Content lessons have been updated.

RSS Tutorial - Change Log 2006/03/25

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Sat, 25 Mar 2006 18:29:51 -0800

Added information on new tools including:

Squeet
FeedRinse
RaSaSa
Wiki.co.mments
RSSMesh

RSS Tutorial - Change Log 2006/03/14

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 23:50:09 -0800

The Tutorial is undergoing a revision. Things have changed with RSS: The Tutorial needs to change. The change log will note when a section has been updated.

Use RSS to stay current.

RSS Tutorial - Change Log 2006/02/28

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Wed, 1 Mar 2006 23:10:36 -0800

The Tutorial is undergoing a revision. Things have changed with RSS: The Tutorial needs to change. The change log will note when a section has been updated.

The Introduction and Overview lessons have been updated.

RSS Tutorial - Change Log 2006/02/27

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 23:06:49 -0800

Added information on a new tool:

RapidFeeds allows anyone to create and manage their own RSS feeds completely and effortlessly. It also gives publishers the freedom to distribute and get their RSS feeds displayed on other websites, while webmasters can customize the whole look and feel of the content displayed

RSS Tutorial - Change Log 2006/01/19

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Thu, 19 Jan 2006 20:23:42 -0800

Added information on a new service called FeedXS.

FeedXS provides a way to generate an RSS feed without a blog or website. It has a clever interface to MSN Messenger.

RSS Tutorial - Change Log 2006/01/13

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 01:57:06 -0800

Added information on a new tool:

Feed2Podcast will turn your RSS feed into a Podcast by using a text-to-speech program.

RSS Tutorial - Change Log 2006/01/12

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Thu, 12 Jan 2006 21:48:23 -0800

Added the following

2005 RSS year in Review in What is all the fuss about?
FeedMail Now! in RSS Tools

RSS Tutorial - Change Log 2006/01/11

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Wed, 11 Jan 2006 22:03:07 -0800

This page was not showing correctly on all browsers.

I simplified the CSS. Now it displays correctly in IE, Netscape, Foxfire and Opera.

RSS Tutorial - Change Log 2006/01/10

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Wed, 11 Jan 2006 20:17:58 -0800

Fixed several problems with the CSS.

The RSS Tutorial was not showing scroll bars all of the time.
The Tutorial not displaying properly in Opera and Netscape.

The Problems were caused by inconsistencies in browser support of the CSS for the fixed menu.

The Tutorial now displays correctly in IE, Firefox, Netscape, and Opera.

RSS Tutorial - Change Log 2005/12/28

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Wed, 28 Dec 2005 15:29:46 -0800

Change: Added information on another product - Feed Spring.

Feed Spring is a free program that generates RSS feeds.

RSS Tutorial - RSS Tutorial Feed Display

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Tue, 27 Dec 2005 01:06:12 -0800

Display of RSS Tutorial RSS Feed. It provides a course summary and an illustration.

RSS Tutorial - RSS Tools

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Mon, 26 Dec 2005 15:38:12 -0800

RSS Tools & Resources

The following is a list of various tools and resources for RSS. The list includes items that I found interesting. It certainly does not pretend to be an exhaustive list. I do include some resources with more comprehensive lists. There is no implied endorsement. As a general rule, I used the words from the product websites to describe the product or service.

RSS Tutorial - RSS Buttons

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 01:04:54 -0800

Buttons for RSS, XML, and Feeds.

RSS Tutorial - Generate a Website Feed

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Thu, 22 Dec 2005 21:59:30 -0800

Generating the RSS Feed File

Generate the RSS Feed file using a program or service.
Some services that Generate RSS feeds.
Some programs that Generate RSS feeds.

RSS Tutorial - Code a Website Feed

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 03:22:55 -0800

Code an RSS Feed manually.

Create the RSS Feed file.
Code the control statements for the RSS feed.
Code the channel statements for the RSS feed.
Code the item statements for the RSS feed.

RSS Tutorial - Scrape a Website Feed

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Tue, 20 Dec 2005 22:41:54 -0800

Some programs read websites and create RSS feeds.

Programs are available that scrape a website to create a feed
The Programs in general do not do well trying to decide what is important or "What's New"
The Programs are controversial because they can be used improperly.

RSS Tutorial - Website Feed Considerations

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Mon, 5 Dec 2005 22:41:54 -0800

Considerations for Website Feeds.

Website feeds entice readers to go to the website.
Website feeds answer "What's New?" on the website.
Website feed examples.
Website feeds have some differences from Blog feeds.

RSS Tutorial - Promote your Blog Feed

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Fri, 18 Nov 2005 14:50:15 -0800

Encourage your blog visitors to subscribe to your RSS feed. Make it easy for your visitors to subscribe.

Create a hyperlink on your blog that points to your RSS feed.
Add special links for various RSS feed readers.
Describe what RSS is and how it can be used.

RSS Tutorial - Create a Feed from Your Blog

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 14:42:33 -0800

If you have a blog, you should generate an RSS feed. RSS feeds are another tool to bring readers to your blog.

Select the blog option to generate the RSS feed.
Verify your blog has autodiscovery parameters.
Guidelines for blog RSS feeds.

RSS Tutorial - How to use RSS to Create Content

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Thu, 10 Nov 2005 00:37:56 -0800

If you have decided to put content on your website or blog using RSS - you need a script. There are various ways to get a script.

Write your own script using JavaScript, PHP, ASP or another language.
Download a general purpose script and customize it.
Use a service that creates customized scripts.
Get specific scripts from feed publishers who provide scripts to encourage use of their feeds as content.

RSS Tutorial - Using RSS to Create Content

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Wed, 9 Nov 2005 00:28:37 -0800

You can use RSS to put content on your website or blog. Usually this means putting headlines or a short paragraph of information on your website or blog with a link back to the original post or article.

Use RSS Feeds to create Content for your website

Using RSS feeds to create content can provide entire webpages or enriched webpages.
Using RSS feeds to create content has some issues including copyright, SEO, and technical issues.
Using RSS feeds to create content demonstrated in some examples. One webpage created entirely from an RSS feed is in the top ten search results from Google.

Using RSS feeds to create content has some issues including copyright, SEO, and technical issues. Using RSS feeds to create content demonstrated in some examples. One webpage created entirely from an RSS feed is in the top ten search results from Google.

RSS Tutorial - Finding Feeds on the Internet.

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Fri, 4 Nov 2005 19:42:58 -0800

After you have a feed reader, and know how to subscribe to a feed, how do you find feeds?

There are a number of other ways to find RSS feeds on the Internet after you have exhausted Search Engines and Directories.

RSS Reading Lists
Relevant Blogs and Popular blogs
Preset RSS reading lists in RSS Feed Readers
Google News search
Yahoo Groups
Personal web surfing

RSS Tutorial - Finding Feeds using Directories

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Thu, 3 Nov 2005 18:19:16 -0800

After you have an RSS feed reader, and know how to subscribe to an RSS feed, how do you find feeds?

You can find RSS feeds using Blog Directories and RSS Feed Directories.

Use Blog directories because there is significant overlap between blogs and RSS feeds.
Use RSS Feed directories for targeted directories.

RSS Tutorial - Finding Feeds using Search

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Wed, 2 Nov 2005 23:50:28 -0800

After you have an RSS feed reader, and know how to subscribe to an RSS feed, how do you find feeds?

You can find RSS feeds using Search engines.

The major search engines have some combination of Blog or Feed Search.
Blog search engines have significant overlap with RSS Feeds, and can be used to find the majority of feeds.
RSS feed searches are now available and take various approaches.

RSS Tutorial - How to subscribe to RSS feeds?

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Tue, 1 Nov 2005 11:54:10 -0800

Once you pick your RSS feed reader, it is time to subscribe to RSS feeds.

To subscribe to an RSS feed:

Follow the instructions of your RSS feed reader. Each RSS feed reader is different.
On a website or blog with a feed, find the RSS or XML button, right click, copy link location, and paste the URL into your RSS feed reader.
On a website or blog with a feed, find the button for your particular RSS Feed Reader, click and follow instructions.

RSS Tutorial - Select an RSS Reader.

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Sun, 30 Oct 2005 23:18:28 -0700

To subscribe and read RSS feeds you need an RSS feed reader. RSS feed readers are also called News Aggregators, Feed Readers, or Feed Aggregators.

RSS feed readers subscribe, read and display RSS feeds.
RSS feed readers are multiplying - there are lots of them.
RSS feed readers are of various types for individual preferences.

One of the ways to learn about RSS is to pick a reader, subscribe to RSS Feeds, and experience how RSS works.

RSS Tutorial - Why subscribe to RSS Feeds?

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Sat, 29 Oct 2005 13:27:18 -0700

RSS can automate web surfing, create a virtual custom newspaper, and help you stay current in your areas of expertise or interest.

Subscribing to RSS feeds is automated web surfing.
Subscribing to RSS feeds can create a custom newspaper on your desktop.
Subscribing to RSS feeds can deliver targeted and timely information.
Subscribing to RSS feeds allows you to monitor your own RSS feeds.

RSS Tutorial - RSS and Blogs, Ezines and Podcasts

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Thu, 27 Oct 2005 21:35:54 -0800

What is the relationship between RSS and Blogs, Ezines and Podcasts.

Blogs and RSS are a natural fit, and many blogs have RSS feeds. Some blogs do not have RSS feeds. Some RSS feeds are created from websites and not from blogs.
RSS feeds and ezines can share the same purpose - to announce "what's new". They use different technologies. There are reasons to use both.
A Podcast is an audio file that is attached to an RSS Feed.

RSS Tutorial - Becoming Aware of RSS

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Wed, 26 Oct 2005 20:49:24 -0700

Surveys show that many people use RSS and do not know it. Here are some things to watch for in order to become aware of RSS on the Web.

Many RSS feeds use orange icons with RSS, XML, or FEED in white letters.
The Firebox browser signals each time you browse a website with a feed.
The Google Desktop Sidebar finds RSS Feeds as you surf and displays them.
Microsoft is asking for comments on new icons for RSS feeds.

RSS Tutorial - How Does RSS Work?

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 20:46:52 -0700

This is how RSS works:

A website or a blog creates an RSS Feed. Many Blog services automatically create RSS Feeds. RSS Feeds are also created manually or with programs.
The RSS Feed that is created is an XML file that lives on an Internet server. There are now hundreds of thousands of RSS Feeds sitting on Internet servers waiting patiently for an RSS Reader to subscribe to them.
The RSS Feed Reader reads the RSS Feed file and displays it. There are various types of readers. There is software that can make any website an RSS Reader.

RSS Tutorial - What is RSS?

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Mon, 24 Oct 2005 20:40:10 -0700

RSS is a syndication standard supported by an XML file type.

RSS Stands for Really Simple Syndication.
RSS feed is a type of XML file that resides on an internet server.
RSS is used for the specific purpose or conveying information that a website or blog has been updated.
RSS is a standard for publishing regular updates to web-based content.

RSS Tutorial - What is RSS Good For?

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Sun, 23 Oct 2005 20:25:49 -0700

RSS is a hot new technology. But what is it good for?

RSS can help us do three things.

RSS can help find information on the Internet in our areas of expertise or interest.
RSS can help provide content for websites and blogs.
RSS can help bring additional traffic to a website or blog.

RSS Tutorial - What is all the Fuss About?

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Sat, 22 Oct 2005 20:18:46 -0700

There is a great deal of fuss about RSS

Each of the three major internet companies (Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft) are rapidly implementing RSS functionality.
Dozens of RSS tools and products are available.
The Tech Press and the regular media are publishing about RSS.
Most media companies have started to use RSS.

This tutorial will explain what the fuss is all about, and how RSS can be helpful to both web surfers and webmasters.

RSS Tutorial

les.bain@wizard-creek.com (Les Bain) — Fri, 21 Oct 2005 20:53:35 -0700

Welcome
There are many resources on the Web for RSS. This tutorial emphasis the benefits of RSS, and how they can be realized. This tutorial refers to other sources for RSS History, Background, and Technical specifications.