Example using my.yahoo.com: add pages, find and add RS

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Using RSS Feeds and Portals to Disseminate
Research Information2006 SRA Midwest Section
Meeting
Rick FrancisThe University of ToledoUniversity
Office of Research
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Why Should a Research Administrator Learn about
RSS Feeds?

• Growing of RSS Feeds for Research
• Display frequently-updated content -- without the
  regular maintenance!
• Flexible applications
• Your SRO web pages
• Portal Channels
• Researchers News/RSS Aggregators

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What Will Be Covered Today

• What is RSS?
• Examples for Research Administrators
• RSS Feeds in News Aggregators
• RSS Feeds on your SRO Web Pages
• RSS Feeds on Portal Channels
• Building Your Own RSS Feed (Requirements)

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What is RSS?RSS Really Simple Syndication

• Without going to several sites, you can have
  updated information from those sites pushed out
  to your web site or newsreader page. The updated
  information comes to you!

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Research-Related Examples

• American Cancer Society News
• http//www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/NWS_10_RSS.asp
• COS Funding News
• http//research.utoledo.edu/COSRSS.htm
• US Dept of Education
• http//www.ed.gov/rss/edgov.xml

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Typical Use of RSS FeedsNews Readers,
Aggregators

• Individuals Select a News Reader (e.g. NewsGator,
  MyYahoo or Enabled Browser
• Configure to taste
• Example using my.yahoo.com add pages, find and
  add RSS feeds
• Your assignment configure one!

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Tools for Locating More RSS Feeds

• Syndic8
• http//www.syndic8.com
• MyYahoo (Add Content)
• http//my.yahoo.com
• NewsIsFree
• http//www.newsisfree.com/sources/bycat/

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RSS Feeds on Your SRO Web

• The Ugly Code Behind the RSS URL
• XML Another TLA
• Do not be afraid! Easy tools to display on your
  web pages XML parsers!
• Use tools to generate the code to paste into your
  HTML pages

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RSS Feeds on Your Web Portal

• You can use the same code generated in the last
  step (if your campus portal does not parse XML)
• Your web portal may permit targeted content by
  discipline

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Using Your Data to Generate an RSS Feed

• XML file can be generated by a script on an
  Active Server Page (ASP)
• Coordination required to get (or establish)
  account info for connection string to access
  data, and web folder permissions to execute code
  and write XML file
• What Recent awards announcements, etc.