RSS Feeds

The other topic I have decided to look at is RSS feeds. I decided to investigate more information on RSS feeds as I am constantly seeing them about and am not really sure how they work and what is so important about them.

RSS stands for Rich Site Summary (it was originally called RDF Site Summary).

RSS Feeds are web feeds that frequently update works such as Blog, news headlines, audio and videos in an already standardized format. An RSS feed can be read by software called an “RSS reader “and can be desktop or mobile-device-based. Anyone who subscribes to a RSS feed will subscribe to timely updates.

One way to generally tell if there is a RSS feed on a website by a little orange square symbol, with a white symbol in that that looks like a radio frequency symbol as well.

This means that users can subscribed to a RSS feed and updates can be sent to a subscriber, so they do not have to have to actually come online to check for new updates. Most web browsers will have an RSS feed reader already automatically in them.

The Australian has a very well-written out step-by-step guide that tells a user how to subscribe to an RSS feed and how they work.

1* http://www.theaustralian.com.au/help/rss - The Australian 2012, “RSS Feeds, The Australian, accessed 26 September 2012.

Flickr

Flickr -

http://www.flickr.com/ 

 

Flickr is an online international photo management and sharing application. It’s a social networking site for photos/photographer.

People can upload photos manage them into online photos and can choose who you want to see the photos. The site also allows other to add tags, comments and notes. You can do this all from your own computers and you mobile devices. You can also connect to Flickr and the photos you post through RSS feeds, emails an posting to blogs. Are just a few ways you can use Flickr.

You can put details into the photos such as “tagging” both people and location as well as the dates.  Flickr allows you to “favourite” pictures so that you can find photos you enjoy or use more quickly. You can also “share” your photos on other social networking sites such as:

·         Facebook

·         Twitter

·         Blogging – Blogger,

If you chose to connect Flickr with your networking site on your site it will create a badge. So that you can just click a link and it will take you instantly to Flickr and the pictures. You can also create slideshows via Flickr.

A lot of Flickr users prefer to use and offer their work under the Creative Commons license. The Creative Commons license is an international non-profit organisation. These licenses allow the “Creator” to edit what is allowed to be used and what others can edit. There are six (6) core Creative Commons licenses that can be used, these are:

1.      Attribution

2.      Attribution-Share alike

3.      Attribution-No Derivative Works

4.      Attribution-Noncommercial

5.      Attribution-Noncommercial-Share alike

6.      Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative

You can learn more about these at the below sites.

http://creativecommons.org.au/learn-more/licences

23 Things

The “23 Things”

Something that we have been learning about are the “23 Things”.

The “23 Things” are:

1. Read a blog written about the program.
2. Discover a few pointers from lifelong learners.
3. Set up your own blog and create your first post.
4. Register your Blog and begin learning about 2.0
5. Explore and learn about Flickr.
6. Discover some Flickr mash-ups and 3rd party sites.
7. Post a blog about anything technology-related.
8. Learn about RSS feeds and set up your own Bloglines newsreaders account.
9. Locate library-related blogs/newsfeeds.
10. Play around with an online image generator.
11. Explore any site from the Web 2.0 awards list
12. Roll your own search tool with Rollyo.
13. Learn about tagging and discover Del.icio.us (a social bookmaking site)
14. Explore Technorati and learn how tags work with blog posts.
15. Read a few perspectives on Web 2.0, Library 2.0 and the future of Libraries and blog your thoughts.
16. Learn about Wiki's and discover and innovative ways that Libraries are using them.
17. Add an entry to the Learning 2.0 SandBox wiki.
18. Take a look at some online productivity (word processing, spreadsheet) tools.
19. Take a look at LibraryThings and catalogue some of your favourite books.
20. Discover YouTube and a few sites that allow users to upload and share videos.
21. Podcasts.
22. eBooks and audio eBooks.
23. Summarize your thoughts about this program.

The “23 Things “program can be conducted with a class or can be conducted online. It is a step-by–step program that introduces people to different Networking sites, how to use them and you also have to physically participate in using these Networking programs in aka 23 steps. Each week members involved in the program must use certain “things” and use them in that week. You have to be able to show that you did use them. Members find out about things such as: Blogs and the Blogger site, YouTube, Flickr, Wiki’s, Podcasts and RSS feeds. The “23 Things” program was designed to encourage staff to explore new technologies.

I find the “23 Things” to be of a benefit to myself as a student as I have discovered a few things on here that I was not even aware existed before I started to take a look at the “23 Things”. What I found could be beneficial to myself as student is that there are so many different ways that you cannot also find information.  You can also interact with other students to gain more information and may possibly even find networks that you can use for professional, studying and personal use. Another benefit to the “23 Things” is it also gives students an opportunity to learn about these different Networking sites and gives student an opportunity to use them as a way to present reports in a different format instead of just a written report. Students can use sites like Flickr or post pictures of a public display or pictures of costumes they may have made. Students may even used blogging sites to write up reports and projects.

There are so many different ways that these “23 Things “can benefit members of the public. The 23 steps have so many different Networking sites someone can visit and investigate that it would beneficial to the public because its gives so many ideas. It gives ideas on sites that can help keep you in touch with family and friends that may live thousands of miles away. It has sites that can help a member of the public set up their own business, such as Blogger and Flickr.

Members of the public can also use sites are blogging and the wiki’s for professional uses. They are great sites that people can post things such as what they are interested in and they can upload files like their Resume, where professionals can look at a potential employee. The “23 Things” also have advice on work subject’s things such as “Thing Number 2 – Lifelong Learner” where an online tutorial helps you to set up with a positive attitude to learn about new things and keep your new skills for life.