News update! I've closed a deal with Penguin Group to write a book about Corporate Blogging. Pub date is 2006. Of course there will be a "book blog" to accompany the book. Stay tuned... - DW
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RSS 101: "Really Simple" 5-Step Guide to Get Started
By Debbie Weil
 For those who have yet to hop on to the RSS (Really Simple Syndication) bandwagon, the effort can seem more like a confusing leap than a few easy mouse clicks.
Easy-to-grasp definition of RSS
Here is an easy-to-grasp definition of RSS, courtesy of Anil Dash, a VP of SixApart.com which makes MovableType and TypePad (popular blogging software). He calls RSS:
"The technology built into blogs to notify you of updates. You can get these updates on a Web page, in your email inbox or on your PDA." |
Another non-techie definition of RSS is that it's a new online channel to both publish and receive news updates - without using email. Both content publishers and information seekers are excited about the fact that RSS sidesteps spam.
Again, RSS is not email. So no worries about spam filters - whether you're sending or receiving information via RSS.
1st step: you need an RSS newsreader
The first step to get on the RSS bandwagon is to download - or sign up for - an RSS newsreader. This is a simple piece of software that is as easy to use as a Web-based email program like Yahoo or Google's Gmail.
Which RSS reader should you choose?
There are at least a dozen different RSS newsreaders. Some are mini applets that you download to your desktop. NewsGator is a popular desktop choice; it integrates seamlessly with Outlook. So yes, you get the RSS feed in your inbox. But it's not delivered through email.
Other RSS readers are Web-based. All seem to work slightly differently.
Try Web-based Bloglines
I want to make this RSS tutorial platform-neutral (Windows vs. Mac) and as easy as possible. So here is a, er, "really simple" 5-step guide to get you started with RSS through Bloglines, my favorite Web-based RSS reader. Yes, it's free.
Read on for a quick, illustrated how-to...
RSS 101: "Really Simple" 5-Step Guide to Get Started
http://blogwrite.blogs.com/blogwrite/2005/
05/rss_101_easy_5s.html
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