RSS Newsfeeds

Introduction.............................................................................................................................2 Task 1. Exploring RSS Feeds..................................................................................................3 Task 2. iGoogle.........................................................................................................................5

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Introduction
RSS Newsfeeds are internet services that provide a standard and simple way to publish recent updates to web sites and news from an or anisation! RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication! "ou can use Newsfeeds to keep in touch with the latest sub#ect related news or your or anisation can use a Newsfeed to keep your community, partners and customers upto-date! $his module provides an introduction to Newsfeeds and how they can be used! %t e&plores a ran e of e&amples of their use and looks at how they can be inte rated with other internet technolo ies!
Who is it for?

$his module is aimed at anyone involved with the development and maintenance of a website! $his is not a technical module but you should be familiar with the use of a web browser such as %nternet '&plorer!
Useful resources that help with this module include:

(r anisations usin News )eeds *RSS+, $he -ournal of $echnolo y $ransfer

http://api.ingentaconnect.com/content/klu/jott?format rss

.i her 'ducation 'mpirical Research /atabase

http://heerd.open.ac.uk/!iew/theme/theme"#cri"kti.html

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$ask %. &'ploring RSS (eeds

Ob ecti!es "et#od $o%%ents To learn what )$$ is and how it can be used# *ou will view )$$ in a browser, then subscribe to selected )$$ feeds# *ou will then compare this method to the use a web&based )$$ service# )$$ provides a standard way to summarise new items on a website in a form that can be accessed without having to visit that site# They are increasingly used on websites and also underpin technologies such as blogs, wi(is and podcasts# +o to the ,,C News site at% http://news.bbc.co.uk/ This site contains a huge amount of information that can be distracting# )$$ provides a summary of information from such sites, reducing the need to browse# Task 1.2 On the top right of the page, clic( on news feeds This will open page describing how to use )$$# ,riefly read through this page# -rom the right of the page, under the heading CHOOSE A FEED clic( a lin( to a feed of interest . e#g# Science/Nature# The contents of the feed will be displayed in your browser as shown below# Figure 1&1 ''$ ne(s

Task 1.1

Figure 1&2 RSS )eeds in Internet Explorer * Note that /'0 has a built&in )$$ reader that turns the )$$ code into a readable web page# Other browsers may display the )$$ code (To see this, select View > Source)# Task 1.3 The power of )$$ is in allowing users to view these items without visiting the site providing them# -rom the top of the page clic( the lin( Subscribe to this feed# /'0 will now trac( changes to this )$$ feed, allowing you to preview new items# Task 1.+ -rom the top of the page clic( on the new lin( View my feeds This will open the Favourites Center# This lists all the )$$ feeds to which you are subscribed# Task 1.5 Figure 1&+ RSS )a!orites center Figure 1&3 Subscribe to a )eed

1over your mouse over an item# This will display the number of new (unread) articles and the time the feed was last updated# This allows you to chec( for new content without visiting the site manually# 2-0

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Task 1.,

Now clic( on an item# This will bring up a preview of each item in the web page# Clic( the title of an item to open the full article# )eturn to the )$$ feed page by clic(ing bac(# Now notice the additional navigation features provided, such as sort order, filter by category and search#

Figure 1&5 IE* RSS na!igation

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$ask ). i*oogle

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Ob ecti!es "et#od

To e2plore the use of )$$ through i+oogle# *ou will use a +oogle account to create a customised page to which you will add content from other sites provided through )$$ newsfeeds# /n your web browser enter the address% http://www.google.co.uk/ -rom the top&right of the page clic( the lin( Si n in# /f you already have a +oogle account, enter your details and clic( Si n in# /f you need to create a +oogle account, clic( Create an account now# -ollow the on&screen instructions to create an account and log in to +oogle# Figure 2&, Google sign in

Task 2.1

Task 2.2

)eturn to the +oogle homepage at% http://www.google.co.uk/ -rom the top&right corner of the page, clic( i!oo "e# ,y default, this page displays the screen 3Create your own homepage in under 45 seconds6# $elect from the options for interests, theme and location# *our customised page will now be displayed# Figure 2&* -ersonalise .our #o%e page

Task 2.3

Task 2.+

To add more content, from the top&right of the page clic( The page shown in -igure 7 &8 should appear# *ou can browse or search for content, or select from the recommended items# Figure 2&/ 0dding content

Task 2.5

,rowse through the available 3gadgets6# "dd them to your page by clic(ing this button ne2t to your chosen gadget% Once you have finished adding content, clic(%

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Task 2.,

"s well as content recommended by +oogle, you can also add in any )$$ feed# To do this, from the top&right of the page again clic( Then select (from the left hand side of the page)

This bo2 will appear%

'nter the address of any )$$ feed# /n order to avoid any errors it is often better to use copy and paste for this rather than typing the address out manually# -or e2ample, to add the ,,C News $cience9Nature feed from Tas( :, go to the relevant page, then select and copy the U)!% http%99newsrss#bbc#co#u(9rss9newsonline;u(;edition9sci9tech9rss#2ml <aste the U)! into the "dd feed or gadget bo2 as shown below, then press "dd%

The added address will be confirmed in yellow as below%

)eturn to your homepage to see how the content of your new )$$ feed is displayed#

Task 2.*

Notice that the gadgets have some or all of these icons% They allow you to move the position of the gadget around the homepage, share and collaborate with friends, and ad=ust settings# To move the location of a gadget roll the mouse pointer over this icon% and drag# , clic( and hold

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Task 2./

'dit and9or delete a gadget9s to suit your preferences# -or e2ample, to remove the horoscopes first clic( the button# Then select 3>elete this gadget6# . see opposite%

<ress O? on the 3"re you sure@6 message# To change your location for weather information again clic( the button but select 3edit settings6# (/t may be that your home location is already correct having been ad=usted on the initial setup page)# /t is possible to choose more than one location# /f, for e2ample, you have a relative living abroad you can set the gadget to simultaneously display both your local weather and the weather in their location (see opposite)#

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