Dia 1

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RSS For Mortals Your trainer for today Henk van
Ess, The Netherlands
henk_at_vaness.nl http//www.searchbis
tro.com
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Who are you?
RSSWhat do you know already about RSS ( the
interweb?)
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT TODAY?
JOBWhat do you do for a living?
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Who Am I?

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Henk van Ess
DOING (2007) Investigative reporter Board member
Dutch Flemish association VVOJ Internet
consultant for media (NL, D, GB, B) Teacher at
Erasmus University (Rotterdam) UvA (Amsterdam),
KH (Mechelen) In company (NL, GB, D, B) trainer
internet research for reporters
DREAMING (gt2007)More international collaboration
in internet research
DONE (lt2007)3 books about internet 5 websites
(gt300.000 unique visitors)1 Child (2 years)
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What will you learn in 1.28 Hrs?

• Stay On Top And Save Time
• How to organize your life

feeds
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(No Transcript)
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• What Is RSS?
• What do I need?
• How do I read it?
• RSS versus agents
• Feeding the reader
• Working with RSS
• You need RSS, but it needs you too
• Finding more feeds
• Moving feeds
• Where No Man Has Gone Before

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What is RSS (1)?

• Rich Site Summary
• Really Simple Syndication
• RDF Site Summary
• RSS .9, .91, .92, 1.0, 2.0

• NERD ALERT!

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What is RSS (2)?

• Its Google Alerts on steroids, but without the
  mess.
• Stay on top of sites. Detect changes at once.
• Get alerts for new stories, new books, new
  products, videos, podcasts, blogs more. And
  find your new job.
• Its a special type of file, you cant read it at
  once.
• Its not spectacular. Its text based.

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What is RSS (3)

• Glue for Web 2.0 applications (XML)
• Fuel for all kind of new websites (SUMgtparts)
• A way of transporting parts of websites (with
  Yahoo Pipes or Dapper)

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What is RSS (3)
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What is RSS (4)
Also An Old Idea..
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Track News
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Track Compatriots
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Track your specialties
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Trace companies
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Trace single pages
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Trace new books, even when published in 2008
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Trace books, even from the future
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http//www.onfocus.com/bookwatch/AmazonRSS.asp
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Trace products
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Build Your Own Portal With RSS
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Hear Podcasts As One Of The First
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Stop Searching (Browser)
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Stop Searching (Google Reader)
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Stop Searching (Desktop)
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Stop searching yourself at all
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Stop searching with Google
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And find a new job!
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• What Is RSS?
• What do I need?
• How do I read it?
• RSS versus agents
• Feeding the reader
• Working with RSS
• You need RSS, but it needs you too
• Finding more feeds
• Moving feeds
• Where No Man Has Gone Before

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What do you need (1)?

• RSS reader
• Feeds to read

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What do you need (2)?

• ONCE
• A logical system to file feeds
• 3-4 hours (to fill up the RSS reader with your
  favorite feeds)
• NOW AND THEN
• The discipline to kill feeds.
• Serendipity (search new feeds)

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Concept of RSS

• System to repackage information. The user
  controls the deliverance how and when
• Package delivered in XML

• NERD ALERT!

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• What Is It?
• Where Do I Find It?
• Hoe lees ik het
• RSS en Google
• Oefenen met RSS

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Its Subtle (1)
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Its Subtle (2)

• Check
• Scroll and look
• Check Help or News
• Enter /RSS after www.nameofanysite.com

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Clicking on XML (1)
The Big Disappointment
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Clicking on XML (2)
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XML..!!!!!
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• What Is RSS?
• What do I need?
• How do I read it?
• RSS versus agents
• Feeding the reader
• Working with RSS
• You need RSS, but it needs you too
• Finding more feeds
• Moving feeds
• Where No Man Has Gone Before

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READING RSS
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Reading RSS

• Built into your browser (IE 7.0, Firefox)
• Desktop (software, we use Newzcrawler)
• Web services (Google Reader, Bloglines)
• Mobile phones
• Its even on Nintendos Wii

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Reading RSS

• Built into your browser (IE 7.0, Firefox)
• Desktop (software, we use Newzcrawler)
• Web services (Google Reader, Bloglines)
• Mobile phones
• Its even on Nintendos Wii

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Firefox
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Firefox
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Firefox
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Firefox
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Firefox 2.0
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Internet Explorer

• Click on a feed and decide if you subscribe

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Internet Explorer
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Internet Explorer
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I Have A Mac!
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Reading RSS In A Browser

• Plus
• Integrated
• Easy to learn
• Minus
• No search
• No archive
• No export

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Reading RSS

• Built into your browser (IE 7.0, Firefox)
• Desktop (software)
• Web services (Google Reader, Bloglines)
• Mobile phones
• Its even on Nintendos Wii

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Desktop based readers

• NewzCrawler
• Feeddemon
• NetNewsWire
• many others

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Reading RSS On Your Desktop

• Plus
• Some readers include excellent Search
• Make your own lay out / channel structure
• You can archive the feeds
• You can export feeds to colleagues
• Minus
• Its on your desktop only

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Reading RSS

• Built into your browser (IE 7.0, Firefox)
• Desktop (software)
• Web services (Google Reader, Bloglines)
• Mobile phones
• Its even on Nintendos Wii

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Bloglines.com
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Bloglines.com
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(No Transcript)
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Google Reader
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Reading RSS with a web service

• Plus
• You can read everywhere
• Stay On Top, even when you are not there
• Archives old feeds
• Minus
• Mostly not searchable with keywords
• Interface is busy

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Reading RSS

• Built into your browser (IE 7.0, Firefox)
• Desktop (software)
• Web services (Google Reader, Bloglines)
• Mobile phones
• Its even on Nintendos Wii

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Mobile Phones/PDAs
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Reading RSS with a mobile device

• Plus
• You can read everywhere, anywhere
• Great for long trips
• Instant access
• Minus
• Small screen
• Online updates are sometimes expensive

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Reading RSS

• Built into your browser (IE 7.0, Firefox)
• Desktop (software)
• Web services (Google Reader, Bloglines)
• Mobile phones
• Its even on Nintendos Wii

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My Wii with RSS
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My Wii with RSS
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RSS on a, ahum, game console??

• Plus
• It starts up faster then your pc
• It downloads news at night
• You can play games too
• Minus
• Its a game console!

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Using more then one reader?

• There is a way to synchronize items
• OPML (yes, another abbreviation) will do the
  trick.
• But hey, lets take it slow. OPML will be
  discussed later.

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• What Is RSS?
• What do I need?
• How do I read it?
• RSS versus agents
• Feeding the reader
• Working with RSS
• You need RSS, but it needs you too
• Finding more feeds
• Moving feeds
• Where No Man Has Gone Before

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RSS and Google Alerts/Copernic

• Should I stop using?
• Google Alerts
• Copernic Tracker
• Website Tracker

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Google Alerts
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Google Alerts
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Google Alerts
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Google Alerts versus RSS

• Plus
• Its email
• No extra software/services needed
• Minus
• Its email
• Data is not as structured as RSS

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Trackers
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Copernic Tracker
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Copernic Tracker
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Copernic Tracker
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Copernic Tracker
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Copernic Tracker
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What is new?
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Website Tracker
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The Links

• COPERNICwww.copernic.com
• WEBSITE WATCHERhttp//www.aignes.com

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Trackers versus RSS

• Plus
• Visual copy of deleted/added information
• All changes are kept in an archive
• You monitor WHAT is changed inside items, RSS
  monitors only THAT there is a new item (and what
  item)
• Minus
• Its not RSS. Trackers are great for some
  individual sites, not for hundreds of feeds

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• What Is RSS?
• What do I need?
• How do I read it?
• RSS versus agents
• Feeding the reader
• Working with RSS
• You need RSS, but it needs you too
• Finding more feeds
• Moving feeds
• Where No Man Has Gone Before

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Feeding The Reader with a Google News Search
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Finetuning the feed (1)
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Finetuning the feed (3)
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Click RSS in Google News
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Copy the odd link
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Open a RSS Reader
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Enter Newsfeed (Newzcrawler)
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Enter Newsfeed (Newzcrawler)
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Your First Feed!
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Or enter it in Google Reader
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Finding Compatriots

• With RSS and Google Translate

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Google Translate the basics
15-11-2009 1135 Henk van Ess
henk_at_vaness.nl
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15-11-2009 1135 Henk van Ess
henk_at_vaness.nl
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15-11-2009 1135 Henk van Ess
henk_at_vaness.nl
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Google Translates
15-11-2009 1135 Henk van Ess
henk_at_vaness.nl
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15-11-2009 1135 Henk van Ess
henk_at_vaness.nl
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Finding Compatriots creating a feed
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New items? You know it first.
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RSS from Google Search

• Plus
• You dont have to type ???????? ??? all the time
  (btw, Germany is misspelled in Arabic)
• Minus
• You monitor THAT there is a new item, you dont
  know yet WHAT it says. Use the Google Toolbar to
  get the translation. Like it? Hire a interpreter.

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15-11-2009 1135 Henk van Ess
henk_at_vaness.nl
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15-11-2009 1135 Henk van Ess
henk_at_vaness.nl
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15-11-2009 1135 Henk van Ess
henk_at_vaness.nl
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Heres how I track Dutch people in China

• I translated DUTCH and ARRESTED in Chinese with
  Google Translate
• I copied the phrase in Google News China
• I clicked RSS
• I copied the URL in my RSS reader

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Dutch Compatriots in China
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• What Is RSS?
• What do I need?
• How do I read it?
• RSS versus agents
• Feeding the reader
• Working with RSS
• You need RSS, but it needs you too
• Finding more feeds
• Moving feeds
• Where No Man Has Gone Before

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Working with RSS
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SEC and RSS, test 1
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Go to Secfilings.com
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register...
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Create Alert (it will be RSS later)
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Now Click Search At The Bottom
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Click SEARCH to SAVE things (odd!)
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SEC says Its Ok!
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What now?
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Click on RSS
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Copy the URL
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Paste in the reader
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Deja Vu
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Deja Vu
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Deja Vu
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Deja Vu
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Deja Vu
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A new feed!
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Breaking Forms
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Test 2

• Go to finance.yahoo.com
• Type PHG in (Philips)
• Find the RSS button!
• Copy and paste the link in the reader

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Yahoo Finance
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Click the right RSS button
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Copy the link
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Here we go again
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Here we go again
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Here we go again
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More Philips then you want..
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• What Is RSS?
• What do I need?
• How do I read it?
• RSS versus agents
• Feeding the reader
• Working with RSS
• You need RSS, but it needs you too
• Finding more feeds
• Moving feeds
• Where No Man Has Gone Before

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You need RSS, RSS needs you
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Often more then one purpose

• Breaking News from other media
• Sources for your story
• Background information, to stay up to date with
  your specialties

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Warning

• Fill your reader according your needs. Example
• FOLDER NEWS
• FOLDER BEATS
• FOLDER ARCHIVE

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FOLDER NEWS

• You have needs, so STRUCTURE your feeds!
• Only breaking news from other media, f.e. BBC or
  CNN
• Not more then 20 sources
• Update it every 15 minutes

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FOLDER BEATS

• You have needs, so STRUCTURE your feeds!
• Your story for today or this week
• Choose the feeds you need for the story
• Update it every 2 hours
• Delete the feeds when you are done with the story
  (and you dont need an archive)

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FOLDER ARCHIVE

• You have needs, so STRUCTURE your feeds!
• General feeds about your specialties
• Refresh daily or less
• Dont activate alerts or sounds
• Read it when you have the time.

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• What Is RSS?
• What do I need?
• How do I read it?
• RSS versus agents
• Feeding the reader
• Working with RSS
• You need RSS, but it need you too
• Finding more feeds
• Moving feeds
• Where No Man Has Gone Before

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Finding More Feeds

• RSS from search engines
• RSS from big sites
• RSS from directories
• RSS for blogs
• RSS for news
• RSS for audio and video

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Finding More Feeds

• RSS from search engines
• RSS from big sites
• RSS from directories
• RSS for blogs
• RSS for news
• RSS for audio and video

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RSS from search engines
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Finding More Feeds

• RSS from search engines
• RSS from big sites
• RSS from directories
• RSS for blogs
• RSS for news
• RSS for audio and video

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RSS from big sites
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Finding More Feeds

• RSS from search engines
• RSS from big sites
• RSS from directories
• RSS for blogs
• RSS for news
• RSS for audio and video

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From directories
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Finding More Feeds

• RSS from search engines
• RSS from big sites
• RSS from directories
• RSS for blogs
• RSS for news
• RSS for audio and video

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Besides Technorati
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Finding More Feeds

• RSS from search engines
• RSS from big sites
• RSS from directories
• RSS for blogs
• RSS for news
• RSS for audio and video

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Topix.net
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Finding More Feeds

• RSS from search engines
• RSS from big sites
• RSS from directories
• RSS for blogs
• RSS for news
• RSS for audio and video

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Exalead
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Podcasts

• Find podcasts at Apple iTunes Music Store, or
  http//www.podcastalley.com

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Many more..

• http//w.moreover.com/site/products/ind/rss_feeds.
  html
• http//news.search.yahoo.com
• www.syndic8.com
• http//www.rssfeeds.nl

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Web 2.0 RSS finder
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TagJag!
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• What Is RSS?
• What do I need?
• How do I read it?
• RSS versus agents
• Feeding the reader
• Working with RSS
• You need RSS, but it need you too
• Finding more feeds
• Moving feeds
• Where No Man Has Gone Before

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You can do it with OPML
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Dutch Statistics OPML
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Download this

• http//www.zoekzone.com/cbs.opml

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http//www.zoekzone.com/cbs.opml
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Put cursor on Channels
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Import OPML
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Find the downloaded file
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Load it
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Here we go again
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You can change the name
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Imported all statistical feeds
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Facts and figures
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Test 3

• Import the best technoligical blogs
• http//www.zoekzone.com/cnet.opml

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Uuuh
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http//www.zoekzone.com/cnet.opml
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Place the cursor on Channels
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Import OPML
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A whole new list of 100 blogs
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Find more with opmlsearch.com
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Creating an OPML
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The problem
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Lets take www.nu.nl/rss
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Link is redirected, copy this one
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Feedshow
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Paste the link and press GET LINKS
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Cleaning Up, the right way
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Use the filters
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Cleaning up, the lazy way

• Import every link (even the non-RSS) and fix
  the mess later.

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Stap 1 klik CREATE OPML
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Step 2 save it as OPML!
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Step 3 Import the folder
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Shift Shift!

• Find the first NON-RSS link
• Press SHIFT and hold it
• Find the last NON-RSS link
• Click SHIFT again
• DELETE!

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The good links are bold, the bad ones not.
Delete them.
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Delete the mess
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• What Is RSS?
• What do I need?
• How do I read it?
• RSS versus agents
• Feeding the reader
• Working with RSS
• You need RSS, but it need you too
• Finding more feeds
• Moving feeds
• Where No Man Has Gone Before

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Creating Feeds Where No Man Has Gone Before
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Take this page no RSS!
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Here is the page (Google)
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Click on this
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Here is the list
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Go to Feedyes

• Ga naar www.feedyes.com
• Klik op REGISTER
• Username
• Password

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Creating a Feed
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Enter the URL
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Choose Tag and language
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Start with the first on the list
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End with the last company
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A clean list
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Click SAVE FEED. Yes!
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Import the feed
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The dangers of RSS

• Drown in information flood!
• Irritate your coworkers!
• Forget your normal work!

If you use RSS wrong
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The power of RSS

• Stay On Top of hundreds of sites
• Create a personal news desk
• Check every page you want
• Use RSS as an archive (literature)

If you use it wisely
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Big Surprise !

• You get a free copy of NewzCrawler
• Mail henk_at_vaness.nl , topic Toronto RSS Serial