Google Wish List - Includes RSS. The following: Google Wish List shows where Google has stumbled with regards to RSS. In fact of the 17 items listed, RSS is the focus of 3 of the items.
1. Usenet and RSS.
Please, I'm begging, (groveling if it will help) create RSS feeds for Google Groups keyword searches. Think of the value, you could monitor Usenet for company or product names using RSS feeds. This would be an extremely easy way for businesses (and Google users) to stay in tune with what is being said on Usenet and in forums about specific topics.
6. Google Alerts via RSS.
The current Google alert system is from the 1990's (figuratively speaking) please offer an option to receive Google alerts via RSS feeds. I know you can setup a Google News search using RSS, it seems silly that it is not available via Google Alerts.
16. Make an RSS Search Engine.
Why hasn't Google done this? I am baffled. The blog search engine is not an RSS search engine, consider the power of being able to search ALL RSS feeds. There are a number of small RSS search engine portals available but there is not a clear leader, this is where Google could and should be.
Read the complete Google Wish List
Page2RSS. Page2RSS is a free service that creates an RSS feed for web pages that do not have an RSS feed available.
WordPress Policing Blogs. This is an interesting article, with a moral to boot.
Don't let someone else host your business blog. Ever.
According to the article, WordPress sent out a letter to their customers warning that any sponsored or paid blog entries are grounds for immediately deletion of their blog and a permanent ban from using the service in the future.
Complete Article
Fair Use Defined by RIAA. Cary Sherman the President of the RIAA defined Fair Use and expressed his concern that it was being twisted far beyond what the original framers intended.
Like a trademark that becomes generic, the fair use doctrine is in danger of losing its meaning and value if CEA's self-serving claims are taken at face value. CEA has twisted and contorted "fair use" beyond its true intent, turning it into a free pass for those who simply don't want to pay for creative works.
Complete Article
AIM v6 Supports RSS. AOL's Instant Messaging, affectionately known by teenagers everywhere as AIM, has released a new version that supports RSS. The new implementation of RSS called, "Buddy Updates" allows AIM users to set up RSS feeds which let their friends know when they've updated their accounts or profiles on popular online destinations like YouTube, Xanga, and Dig.
New Political Feeds Directory. Search the online political feeds database for specific political feeds and political podcasts. This new RSS directory contains political feeds from blogs, political cartoons, and political parties.
Political Feeds Directory
New Government Feeds Directory. A new vertical directory of RSS feeds from government offices and government agencies has been posted. The portal features feeds from all government agencies (both local and federal). The directory can be navigated by category specific can be located using keyword searches.
Government Feeds Directory
Egypt Blog Crack Down. According to the Associated Press a blogger whose postings have been critical of the government was arrested. The arrest comes only one week after Amnesty International criticized Egypt for detaining another online writer.
RSS2SQL Launched. RSS2SQL is a new RSS script that stores RSS feeds in an MySQL database has been added to FeedForAll's RSS Scripts Directory.
Now with the purchase of FeedForAll or FeedForAll Mac users receive FREE access to the RSS Scripts Directory which contains a host of PHP scripts that can be used to manipulate, manage and convert RSS feeds. Scripts in the directory include:
RSS2HTML Pro - The RSS2HTML Pro add on script expands the functionality of RSS2HTML by allowing publishers and webmasters to dynamically create an index of feed items.
FutureRSS - The FutureRSS script only displays items thats dates have passed. Allowing web publishers to prepublish content weeks or even month's in advance, knowing that the content will automatically be displayed at the appropriate time.
RSS Cache - The rss2html Cache module can be used by users of the rss2html.php script and will decrease the display time of RSS feeds.
SQL2RSS - The sql2rss.php script allows you to easily create rss feeds from SQL databases.
RSSMesh - The RSSmesh script is used to merge multiple RSS feeds into a single RSS feed.
If users do not currently own or wish to purchase FeedForAll or FeedForAll Mac but would like to utilize the above RSS Scripts they can purchase a subscription to the RSS Scripts directory for $ 29.95.
42 RSS Uses. Check out this long list of RSS uses:
1. Monitoring activity in your Subversion repository with SubveRSSed and svnlog.xslt.
2. Tracking changes to open source projects.
Complete List
Niche Feeds and Physics. This site has collected all the Physics feeds, talk about a niche feed directory!
Physics Feeds
VH-1 Feeds. VH-1 has announced an assortment of RSS feeds and podcasts.
RSS Sports Feed Directory. Sports Feeds Directory is a collection of sports related RSS feeds. The feeds are grouped by sport and can be easily navigated. Additionally the sports feed directory can be searched.
Submit sports related feeds for free.
RSS Locator. RSS Search engine of RSS search engines. RSS Locator has been updated and is now a search engine of RSS search engines. Give it a try!
RSS Quiz. How much do you know about RSS? Test your knowledge of RSS with this RSS Quiz.
RSS Auto Discovery. Use this free online tool to create the code for RSS auto discovery.
1. Simply enter your feed URL and the feed title.
2. Paste the generated code into the head tag of your HTML website
The RSS auto discovery code will help some RSS readers auto detect that an RSS feed for the webpage exists.
Iran Blocking Popular Websites. Iran yesterday shut down access to some of the most popular websites. Users were unable to open popular sites including Amazon.com and YouTube following instructions to service providers to filter them.
Fedafi is for Sale. Fedafi has only been around for nine months but it is already on the market. Stream Distribution announced that Fedafi is on the market. The price and details have not been disclosed and are available with the signing of an NDA.
RSS Etiquette. There is no Emily Post in blogging that offers etiquette advice, or a Miss Manners that details appropriate behavior. That does not mean there are not acceptable and unacceptable actions that bloggers should take. In order to efficiently communicate as a blogger on the Internet, it is critical to understand the unwritten rules of blogging etiquette.
RSS Etiquette
Search Engine Journal Opens Blog Awards. Search Engine Journal is now opening nominations for blogs to be included for this year’s Search Blogs Awards in the following categories:
- Best SEO Blog
- Best SEM Blog
- Best Search Agency Resource Blog
- Best Link Building Blog
- Best Social Media Blog
- Best Search Engine Corporate Blog (owned by the search engines)
- Best Contextual Advertising Blog
- Best Affiliate Marketing Blog
- Best Search Engine Community/Forum Blog
- Best Web 2.0 Blog
- Best Search Linkbait of 2006
To nominate blogs, leave a comment with the category and your favorite blogs.
McCain Addressing Cyber Credibility and Accountability. John McCain has introduced legislation to require all websites and personal blogs to report any "illegal" images or videos posted by their users, paying up to $300,000 per incident if they fail to do so, according to a story by Declan McCullagh at C-Net. Additionally, if a website owner deals with anyone "known to be a sex offender," they will be required to delete any profile pages by those individuals.
It also applies to Internet service providers, although higher responsibility (and consequent fines) is leveled at website owners, commercial or individual.
The legislation specifically lists: "any Website with a message board; any chat room; any social-networking site; any e-mail service; any instant-messaging service; any Internet content hosting service; any domain name registration service; any Internet search service; any electronic communication service; and any image or video-sharing service."
The proposed legislation will certainly go a long way to address online credibility and accountability for US companies and individuals, but what about things posted beyond the US borders?
Tips for Content Rich Websites. When creating a content rich website, do not be afraid to think outside of the box. Unique ideas will generally garner more attention than the mundane and more common content concepts. Over the years the unique content that has garnered the most attention, the Subservient Chicken and JibJab, may not be appropriate for a business website, there are still lots of "out of the box" things that you can do.
Here are some ideas on how you can build content for your website that will attract website visitors.
RSS Specials. The holiday season is in full swing, and more and more people are using the web as a giant shopping mall. Thankfully, the proliferation of Web 2.0 technologies is giving birth to a new breed of shopping site that can help navigate this crowded marketplace.
Sites like Offertrax, StyleFeeder and Mpire don't sell anything at all. Rather, they improve purchasing intelligence by keeping an eye out for bargains and sending electronic alerts when it's time to swoop in for the kill.
Instead of wasting time browsing the virtual aisles at dozens of sites, just tell Offertrax what you're shopping for.
Complete Article
RSS Feed Converter. Another Way to Add RSS feeds to your website RSS Feed Converter. RSS Feed Converter easily convert any valid RSS feed into easy to implement Javascript, HTML or PHP code. In order to use the service you must provide a name and email address.
Holiday Templates for RSS. Check out these Christmas templates for displaying RSS feeds with rss2html. The rss2html script allows users to display their RSS feeds as an HTML web page. By using the templates you can add a little bit of a flare to your feed display.
20 Things I Hate About The Internet. from the Small Business Blog
20 Things I Hate About the Internet
1. I really hate the fact that individuals can say whatever they want, regardless of whether it is true, there is no recourse for libel or slander because in many cases the posts are not in the same country as the person slandered.
2. I hate that the truth is becoming collective, or from those the most persistent. The popularity of wiki's and in particular wikipedia means that history is becoming fluid.
3. I hate that it is almost impossible to discern an online writer's credibility.
4. I hate that crime is allowed to flourish online.
5. I hate that the EU forces US companies to collect VAT on European sales. US companies don't benefit from the tax, yet they are forced to staff individuals to handle collection and submission of VAT taxes to European Governments.
6. I hate that U.S. legislatures passed a law that it is illegal for US citizens to remain anonymous on line yet pedophiles hide behind anonymity.
7. I hate that email is so impersonal and so easily misunderstood.
8. I hate that personal information on nearly any person is simply only a click away.
9. I hate that children see Internet pornography without even trying.
10. I hate that law abiding citizens are at a distinct disadvantage on the Internet.
11. I hate if you work at an Internet business your day does not end at 5:00.
12. I hate to be at Google's mercy for search engine ranking.
13. I hate that search engines are constantly changing their algorythms.
14. I hate that children know more about the Internet than their parents.
15. I hate that the Internet archives can store. Comments that may or may not be true for what could be an eternity.
16. I hate that the Internet is litered with junk sites and abandoned out of date content.
17. I hate that Internet obsession allienates the older generation.
18. I hate that Google so much power.
19. I hate that the playing field for small businesses on the Internet is no longer level.
20. I hate that clickfraud is a part of life if marketing on the Internet.
Blogs and Copyrights. Bloggers need to be very careful of the images they use in their blogs. Fair Use is acceptable but copyright infringement is not. A popular blogger is learning the hard way:
X17 Inc., a Los Angeles photo agency known for its images of stars in personal or embarrassing moments, has filed a $7.6 million federal copyright infringement lawsuit against Hilton.
Hilton has a blog displaying stars in unflattering situations.
Pheedo RSS Research. Pheedo conducted research of RSS adoption in the automotive industry and here are some of their conclusions:
- Automotive enthusiasts are adopting RSS at an alarming rate and are extremely active:
RSS feeds in general across all of Pheedo's categories are growing at a rate of 7% month over month - based on impressions. The auto category, however, has seen growth of 38% month over month, and more than 500% growth during the fourth quarter of 2006 to-date.
- Automotive content publishers prefer summary and headline feeds:
63% of auto publishers offer readers summary RSS feeds while the rest publish headline-only feeds. No auto publishers in the Pheedo network currently deliver their content via full-text RSS feeds.
- Auto enthusiasts prefer headline-only feeds:
Headline-only feeds garner a click-through rate (CTR) of 33% on content while summary feeds garner a 15% CTR.
- Yahoo! leads content aggregators among auto category readers:
The majority (52%) of RSS content readers across the automotive publishers in the Pheedo Network opt for Yahoo! RSS reader products, marking a departure from past Pheed Read data and trends in other content categories. Firefox placed second with 18% of the market share, while Bloglines, the top RSS reader in past Pheed Reads, came in well behind both with 7% market share.
- Auto category consumers are financially diverse and the vast majority are over the age of 35:
Demographic data from the auto category shows that readers vary significantly in their household income with four different income brackets holding around 20% of the total readership. Additionally, consumers over the age of 35 represent more than 75% of the auto category readership.
More on Pheedo
Link Love vs Link Bait. What is Link Love?
Link Love is all about quality. In order to achieve Link Love you must establish authority and credibility. Link Love is all about being a reputable source, often recipients of link love are the first to post breaking news that is vetted and accurate. Bloggers, webmasters and publishers reward sources they genuinely enjoy with link love.
Link Bait is often considered the evil step sister of Link Love.
What is Link Bait?
Link Bait is a hook. It is unique or even controversial content. Common sources of Link Bait include humorous items, accusations, controversy, or even implications. Link Bait is similar to 'shock and awe'; people cannot help but link because they are so intrigued (for good or bad). Link Bait often walks the line between acceptable and unacceptable.
Link Love vs Link Bait
New RSS Software Beta Open. Checkout the latest beta test of FeedForAll. The latest beta includes a number of enhancements to the publishing feature. The enclosure and feed image can now be automatically uploaded with the RSS feed. The new beta also supports namespace extensions from iTunes to Media RSS.
Read More on the new RSS Software Beta
RSS Patent. Microsoft is being a bully. A little communication goes a long way.
Microsoft has filed applications for two patents related to RSS, a popular format for online distribution of news and blogs, leaving some well-known developers wondering about its intentions.
complete article
Transparency and Blogs. PayPerPost has instituted a new policy that mandates bloggers must disclose that they are accepting payment, either in the write-up or in a general disclosure policy.
Business Week Stock Monitor. Business Week has announced a new tool that allows readers to monitor stocks using by creating RSS feeds. Try Business Week Feed Generator
Microsoft Responds to RSS Patent Application Hoopla. A lead programmer from Microsoft responded to the blogosphere's fury and anger over Microsoft's filing of RSS patents. Here are a few quotes:
First, these patents describe specific ways to improve the RSS end-user and developer experience (which we believe are valuable and innovative contributions) -- they do not constitute a claim that Microsoft invented RSS.
Applying for a patent on your innovation is common industry practice, and one which, by incenting and protecting the companies and people involved, encourages everyone to contribute to the community.
Complete Response
AddToAny. Add a single button to your website and users can easily subscribe to your feed regardless of the feed reader or feed reading service that they use. Check out AddToAny.
Measure Your Blog Juice. A new online tool a "Blog Juice Calculator" determines a blogs popularity. The Blog Juice Calculator compares the blogs number of BlogLines subscribers, the websites Alexa Ranking, Technorati rank and the number of general links. The Blog Juice Calculator is a free service from TextLinkAds.
RSS Tools. Learn about the latest RSS Tools, Scripts and Software. The RSS Tools website contains a myriad of tools to manage and manipulate rss feeds and news feeds.
Webmaster Resolutions for 2007. New Years Resolutions
Each and every year people around the world mark the first day of the New Year with resolutions. They resolve to do a wide variety of things, and while few resolutions are actually kept, the tradition is a hallmark of the holiday each year.
Experts suggest that people should make lifestyle changes rather than resolutions. I am a bit more pragmatic. Tackle a task you know that you can succeed at. Do not bite off more than you can chew, and you will be one of the few who manages to keep their resolutions. Here are a few suggested resolutions for webmasters and small business owners:
Webmasters Resolutions:
1. Prune Those RSS Feeds
Large feeds are slow to load, its time to prune those RSS feeds and remove the old contents. Dated feed items can be archived as an HTML web page, but should be removed from the actual feed, to ensure that it loads quickly.
2. Update Copyright Notices
Make an effort to update the copyright notice on your website. A current date will reassure customers that your online storefront is active.
3. Update Meta Tags
Each and every web page on a website should contain a unique title and description. Update and optimize meta tags to avoid excessive use of keywords. Meta tags should be accurate and concise without redundancy and recurring words.
4. House Cleaning
Update old links and remove any links that are no longer valid. HTML is a markup language and without constant maintenance it is easy to have a page with an unclosed tag. While some web browsers make allowances for poorly formed HTML, it is important to realize that not all do. Therefore, it is crucial that you take a look at the HTML behind the web page and make sure that it is properly formed.
5. Try Something New
Pick a technology, be it podcasting, RSS, or social bookmarking. Resolve to try or resolve to learn something new. Businesses stagnate without innovation. Be creative and willing to experiment a little.
Webmaster Resolutions for 2007
Bloggers Get Free Laptops. The blogosphere is buzzing. Some would say this is good business sense others would say its akin to bribery.
Laptops that Microsoft sent free to authors of popular weblogs had the 'blogosphere' abuzz with controversy regarding the propriety of the gifts.
In recent weeks Microsoft and chip-maker Advanced Micro Devices have sent Acer Ferrari laptop computers to a total of 90 bloggers so they could put the new Vista operating system through its paces, according to the US software giant.
What are your thoughts?
Here's what the web says:
Gift Laptops Ignite Blogosphere Controversy
Microsoft Says No Favorable Coverage Expected
Microsoft's Laptop Giveaway Rubs Some the Wrong Way
What is Hot and What is Not in Technology. Top 10 Winners Predicted for 2007
1. Content Filtering
With web content and syndication growing at a rapid pace locating information is becoming more of a struggle for web surfers. The abundance of content has made filtering critical to time management. As a result, content filtering and solutions that help with content filtering will be winners in 2007.
2. Pesonalized Search and Vertical Search will be a winner in 2007
Search 2.0 will be all about filtering and personalized search. Niche portals with targeted focus will play in vertical search and authority sites will gain even more traction.
3. Social Bookmarking and Social Networks
Social bookmarking is the new black. The collective voice has not only gained momentum but it has also attracted the most savvy web marketers. While there is still power of the collective voice, social networks and social bookmarking has gained attention, the masters behind these networks will need to stay a step ahead of the spammers to stay in the game. The danger is that the crowd, will become upset that a small group is profiting from the collective voice. The "crowd" will likely to manipulate the collective voice in 2007.
4. RSS
RSS is about choice and users choosing the content they wish to subscribe. RSS' adoption will reach significant numbers and even the naysayers will be unable to ignore its success in 2007.
5. iPod / iPhone / Video iPod / iTunes
Apple has found a sweet spot with its iPod and the iTunes model. Expanding the types of content consumed and the use of iPods and similar devices (ie. iPhone) will flourish.
6. Cyber Security
Privacy as we once knew it will never again exist. That does not mean that webmasters should be come complacent about security. Cyber security will be a necessity in 2007.
7. Going Green
Alternative energy and going green is in. Geothermal and hydroelectric power are hot, heck there is little in this field that is not heating up. Clean energy and alternative hybrid sources will prosper in 2007.
8. PodSafe Music
Independent musicians who are willing to grant podcasters licensing rights will garner the interest and attention of the masses without having to go through a major record label. Opportunities will be plentiful in the area of podsafe music.
9. Videocasting - Video Podcasting
Software tools and technology have made videos accessible to all. Independent artists, realtors, and sports enthusiasts are flocking to this new medium. It is expected that this growth will continue throughout the new year.
10. Online Real Estate
While the real estate market is cooling down selling homes on the Internet is hot. Online Real Estate auctions on eBay showed Realtors a new way to reach a larger audience. Home buyers from across the country can use RSS and/or filtering to monitor properties as they come on the market from specific regions or zip codes.
More on What is Hot and What is Not in Technology
Reflecting on 2006 and Predicting for 2007. For the most part in 2006, the world escaped Natures wrath, but people were far less kind to their neighbors. 2006 is scarred not by the winds and oceans but by political turmoil across the globe. The Middle East quagmire is the epitome of how wrong things can go, with the war in Lebanon, infighting in Palestine, Iran's nuclear ambitions, and Iraq's sectarian violence the deepest scars of 2006 were self inflicted with man being his own enemy. Of course, the Middle East is not alone with it's own self-destruction. Genocide in Chad and Sudan show how truly intolerant the human race really is. North Korea's impatience and nuclear activity have disrupted Asia. In fact, few areas of the world were left unscathed by man's ambitions in 2006.
Again technology has brought the tragedies of war and the personal stories of families from the farthest corners of the earth, to the door steps of the west. Citizen journalism and Internet propagation has added a complex layer to the stories. The growth of YouTube, Blogs, Podcasting and RSS have personalized the media and given listeners and watchers a personal connection to the reports.
2006 Reflections, 2007 Predictions
AOL RSS Feed Directory. It appears AOL has added a feed directory. It is not clear how to add feeds, but its clear they too acknowledge the RSS trend.
AOL RSS Feed Directory
NewsGator Partners with Motorola. Motorola has signed an agreement with NewsGator Technologies to mobilize RSS content for enterprises.
According to the agreement, Motorola will extend NewsGator-aggregated RSS content from behind the firewall to mobile users on a broad range of devices, including the Motorola Q, Samsung BlackJack, the Palm Treo family and many other standards-based smartphones.
complete article
25 Uses for RSS Feeds. While I disagree that any of these are new RSS uses it really does provide a good summary of what can be done with RSS.
The following list is a collection of 25 alternative uses for RSS. We hope you’ll find some of them useful.
Track Specific News Headlines.
Find Shopping Deals.
Track Packages.
Create a Calendar Feed.
TV Listings Via RSS.
Keep Up With Specific Emails
Get Some General Knowledge On A Regular Basis.
Follow Your Favorite Comics.
Sports Team RSS Feeds. (note: use sports feeds to find your team feeds)
Deliver Your Contacts Via RSS.
Get Notified On Travel Deals.
Track Job Openings.
Log Referring Links To Your Site.
Be A Knowledgable Citizen.
Get Your City's Latest Traffic.
Track Movie Openings & Reviews.
Keep Tabs On Medical Information. (note: use medical feeds to find medical feeds)
Stay On Top Of Virus & Security Threats. (note: use security protection to find security feeds)
Download TV Shows.
Bring Humor Into Your Life.
Pull In Those Video Snippets.
Sticky Notes + RSS.
Track Ebay.
Summary of RSS Uses
New RSS Feed Software. FeedForAll has released a new version of their RSS feed creation, editing and publishing software. The new version includes the following features:
What is New:
iTunes Support - Integrated support for the latest iTunes specification.
Namespace Support - Full namespace support for iTunes, content, dublin core and syndication extensions. Generic support for all additional extensions Support for custom user defined extensions (namespaces).
Language Support - Full unicode support, allows any languages character set to be used in the RSS feeds. Also UTF-8 support in feeds for all character sets. In program settable font support.
Validation - Automatically validates feeds on open, download, save, and upload. Validation logs show errors, warnings and automatic repairs. Option to run validation check manually.
Improved WYSWIG Editor - All fields that allow HTML code can now be used with the WYSWIG HTML editor. Built in live spell checking. Full support for HTML links. Full support for HTML images, including image links.
Publishing - Support for multiple destination FTP servers. Automatic image upload option. Automatic enclosure upload option. Option to limit the number of items uploaded. Option to upload only current items (no future pubdates).
Feed Creation Wizard - Walks users through the creation of a standard RSS feed, podcast or iTunes podcast. Easiest way to start a new RSS feed. Automatically leads into feed creation wizard.
Item Creation Wizard - Walks users through the creation of new feed items. Automatically prompts users with fields for the type of feed being added (i.e. podcast). Can create multiple new items in a single session.
Preview - Allows feed to be viewed in a format typical for subscribers. Multiple template support for different viewing formats. Preview now includes printer support.
Stylesheets - Supports both XSL and CSS stylesheet definitions.
An evaluation download is available: FeedForAll
Tips on Finding Ideas for Blog Posts. Not surprisingly, ideas for blog posts or RSS feed items originate or are influenced by other web content. The following are venues for finding your online muse:
Tips for Blog Posts
Syndicate IQ Shuts Down. Syndicate IQ has ceased operations according to a notice on its homepage.Syndicate IQ was a company that provided feed management, statistics and advertisements. Syndicate IQ competed with Pheedo and to some extent FeedBurner.
NEW Educational RSS Feed Directory. This is a new educational feeds directory. Publishers with educational feeds or instructional podcasts can submit their feeds to be included. Simply enter the URL of the RSS feed and select the most appropriate category for the feed or podcast.
Corporate Blog Payoff. General Motors' auto business hasn't been great of late, but its blogging strategy is paying off handsomely.
In 2006, the company's FastLane blog delivered an estimated $410,470 worth of customer insight and marketing at an approximate cost of $255,675 -- a return on investment of 67% -- according to a newly released report from Forrester Research.
complete article
My Life as an RSS Junkie. My name is Kirk Biglione and I have a problem. I’m addicted to RSS.
Like most addictions my problem started as innocent experimentation. I began dabbling in RSS years ago when it was still a relatively new technology. I told myself that it was a better way to keep up with the news. I rationalized that I’d save hours every day by using RSS to take a more focused approach to online reading and research. A few minutes with my feed reader was supposed to be like an hour or more of surfing the hundreds of the websites that I try to keep up with on a regular basis.
RSS Addiction
RSS Does Not Equal Blogs. RSS Does Not Equal Blogs
Many assume that RSS is only for syndicating the contents of blogs, nothing could be further from the truth. Blogs and online journals have rocketed to popularity in the last few years, and many bloggers use RSS as a means to distribute and syndicate their blog posts. Subscribers receive information each time the blog is updated. However this is NOT the only use for RSS. RSS can deliver any kind of content, including forum posts, discount coupons, newsletters or press releases. Blogs are just one type of information syndicated by RSS feeds.
Blogs may be syndicated using RSS, but do not assume that content found in an RSS feed is from a blog.
RSS Does Not Equal Blogs
Getting a Handle on RSS Namespaces and Extensions. RSS is extendable, which allows users to extend the functionality of the basic specification, essentially allowing users to increase the kinds of information contained in the feed. Many users do not really understand how RSS can be extended, this RSS Namespace Primer goes a long way in explaining the basics of RSS extensions.
RSS Namespaces and Extensions
Audio Recording Software for Podcasters. For those interested in turning their RSS feeds into podcasts might have an interest in RecordForAll. RecordForAll is very easy to use desktop audio recording and editing software. An evaluation version is available for download from the website.
Blogs Make Spreading Untruths Easier. With blogs and RSS "stories seemingly trivial or even untrue will appear instantly and reverberate through the media."
Interesting take and valid point concerning Blogs and RSS feeds, what credibility do bloggers have?
read complete article: Blogs make spreading untruths easier
NewsGator and SalesForce Provide Remote Access. Users of the Salesforce.com customer resource management platform will soon get a new feature that lets them access their customer data on the road.
RSS company NewsGator has announced that it will be providing users of the Salesforce.com customer management system with the ability to aggregate their CRM data via RSS. The RSS aggregation is provided through NewsGator’s Enterprise RSS Solutions.
NewsGator and SalesForce
RSS Glossary. The RSS Glossary covers the commonly used RSS terms and will help those less technical catch up and understand what all the chatter is about.
A Quiz: Test Your Podcast Knowledge. How much do you know about podcasting? Take the podcast quiz and test your knowledge.
Question: Are there any size limitations to podcasts?
Answer: There are no maximums or minimums when it comes to podcast size. Obviously, the larger files might intimidate listeners with a slow connection. Podcasts can be successful at any size, generally wise podcasters balance the file size and the quality of their show.
Podcasting Quiz
iPod Tutorial. Learn how to use all the features and functions of your Apple iPod! Use this pdf download iPod Tutorial.
UK Passes Laws About Anonymity in Blog Comments or on Websites. Hotels, restaurants and online shops that post glowing reviews about themselves under false identities could face criminal prosecution under new rules that come into force next year.
Businesses which write fake blog entries or create whole wesbites purporting to be from customers will fall foul of a European directive banning them from “falsely representing oneself as a consumer”.
UK Passes Laws About Anonymity in Blog Comments or on Websites
Yahoo Pipes RSS Mashup Reviews. Well Yahoo Pipes has been the talk of the town the last few days. We thought we would compile what the industry is saying in a short list. I have reservations about feed manipulation and what Yahoo Pipes will mean to content publishers.
Jeremy Zawodny Unlocking the Data Web
Matt Cutts Reviews Yahoo Pipes
OReilly - Yahoo! Pipes: The Modules For Building Pipes
Nick Bradbury - Yahoo! Pipes is a Platform Play
Computer World - Yahoo tests RSS mashup creator for the masses
ZDNet - Yahoo Pipes Belle of the Ball
MarketingStudies - Rok Hrastnik Examples of Yahoo! Pipes in Action to Wet Your Appetite
Anil Dash Yahoo Pipes
Niall Kennedy - Yahoo Pipes Remixes the Syndicated Web
Read Write Web - Yahoo and Pipes as a Web Database
Yahoo Pipes a Users Guide
SEOBook Yahoo Pipes are Cool
Tech Crunch - Yahoo Launches Pipes
I have to question some of the excitement, merging and meshing RSS feeds is not something new....
Pheedo Launches New Ad Services. Pheedo, an RSS ad network, has announced the launch of its FeedPowered ad platform, which enables marketers to use text and video RSS content within ad widgets.
Within the ads, users can choose to subscribe to the feed on display, email an item to a friend, or bookmark it via various social media sites, in order to create 'create viral and word-of-mouth opportunities'.
RSS Chicklet Creator. Here is another RSS Chicklet creator they also have a Social Bookmark Creator .
Custom eBay Searches via RSS. The RSS Auction website allows users to create custom ebay search feeds and identify specific parameters to narrow searches. The results will then be output to an RSS feed that can be included in an RSS reader or displayed on a website.
Unusual RSS Use. Use RSS to monitor the trains schedules. The F Train in NYC has an RSS feed, riders can also comment on service issues.
The F Train
RSS Tools. Learn how to use the power of RSS as part of your marketing. RSS is becoming increasing popular. The reason is fairly simple. RSS is a free and easy way to promote a site and its content without the need to advertise or create complicated content sharing partnerships.
Find RSS Tools
Podcast Recording Tips. Location, Location, Location
When you are producing a podcast on a regular basis it is important that you select an appropriate location for the recording to take place. The location should be free of external distractions and relatively quiet. It is easiest if you use the same location each time, that way the equipment can remain in place and will not require moving or setup each time you produce a show.
The room should have a carpet or furniture that will absorb echoes and dampen the sound. The room should also have a door, so that you will not have unexpected interruptions. Reduce extraneous noise by turning off fans or any equipment. Consider hanging a note on the door, so that you will not be disturbed while recording.
Recording Away from Home
When taking your podcast on the road it is equally important that the quality of the podcast is not compromised for the sake of portability. Consider using a directional microphone or finding a quiet alcove for interviews when on the road.
Podcast Recording Tips
Blogging Glossary. Terms to assist bloggers with their lingo:
Blog - A contraction for web log. Personal blogs are typically thought of as an online journal or diary. Businesses have adopted blogs as a means to communicate with their customers.
Blog Comment - Often website visitors can add comments related to a blog post. The comments are visible to others reading the website.
Blogger - The person responsible for writing the copy found in the blog.
Blog Post - A single entry in a blog.
Comment Spam - Often blog comments include URLs, as a result spammers will often post blog comments in an effort to boost the incoming links to their websites. Comment spam often make no sense and the comments are simply a product plug.
Feed - A synonym for RSS feeds. A feed contains information that is delivered using a syndication standard, known as Really Simple Syndication. RSS is a subset of XML, and the information is delivered using a specific format that is defined by the RSS protocol.
Permalink - References a permanent link to the content. The URL does not change when the information is archived.
Ping - A procedure for letting websites know that information in your blog or RSS feed has been updated.
Podcast - An RSS feed that includes an audio (or video) file in the enclosure field.
Podcaster - An individual that records and creates a podcast.
Podcasting - The act of creating a podcast.
RSS Feeds - A feed contains information that is delivered using a syndication standard, known as Really Simple Syndication. RSS is a subset of XML, and the information is delivered using a specific format that is defined by the RSS protocol.
Trackback - A procedure for notifying the original blog poster that you have referred to their blog post in another blog.
Podcasting Do's and Don'ts. Consider following these simple podcasting tips to get the most from your podcast and make it stand out from other podcasts in the crowd.
Podcasting Do's and Don'ts
RSS Scripts Updated. Get the latest RSS Scripts, new versions are available:
RSS2HTML - free PHP script for dipslaying RSS feeds as HTML web pages.
RSS Cache - module to speed up the display of RSS feed items.
RSS2HTML Pro - expands the functionality of RSS2HTML by allowing publishers and webmasters to dynamically create an index of feed items.
RSSMesh - merge multiple RSS feeds into a single feed.
FutureRSS - dipslays only current RSS feed items.
SQL2RSS - create RSS feeds from an MySQL database.
RSS2SQL - create a database from RSS feeds.
Syndicating the Presidency. This site has taken an interesting approach aggregating all the presidential candidate feeds side by side for a comparison.
How is each presidential candidate using blogs? Take a side-by-side peek at what the 2008 presidential campaigns are talking about. Missing candidates aren't a political statement; these are the only candidates that offer content syndication.
Politickr
Please Your RSS Subscribers. Starting an RSS feed or is not difficult to attract readers, it is however difficult to retain readers. By following a few simple unwritten rules you will find your subscriber base swell.
Please Your RSS Subscribers
FeedYes on the Market. The FeedYes website is being auctioned off. The current confirmed high bid is $ 24,000. Details on the FeedYes website are available on the auction page.
Profiting From Podcasts. Podcasts started out as fun ways for ambitious garage DJs, independent musicians and talk show hosts, who had not ventured into radio broadcasting as a way to show their stuff and make a name for themselves. What started as a hobby for many, has turned into a lucrative profession for some.
Not surprisingly, podcasters, just like radio stations, have looked for ways to profit from their on-air dialogue.
Profiting from Podcasts
CNET Debates Who Fathered Blogs. Blogs are 10 years old, and CNET decided to dig into the origin of the blog. Interesting exchange:
Was the first blogger the irascible Dave Winer? The iconoclastic Jorn Barger? Or was the first blogger really Justin Hall, a Web diarist and online gaming expert whom The New York Times Magazine once called the "founding father of personal blogging"? Or did all three merely make incremental improvements on earlier proto-blogs?
CNet article on Origin of Blogs
Attempting to Categorize 1 Million Feeds. This website claims to be attempting to categorize 1 million feeds. The categories are a little obscure but I like the web snapshots and the search appears to work well.
RSS Component Available Free of Charge. An RSS VCL Control and ActiveX components makes it simple for software developers to communicate with users from within your software application! Integrate the RSS components into your application, to communicate with users. Use standard RSS feeds and provide users. All you have to do is add the component to your existing project. Set the URL to your RSS feed, and let it do the rest. You can then ask the control for types of information from your RSS feed. Send sales messages, tech support tips and notify users of new releases and product launches. The RSS Component is now available free of charge. Simply contact the manufacturers and you will receive an unlock code free of charge.
RSS Auto Discovery. Nick Bradbury does a good job summarizing RSS auto discovery practices and mentions that auto-discovery is now commonplace. For webmasters struggling consider using this free autodiscovery code generator. It basically does the work for you!
Blogging Code of Conduct. Some in the Blogosphere are calling for a blogging code of conduct.
Others as in this piece feel that blogging is more difficult for women:
"... I do think it's harder in some ways for women to blog. For women with families, it's constantly in the back of your mind that you're putting not just yourself but to some extent your family in the public eye," she said.
It has long been accepted that online behaviour differs from the behaviour people would exhibit in the real world due, largely to the anonymity it allows.
Sam Sethi agrees that blogging can bring out the worst in people. These young geek guys they feel that that they can say what they want and do it with anonymity. It can bring out the worst character behaviour because they feel that they are hidden.
About a year ago I had a conversation with Robert Scoble and suggested something similar. As a celebrity blogger, Scoble said at the time he did not feel self-conscious about publicizing appearances at conferences. I wonder if his view has changed.
The protection offered by online anonymity is a growing problem. But even if the there is a blogging code of conduct, who or how could or would it be enforced? Perhaps a blogging code of conduct is simply a fancy way of saying blogging etiquette? Either way those who choose to abuse it, are unlikely to pay attention.
The Dangers of Blogging
Anonymity of the Internet
Converting RSS to HTML Web Pages. Robin Good has put together a great piece that discusses the various options available to individuals interested in converting RSS feeds to HTML web pages. He did not however mention the very popular rss2html.php script that is freely available.
Related resources: Displaying RSS Feeds
There are Reports that Digg Pipes Are Clogged. In the Yahoo newsgroups there are reports that Digg might be blocking Yahoo Pipes from using their content in a pipes mash. Another possibility is that the Digg feeds are corrupt, this is something that we have encountered on occasion.
Large List of Ping Services. There is a large list of ping services for RSS at dailyblogtips.
RSS Tools. Check out the latest RSS Tools.
More RSS Resources:
Make RSS Feeds
RSS Syndication
RSS Software
Marketing Studies
Cool Use of RSS. Receive notification in an RSS feed as new web logos become available in this web logo directory. The RSS feeds are categorized so you can receive notification in a specific category or you can subscribe to a feed of ALL new logos.
Check out Logo Feeds
Drafted Blogging Code. OReilly posted a draft of a blogging code of conduct. All of it appears common sense, that said those who are current offenders are not likely going to adopt it and there is not practical way to enforce such a code.
We celebrate the blogosphere because it embraces frank and open conversation. But frankness does not have to mean lack of civility. We present this Blogger Code of Conduct in hopes that it helps create a culture that encourages both personal expression and constructive conversation.
1. We take responsibility for our own words and for the comments we allow on our blog.
We are committed to the "Civility Enforced" standard: we will not post unacceptable content, and we'll delete comments that contain it.
We define unacceptable content as anything included or linked to that:
- is being used to abuse, harass, stalk, or threaten others
- is libelous, knowingly false, ad-hominem, or misrepresents another person,
- infringes upon a copyright or trademark
- violates an obligation of confidentiality
- violates the privacy of others
full code of conduct
Make RSS Feeds. Step by step details of how to Make RSS Feeds.
Call for Decency Online Has Been Minimized to Censorship. Outrage abounds in the "blogosphere" as a pair of Internet luminaries are lobbying for rules of behavior in the lawless world of online commentary.
Internet publisher Tim O'Reilly, credited with coining the phrase "Web 2.0," and Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales triggered torrents of vitriol by proposing a "Blogging Code of Conduct" to impose civility on the Internet.
Civility or Censorship
Law.com Search Results. Law.com has launched a new search engine for locating legal information. The Quest search engine is said to bring law professionals more relevant information on legal topics. It is really too bad that the search results are not available via an RSS feed. :-(
Bloggers Choice Awards. Nominations appear to be open for the Bloggers Choice Awards. You must login in, to nominate blogs in more than 30 categories. Winners will be announced June 2nd.
RSS is Really Simple Savings. This article in the Hartford Courant does a great job detailing how users can save money with RSS from the Dollar Stretcher to Consumer Reports. RSS can help save money.
FeedBurner Making Strategic Moves. According to the FeedBurner Blog:
FeedBurner will be working with AOL to manage hundreds of the company's RSS, podcast and video feeds consisting of news, sports and entertainment content. Additionally, all Time Warner properties including HBO, New Line Cinema, Time Inc. and Warner Bros. Entertainment can take advantage of FeedBurner's services.
Add PodSafe Music to Podcasts. Adding music and sound effects to a podcast does not need to be difficult. There are a number of podsafe music directories that allow for podcasters to locate theme music or sound effects to enhance their podcast. This new industry understands the complexity of licensing professional music and the majority of these repositiories provide royalty free music clips for podcasters to use in their shows. Music and show sound effects give show a professional edge and really make it difficult for listeners to discern the difference between a hobby and a studio broadcast.
How and Where to Locate Podsafe Music
Full vs Partial RSS Feeds. FeedBurner has made an interesting comment about partial feeds on the official FeedBurner blog. According to Rick there appears to be no significant difference in clickthrough rates between full and partial RSS feeds. This is particularly interesting because one of the major arguments for using a partial feed was the assumption that it would drive more readers to your site.
complete article
Justia - Legal Feeds. Justia, a legal information company, has created a number of great free legal resources over the years, this latest one, Justia Regulation Tracker, parses the daily Federal Register put out by the various agencies, comissions, and departments of the Government, and makes the information searchable, and puts the information out via RSS.
More on RSS Security. RSS is growing at a lightening speed. What was once only known as a "techie tool", RSS is becoming a tool that is continuously being used by the general population. Along with the good comes, the not so good. And while some have mentioned the emergence of RSS spam, where content publishers dynamically generate nonsensical feeds stuffed with keywords, the real concern relates to security. While an annoyance to the search engines, spam in RSS feeds pales in comparison to the possible security concerns that could be in RSS' future.
Security Implications Related to RSS.
As RSS gains momentum security fears loom large. As publishers are quickly finding innovative uses for RSS feeds, hackers are taking notice. The power and extendibility of RSS in its simplest form is also its achilles heel.
RSS Security Concerns
Cyber Debates. The 2008 presidential contenders may soon be slugging it out in cyberspace, with pioneering online-only debates being planned for early next fall, a new media partnership says.
The political blog Huffington Post, online portal Yahoo and Slate Magazine will host the debates — one for Democratic candidates, one for Republicans — sometime after Labor Day, with PBS host Charlie Rose serving as moderator, the sponsors planned to announce Monday.
complete story
ASP Script for RSS2HTML Updated. ByteScout has updated their ASP script that converts RSS feeds to HTML web pages, it now includes support for blogger. (Here is a similar script in PHP)
PHP Script for RSS Filtering. RSSFilter is a PHP script that filters the contents of an RSS feed. The filters can be defined by the publisher so that the resulting RSS feed contains only the information they want. RSSFilter uses rules to filter the items that are included from a feed in the resulting feed.
New Digg Feed Tool. DiggReSS is an alternative RSS 2.0 feed for Digg.
Each feed item:
links directly to the article
displays the domain of the article as the author
displays the current number of Diggs
displays the current number of comments (and links to the Digg page)
provides links to DuggMirror, DotCache, Coral Cache, and Google Cache
optionally embeds videos from Youtube, Google Video, and Metacafe directly in the feed
can be filtered out based on the number of Diggs, by setting minimum and/or maximum limits
News Sites Have Poor RSS Implementation. A new study from the International Center for Media and Public Agenda, looking at 19 top news sites, released today concludes that RSS feeds work very poorly for anyone who uses news for more than infotainment.
Cited as among the best users of RSS: The Los Angeles Times, ABC News, Christian Science Monitor, BBC World Service and Fox News.
Among the worst: Al Jazeera, The Guardian and The New York Times.
complete article
US Laws for Bloggers. This is a GREAT recap of laws for bloggers, additionally the power gives a nonsense tips to stay out of trouble.
While the Internet still retains some of the wild wild west feel, increasingly Internet activity, and particular blogging, is being shaped and governed by state and federal laws. For US bloggers in particular, blogging has become a veritable land mine of potential legal issues, and the situation isn’t helped by the fact that the law in this area is constantly in flux. In this article we highlight twelve of the most important US laws when it comes to blogging and provide some simple and straightforward tips for safely navigating them.
RSS Helps Communication Barrier Between Parent and Child. It is an age old dialogue: A parent asks a child what he did in school and hears...nothing.
Staff members at Col. Mitchell Paige Middle School are making it easier for parents to discover what goes on there day to day
.
In moves considered to be progressive by county and state officials, the school's technology department staffers have added RSS feeds and podcasts to the school Web site. Now, parents can subscribe to RSS feeds that deliver updates from the school's Web pages to their computers, and they can listen to class lessons via podcasts, or Web broadcasts.
complete article
Actionable Tips on How to Create a Podcast Interview. Conducting a successful podcast interview can be a tricky proposition for a podcaster starting out. Once you have determined individuals that will appeal to your target audience contact potential interviewees and arrange a time to conduct the interview. Following this guide will insure that the interview goes off without a hitch.
How to Conduct Podcast Interview
More on Ego RSS Search Feeds. Setup ego search feeds and receive notification any time a specific brand, product name, company name, or word is mentioned in major search engines or blog engines.
Feed Displaying Service. RSS2HTML.com is a free service that uses different layouts and templates to display the contents of RSS feeds as HTML web pages.
MonitorThis! - OPML of Ego Feeds. Ego searches have increased in popularity and more and more businesses are using them to monitor publicity. MonitorThis allows you to setup ego search feeds with 22 different engines at the same time. It creates an OPML file for each of the engines.
Another option is to merge all the feeds using a tool like RSSmesh so you have all the ego feeds in a single feed. You can even filter out duplicates.
BlueSky Bought RSSFwd. Blue Sky Factory, an email marketing service providers, announced that it has acquired RSSFWD, a provider of RSS to email technology solutions. The RSSFWD service converts RSS content into HTML email format, and deploys updated content directly to the inbox of subscribers. Currently utilized by more than 30,000 active and unique users, the service polls more than 32,000 unique RSS feeds, deploying 4 million emails per month worldwide. Blue Sky Factory will operate RSSFWD as an autonomous service as a complement to their current offerings.
URLFan RSS Ranking Website. URLFan takes on Alexa using a different algo to rank websites. According to their website URLFan is an evolving experiment designed to discover what websites the blogosphere is discussing all in real time. It does this by cultivating the content of thousands of RSS feeds and parsing billions of pieces of information.
Great RSS Usage. This stock photo website uses RSS to notify subscribers when new photos are added to the website. Subscribers can choose feeds based on categories or subscribe to see all the newest photos.
Stock Photo Feeds
Firefox and RSS. This is a complete guide to Firefox and RSS.
Although many seasoned RSS users have a standalone RSS reader of choice, many people use Firefox to read their RSS feeds. Besides the standard Live Bookmark feature, there are several more advanced RSS addons for Firefox out there, some of them being developed for years now. Time to round them up and see what they have to offer.
Why Did Google Purchase FeedBurner?. Feedburner currently manages 721,000 feeds from 423,000 publishers, including many major mainstream news publications, including USA Today, Dow Jones and Reuters.
Worth 100 million dollars? Google thinks so.
Whats Up Feed Monitoring. Whats Up is a graduation project, but they might have some trademark issues with the popular network monitoring software by the same name - WhatsUp
Whats Up? is an application that tracks a large number of RSS news feeds. The sources of these feeds are displayed on this world map. Whenever any of the news feeds releases a new article, its title immediately pops up. Instead of listing previously released news, this application shows news as it is released, so you can see what is up right at this moment in the world.
FeedBurner Interview on Search Engine Watch. Discussions about full and partial feeds emerge in an interview with Rick Klau from FeedBurner.
Education and RSS. Academia has embraced RSS as a means to educate, but scrutinizing how educational institutions are using RSS feeds in their daily routines show RSS is utilized can vary across different industries.
1. Share Resources
Academics are using social bookmarking websites to share quality websites that relate to their area of expertise with colleagues and students.
2. Class Blogs
From elementary schools to university blogs, online journals have flourished. Instructors have used blogging as a teaching tool. Helping students learn writing and reporting skills while understanding how to use technology. Many educational bloggers use RSS as a means to syndicate blog posts.
3. School Schedule Sports Schedule
RSS feeds can be used to communicate events scheduled on or off campus to prospective and existing students. Subscribes of a schools calendar feed receive notification as new items are added to the calendar.
RSS and Education
The Best Software of 2007 - Nominations are In. The nominations for the 2007 Shareware Industry Awards have been announced! Take a look at the best of the best!
Best Overall Utility
FolderMatch by Salty Brine Software
TuneUp Utilities 2007 by TuneUp Software GmbH
WinRar by win.rar GmbH
WinZip by WinZip International LLC.
Best Application
ClipMate by Thornsoft Development
CSE HTML Validator by AI Internet Solutions
Open Office by Sun Microsystems
Best Graphics Program or Utility
Easy Imager by Fookes Software
IrfanView by Irfan Skiljan
PaintShop Pro by Corel Corporation
Best Desktop Enhancement
Microangelo Toolset by Eclipsit Corporation
MBSS Fireworks by Patrick D. Grengs II
Window Blinds by Stardock Corporation
Best Photo Program or Utility
ACDSee Pro Photo Manager by ACD Systems
ALSee by ESTsoft
Life Poster Maker by Lincoln Beach Software
Best Sound Program or Utility
ALSong by ESTsoft
D'Accord iChords by D'Accord Music Software
RecordForAll by NotePage, Inc.
Winamp Pro by NullSoft
Best Vertical Market Program or Utility
Guitar and Drum Trainer by Renegade Minds
Help & Manual by EC Software GmbH
Vmware Workstation by VMware Inc.
Best Business Application or Utility
Microsoft Office 2007 by Microsoft Corporation
PayWindow 2007 by ZPAY Payroll Systems
Time & Chaos by Chaos Software
Best Educational Program or Game
AceReader Pro by StepWare Inc.
WinFlash Educator by Open Window Software
WISCO Word Power by Wisco Computing
Best Hobby or Personal Interest
Auction Sentry Deluxe by Auction-Sentry.com
Google Earth by Google Inc.
MyLife Organized by My Life Organized
Best Internet Enhancement
Cute FTP Professional by GlobalSCAPE
FlashGot by InformAction
FTP Voyager by Rhino Software, Inc.
WS_FTP Professional by Ipswitch, Inc.
Best Internet Communication
Miranda by Miranda IM
Pidgin by Softare Freedom Law Center
Skype by Skype Limited
Trillian by Cerulean Studios
Best Web Enhancement
Mozilla Firefox by Mozilla Foundation
Mozilla Thunderbird by Mozilla Foundation
RoboForm by Siber Systems
SPAMFighter by SPAMFighter
Best Non-Action Game
Ant War 1 by Anarchy Enterprises
Pocket War by MetalShard, Inc.
Pretty Good MahJongg by Goodsol Development, Inc.
Best New Game
Addictive Football by Addictive 247 Games
Golf King by NHN USA
Titan Attacks by Demand Entertainment
Best Program for PDA's
Journal Bar by Omega One
Resco Explorer by Resco, sro.
Spb Mobile Shell by Spb Software House
New RSS Directory. RSSBuffet is a new RSS directory for locating RSS feeds.
Custom Google RSS Search. RSS Locator is a custom RSS search engine that uses Google to search RSS diretories.
Auto Discovery Code Generator. Many webmasters struggle with the auto-discovery code that should be added to the header of an HTML web page to automatically indicate to web browsers that an RSS feed for the contents is available. There has been debate, and of course controversy on how the code should be formed, making it ever more confusing for webmasters.
The solution, use a free online tool that will auto generate the code that can then be inserted into your website.
25 Up and Coming Web Sites. Think that all of the great Web sites have already been invented? Think again. The Internet is evolving in new and inventive ways thanks to mashups that pull data from all over the Web. Check out these 25 up and coming Web 2.0 technologies.
Consumer Reports Has RSS Feeds. The popular consumer reports website has adopted RSS feeds.
Receiving the latest news, product Ratings and reviews, buying advice, and much more from Consumer Reports has never been easier. These free feeds include headlines, summaries and links back to ConsumerReports.org for full articles. With our RSS feeds, you can get the expert, independent consumer product and protection information you've come to expect from Consumer Reports - when you want it and how you want it.
The Business Case for RSS on Government Websites. Millenial Living recently posted an analysis about the business case of RSS on government websites. They even include a downloadable document for government agencies looking to justify the need for RSS. The author an employee of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, was required to develop a business case on RSS before he could implement it on the FERC Internet website.
It is clear that RSS is growing in popularity on all types of government websites.
Feed Growth. New website to entice RSS feed subscribers. Feed Growth.
Feedster Overhaul. Feedster got a new look. Lots of formating changes as well!
RSS Feeds for Stock Photos. Great use for RSS Feeds!
This website provides RSS Feeds for stock photos. As new photos are added to the directory, the RSS feeds are updated. If you are looking for specific types of photos you can simply subscribe to the RSS feed.
CustomRSS. CustomRSS is a highly customizable Google Gadget for your personalized Google homepage. CustomRSS is a widget and it has lots of options for customization.
RSS Feed Bandwidth Savers. This article details a number of ways that will allow you to save bandwidth when using RSS feeds. They forgot one though:
#9 RSS Cache , the rss2html Cache module reduces bandwith and speeds up the process of displaying RSS feeds as html web pages.
Social Bookmarking Icons. Great robust collection of social bookmarking icons. Icons are the rage in Web 2.0 and it seems to have really gathered steam.
OPML 2.0. Dave Winer has posted a draft specification of OPML 2.0 .
Google Reader Security Hole. A DigitalPoint Forums member points to a vulnerability within Google Reader that enables blog owners to add code to their blog that will allow any visitor to automatically subscribe to the RSS feed.
TurnHere and Pheedo Partner. TurnHere, Inc., an online video solutions platform, and Pheedo, an RSS marketing company, today announced a strategic partnership focused on the mass distribution of authentic, highly engaging online video content via real-time, RSS feed-powered technology.
complete article
Best Software for 2007 Decided. The WINNERS for the 2007 Shareware Industry Awards have been announced! Take a look at the best software for 2007 in each category! Most have evaluation versions available for download.Web 2.0 did not make much of a showing in the results, though Google Map and a few others did receive recognition.
Best Overall Utility
FolderMatch by Salty Brine Software
TuneUp Utilities 2007 by TuneUp Software GmbH - WINNER
WinRar by win.rar GmbH
WinZip by WinZip International LLC.
Best Application
ClipMate by Thornsoft Development - WINNER
CSE HTML Validator by AI Internet Solutions
Open Office by Sun Microsystems
Best Graphics Program or Utility
Easy Imager by Fookes Software
IrfanView by Irfan Skiljan
PaintShop Pro by Corel Corporation - WINNER
Best Desktop Enhancement
Microangelo Toolset by Eclipsit Corporation - WINNER
MBSS Fireworks by Patrick D. Grengs II
Window Blinds by Stardock Corporation
Best Photo Program or Utility
ACDSee Pro Photo Manager by ACD Systems
ALSee by ESTsoft
Life Poster Maker by Lincoln Beach Software - WINNER
Best Sound Program or Utility
ALSong by ESTsoft
D'Accord iChords by D'Accord Music Software
RecordForAll by NotePage, Inc. - WINNER
Winamp Pro by NullSoft
Best Vertical Market Program or Utility
Guitar and Drum Trainer by Renegade Minds
Help & Manual by EC Software GmbH
Vmware Workstation by VMware Inc. - WINNER
Best Business Application or Utility
Microsoft Office 2007 by Microsoft Corporation - WINNER
PayWindow 2007 by ZPAY Payroll Systems
Time & Chaos by Chaos Software
Best Educational Program or Game
AceReader Pro by StepWare Inc.
WinFlash Educator by Open Window Software
WISCO Word Power by Wisco Computing - WINNER
Best Hobby or Personal Interest
Auction Sentry Deluxe by Auction-Sentry.com
Google Earth by Google Inc. - WINNER
MyLife Organized by My Life Organized
Best Internet Enhancement
Cute FTP Professional by GlobalSCAPE
FlashGot by InformAction
FTP Voyager by Rhino Software, Inc. - WINNER
WS_FTP Professional by Ipswitch, Inc.
Best Internet Communication
Miranda by Miranda IM
Pidgin by Softare Freedom Law Center
Skype by Skype Limited - WINNER
Trillian by Cerulean Studios
Best Web Enhancement
Mozilla Firefox by Mozilla Foundation - WINNER
Mozilla Thunderbird by Mozilla Foundation
RoboForm by Siber Systems
SPAMFighter by SPAMFighter
Best Non-Action Game
Ant War 1 by Anarchy Enterprises
Pocket War by MetalShard, Inc.
Pretty Good MahJongg by Goodsol Development, Inc. - WINNER
Best New Game
Addictive Football by Addictive 247 Games - WINNER
Golf King by NHN USA
Titan Attacks by Demand Entertainment
Best Program for PDA's
Journal Bar by Omega One
Resco Explorer by Resco, sro.
Spb Mobile Shell by Spb Software House - WINNER
NewsGator Released iPhone RSS Reader. NewsGator Technologies, Inc., announced the availability of NewsGator Mobile for iPhone, a free reader that complements the design and interface of the iPhone. NewsGator Mobile for iPhone is free for existing NewsGator NewsGator Online accounts.
Banks and Financial Institutions are Using RSS Feeds. Financial institutions are reaching out to clients using RSS feeds. While banks and financial institutions are usually slow to adopt new technology, that is not the case with RSS adoption. More and more professionals are using RSS in innovative ways, to stay ahead of their competition.
1. Bank Rate Changes
Bankers are using RSS to communicate bank rate changes. Feeds are updated regularly to reflect changes to adjustable rate mortgages or the interest rate for CDs.
example:
Federal Reserve http://www.federalreserve.gov/feeds
2. Stock Monitoring
Stock analysts monitor stock market changes using RSS feeds. As specific stocks and bonds rise and fall RSS feeds are updated. Many of the tools allow you to customize RSS feeds selecting the stocks or mutual funds that you wish to monitor.
example:
Smart Money - http://www.smartmoney.com/rss/
More Financial Uses of RSS Feeds
GreenPeace has RSS Feeds. GreenPeace has RSS feeds. The RSS feeds cover issues from global warming to genetic engineering.
National Geographic Feeds. National Geographic News headlines and story summaries are now available via RSS feeds.
RSS Higher Value than Blogs. RSS has the highest value among Web 2.0 technologies, according to a Forrester Research report released Friday.
The research firm surveyed 275 IT decision-makers online between April and June.
Twenty-three percent of those surveyed report substantial business value for RSS. One in three uses RSS for marketing purposes. Podcasting came in right behind RSS, with 21% reporting substantial business value.
By contrast, only 11% said blogging delivers substantial business value. Fourteen percent said their company does not measure Web 2.0 business value at all. Of those that do measure, the majority look at traditional metrics such as ROI and total cost of ownership.
Blog for Legislation. A blog launched this month has teamed with a U.S. senator in an effort to write new broadband legislation, and so far participants have given the process high marks.
OpenLeft.com, a blog focused on liberal issues, has been hosting a wide-ranging discussion on broadband policy since Tuesday. Senator Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat and assistant majority leader in the Senate, has joined the discussion, saying he'll use the ideas from OpenLeft to craft broadband legislation.
What is a Blogathon?. During the Blogathon, people update their websites every 30 minutes for 24 hours straight. For this, they collect sponsorships. Pledges can be a flat donation, or a certain amount for every hour the blogger manages to stay awake.
Common Errors that Kill Search Engine Ranking. Tricking the search engines just does not work. The search engines do not look kindly upon webmasters who attempt to deceive the search engines about the content contained on a webpage.
1. Cloaking
Cloaking a website is a stealth technique used to provide a copy of a web page to search engines while providing an alternate copy to website visitors. The website copy provided to the search engine is optimized and not always reflective of the real content contained on the webpage.
Common Errors that Kill Search Engine Ranking
RSS Feeds for Logos. Receive notification when new logos become available. Great use for RSS Feeds.
RSS Feeds for Logos
Government Bloggers. Every U.S. presidential candidate has a Web site, of course, but when the top Democratic hopefuls were asked on Saturday whether they would appoint a White House blogger if elected, all of them said yes.
You need not look far to find Government RSS Feeds.
RSS Field Explanation. This chart contains detailed information about the fields contained in an RSS feed. Feed creators can use this to assist with feed creation.
Beginner Guide to RSS. Small Office Australia posted a good Beginners Guide to RSS.
This information guide is intended as my way to introduce the whole concept of RSS to Australians who have heard of rss and would like to know more.
I suspect that as it is around the world, only a very small percentage of people understand and actually use RSS - and Australia is no different. In fact, anecdotal evidence shows that the use of RSS is well under 10%.
The reason behind The Beginner Guide to RSS is that mainstream Australia - even those frequently using the web - are not taking up rss usage in numbers that was hoped for. In other words, there is still a long way to go to educate people on the advantages of using rss to manage their online information. I hope this guide goes some way in helping this along.
Cyndicate. Cyndicate is a new email like RSS reader for the Mac O/S. Manually or automatically download podcasts and enclosures using Cyndicate.
Search Engine Optimization for Blogs. Use your blog to help your website attract traffic. Attention to search engine optimization details could mean the difference between popular and unpopular.
Search Engine Optimization for Blogs
Blogger Update Adds Video. Googles Blogger team this week solved a technical problem with the blog publishing and hosting service and introduced a new feature that gives publishers the ability to upload videos to their sites.
Chinese Blog Policy. Reporters Without Borders criticized the Chinese government for what the press advocacy group considers a move to end anonymous blogging in the communist country.
The government, through the Internet Society of China, recently drafted a pact that was signed by at least 20 major blog service providers in the country, including Yahoo and Microsoft.
The pact stops short [of] the previous project of making it obligatory for bloggers to register, but it can be used to force service providers to censor content and identify bloggers, the group said in a statement. The pact, unveiled Wednesday, signals an imminent new wave of censorship and repression, the group said.
Link Bait Tips for Blog Posts and RSS Feeds. Link Bait gets the readers attention here are some tips for demanding attention. Use titles and posts that:
- attack
- humorous
- contrarian (argumentative)
- notable news
- notable resource
- egotistical
Email vs RSS Feeds. The debate rages on comparing email and RSS feeds. Lets face it their are benefits associated with each and downsides as well. Email and RSS really are different communication mediums and they are designed for different purposes.
RSS Pros
1. Subscriber Control - you choose what you want to receive
2. Privacy - no need to release private information in order to subscribe (in most cases)
3. Scannable - easy to scan, saving time
4. No Filtering Issues - nothing is lost to spam filters
5. Reach - syndication expands a companies reach
RSS Cons
1. Tracking - RSS is very difficult to reliably track
2. Metrics - accurate reporting is near impossible
3. Adoption - RSS adoption is still limited, not everyone has an RSS reader
Email Pros
1. One on One - designed for personalization
2. Compatibility - everyone can send and receive email
Email Cons
1. Spam - emails are lost in spam filters
2. More Spam - noise to sound ratio overwhelming
Perhaps this over simplifies the comparison but it clearly shows that the two communication methods excel in different areas.
Provide Dynamic Content Using RSS Feeds. This article will you how to get fresh content updated on your site on a daily basis with very little work on your part using RSS feeds and PHP.
Tutorial for Providing Dynamic Content Using RSS Feeds
Is China Telecom Blocking FeedBurner?. It has been reported that people who are using China Telecom are unable to access FeedBurner feeds. FeedBurner, which was acquired by Google Inc in June of 2007, powers hundreds of thousands of blog, podcast and news feeds. According to statistics as of August 27, 2007, Feedburner is feeding 535,003 publishers who’ve burned 913,490 feeds.
Are Bloggers The Media?. According to a recent post the Federal Election Commission does not think so --
DailyKos, an influential political Web site that serves as a virtual bulletin board for liberals, qualifies as a media entity exempt from federal campaign finance regulations, the Federal Election Commission said Tuesday.
The FEC said the Web site, operated by blogger Markos Moulitsas Zuniga, cannot be regulated as a political committee and can freely post blog entries that support candidates.
Conservative blogger John C.A. Bambenek had argued in a complaint last month that the site should comply with campaign finance laws because such entries amounted to a gift of free advertising and candidate media services.'
The Visual Power of RSS. SearchEngineLand has posted a great visual diagram that depicts the power of RSS.
RSS feeds offer a unique channel for distributing content that can help expand your audience to people beyond those who visit your web site.
But RSS feeds can also be an important part of a search marketing campaign. Well optimized feeds can also gain prominent placement on search engine result pages, attracting even more traffic.
Common Errors that Kill Search Ranking. Tricking the search engines just does not work. The search engines do not look kindly upon webmasters who attempt to deceive the search engines about the content contained on a webpage.
Common Errors that Kill Search Engine Ranking
RSS A Cool Tool for Affiliates. OneNetworkDirect and Denise Purtzer layout why RSS is useful to affilates.
AccuWeather RSS Feeds. Accuweather is now offering RSS feeds. My only question is what took so long? There have been tools around for quite some time that can dynamically convertdatabases to RSS feeds. It seems Accuweather was just a little late to the party. Afterall Weather.com has had feeds for dare I say years? I know I should be applauding their efforts because there are of course other weather portals that do not provide RSS feeds, I just have a hard time understanding the difficulty. Weather is a natural for RSS.
Creative Commons License to Be Tested in Court. One of the strangest legal cases in recent months erupted last Friday, but it's one that could have serious ramifications to anyone who posts material online, or even those who find their face in pictures making their way to the web. Get this...
A Texas teenager making a peace symbol with her fingers (or a V) was photographed by her youth counselor, who posted in on the photo-sharing service Flickr. The counselor chose the creative commons license, as many people do, which says that photos can be used in other materials provided they are attributed to the photographer. So Virgin Mobile Australia (the cell phone company) did just that: It grabbed her picture, cropped it, and turned it into an ad campaign.
Complete Article
Bloggers Able to Get News Out. Savvy young bloggers in Myanmar are breaking through the military juntas tight Internet controls to post photos and videos of swelling anti-government protests, experts said Tuesday.
The government blocks almost every website that carries news or information about the Southeast Asian country, and even bars access to web-based email.
But an army of young techies in Yangon works around the clock to circumvent the censors, posting pictures and videos on blogs almost as soon as the protests happen.
Complete Article
Technology and Politics. On the internet, power is in the hands of real Americans: the housewife in her living room, the student in his dorm. Rather than creating the perfect ten second sound bite, candidates must let go and have a real conversation. Interactive. Up close and personal. Maybe as candidates are forced back to earth and voters gain a stake in the process, America will become the voice of the unschooled as well as the educated, the poor as well as the rich, men and women of all ages and every race. After all, isn’t that what democracy is supposed to be?
Technology and Politics
Social Bookmarking Quiz. Take this Social Bookmarking Quiz and determine how much you know about the collective voice!
China Blanket Blocking RSS. According to ARS
China appears to have finally gotten wise to RSS as of late—reports have been popping up from our readers and around the web of not being able to access FeedBurner RSS feeds as early as August of this year. More recent reports tell us that the PSB appears to have extended this block to all incoming URLs that begin with feeds, rss, and blog, thus rendering the RSS feeds from many sites—including ones that aren't blocked in China, such as Ars Technica—useless.
DipNote. U.S. diplomats are revealing their personal sides on the new State Department blog. Although the blog, launched Sept. 25, has its dull aspects it lives up to its promise of providing glimpses of diplomatic work and what it is like to serve overseas.
Syndication Lawsuit. The Associated Press filed a lawsuit against VeriSign Inc. over its Moreover news aggregation services in a case reminiscent of a dispute between news services and Google News.
The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on Thursday, seeks to stop Moreover, which is owned by VeriSign, from publishing the news content of the Associated Press.
Complete Article
Google Buys Microblogging Startup Jaiku. On Tuesday, Google made yet another move in mobile social networking. This time, the acquisition target was Finnish startup Jaiku, a company that develops a mobile phone application that lets people send messages, view Web feeds, and even blog.
complete article
Censorship Lawsuit. At first, Liu Xiaoyuan just fumed when his online journal postings disappeared with no explanation. Then he decided to do something few if any of Chinas censored bloggers had tried. He sued his service provider.
complete article
Realtors and RSS Feeds. RSS feeds are becoming an essential tool for Realtors, who are struggling in a declining market. Real estate offices that adopt technology as a marketing tool will remain one step ahead of their competition.
Realty and RSS Feeds
WordPress Problems. Successful software wrote about their problems with WordPress and why they hesitate to rely on a third party for their blog.
I was generally very happy with the service, which has been free so far apart from paying a few dollars for the redirect. But when I tried to log into this blog on Wednesday, all I saw were the chilling words account suspended. The blog itself was still up, but I couldn’t log in to change anything or export it. I emailed wordpress technical support and started backing up the text of all the articles I had not backed up already.
Then the images started disappearing from the blog.
Then the blog disappeared altogether, replaced by a message saying that it had been suspended for violations of terms of service.
Apparently wordpress can shutdown your blog at any time without warning, without right of appeal and without giving a reason.
RSS Buttons. We found some more vista style RSS Buttons that we thought our readers would enjoy.
Cool List of Blog Types and Definitions. As with any new technology, blogging has its own jargon. We are all familiar with business blogs and personal blogs. Here are definitions of other types of blogs.
Anonoblog - a blog run by an anonymous author(s). The blog may display some information about the author(s), but not reveal the authors true identity.
Audioblog - A blog that mainly publishes audio files (music or podcasting) sometimes with text and keywords for search engine optimization.
Blawg – Commonly called lawyer blogs. These are generally by lawyers, law students or law professors and focus on commentary about the law.
Blogging Definitions: Types of Blogs
The Influence of the Internet on Politics and Future Leaders. Can, and will, the next generation of politicians exploit the communication mediums available to them? Will the new communication mediums have the power to influence public opinion? Will politicians be the victims of technology, or will they use it to their benefit? Will one party benefit from the use of the technology more than another? All reasonable questions, considering the role technology plays in todays society.
The staggering distribution numbers, through channels like iTunes, YouTube, or podcasting websites, indicate that technology could play a critical role in the upcoming elections. Technology could be the deciding factor in the 2008 US Presidential race, and while distribution has never before been as accessible as it is to today's politicians and political candidates, politicians have far less control over the news and media than their counterparts in previous years.
Technology is Influencing the Future
RSSTalker Tracks Amazon Price Changes. RSStalker.com provides RSS feeds to track price changes of Amazon.com products. Generate a feed for a single product or for an entire wishlist. Add it to your favorite aggregator and you will be automatically notified when the price changes.
RSS Icon Sets. This article discusses RSS and gives a huge variation of RSS icon sets and buttons. The idea is that icon design will influence feed subscriptions and adoption.
Information Overload. As employees struggle to read an increasing amount of work-related material, some companies have turned to RSS technology to improve productivity.
With RSS servers and readers designed for workplaces, IT departments set up internal information feeds that employees can subscribe to, a delivery mechanism that, for some information, can be more precise and effective than e-mail.
complete article
RSSCalendar is Aquired. Lookout Software, LLC., a developer of Microsoft Outlook calendar sharing application for users without Exchange Server, OfficeCalendar; and a new AJAX time tracking solution for SMEs, Office Timesheets; announced today that it has acquired RSSCalendar, an online event and calendaring syndication solution.
35 Ways to Increase RSS Subscribers. Article that details 35 Ways to Increase RSS Subscribers the list details how to get more people to subscribe to your blog.
Another Collection of RSS Buttons. Here is another collection of RSS buttons, so much for standardization ;-)
RSS to Email Service. Here is another RSS to Email service,