Using Web Features to Soothe Information Overload

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Using Web Features to Soothe Information
Overload
Blogs, RSS, and News Aggregators
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Managing Information

• Learn the terminology
• Create a news aggregator account
• Search for and add feeds

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Blogs

• Short for weblogs
• Web pages that are updated frequently

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Blogs

• Often personal diaries, though increasingly used
  in higher education
• Libraries, government agencies, corporations,
  etc.

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Sample blog
Post date
Post summary
Linked URL
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Sample blog
More information about the blog
Posts History
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RSS

• Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary
• http//www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2005-08-01-rss-r
  esearch_x.htm
• http//www.jsonline.com

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News aggregators

• Single place to collect and read RSS feeds
• E-Mail without the spam

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News aggregators

• Web-based examples
• Bloglines
• My Yahoo!
• My MSN
• Computer-based examples
• AmphetaDesk
• FeedReader

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To summarize

• Blogs/feeds content
• RSS technology
• Aggregators reader

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To summarize

• Blogs/feeds content
• RSS technology
• Aggregators reader

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From RSS to aggregator
A typical RSS feed in XMLThe Aggregator
translates this
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From RSS to aggregator
Viewer-friendly display of the RSS feed
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RSS options

• Create custom news from multiple sources
• Track FedEx packages
• Receive updates on weather, traffic, jobs, and
  more

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Setting up your feeds

• http//www.bloglines.com
• Free
• Web-based
• Access it from any computer
• Full of features
• E-mail addresses for listservs
• Clip/Blog
• Notification

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Setting up your feeds
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Setting up your feeds
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Setting up your feeds
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Selecting your feeds
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Viewing your feeds
Subscription frame
Content frame
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Searching for more feeds
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Searching for more feeds