Download Managing online resources with feeds, widgets, and Web-based tools

Managing online resources with feeds,
widgets, and Web-based tools
What is a feed?
A feed is a way of sending information to subscribing Websites or software services. To you, a feed
looks like a plain Web page with its own address (a feed address), a list of the most recent page
titles, and possibly accompanying page descriptions. While this listing may look like a plain Web
page to you, the subscription service you use to subscribe to this feed will display the information in
its own format. Subscription reading services may include web/feed aggregators (e.g. personalized
homepage, feed readers), Websites, blog, or any social network that is able to read the feed.
How do I find a feed?
You can find a feed by looking for an orange button with white stripes (or less frequently
seen, blue button with white stripes) or by looking for text linked with words such as
‘subscribe’,‘ subscribe by rss’, or ‘subscribe to this feed’. A feed address may or may
not look similar to its Website’s address, depending on the tool used to generate the feed.
Web address: blogs.extension.org/mastergardener
 Feed address, example 1, similar to web address:
blogs.extension.org/mastergardener/feed
 Feed address, example 2, not similar to web address:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/ExtensionMasterGardener
What is a widget (gadget)?
A widget, also commonly referred to as gadget or badge, is a small web-based program that can be
run on different Websites. Some display news titles from an information feed, while others perform
functions (i.e. play music, display calendars, run videos). Widgets make it possible to add
customization to any blog or Website, but they can also be an integral component of managing your
online information flow if used to create a personalized homepage.
What type of web/feed aggregation tools may help me manage my information?
Personalized Web pages and feed readers are two types of web/feed aggregation tools people can use
to organize, manage, and even share and discuss information with others.
 Personalizedhomepages,examples:iGoogle,Netvibes,andPageflakes
 Feedreader,examples:GoogleReader,Feedly,Bloglines
www.eXtension.org
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Why use an online web/ feed aggregator (e.g. personalized homepage, feed reader) to subscribe
to my favorite Web resources? Why not just find the information by going to the Website?
Using a web/feed aggregation tool, you can view all your information sources in one place as soon
as the latest updates are published. For example, you can keep track of information from your
favorite news outlets, Extension gardening resources, Craigslist queries, and your family YouTube
videos all in one place without having to go to each of those individual Websites to see if there are
new updates. Web/feed aggregators also have additional management features that can help you
spend less time swimming in information and more time putting it to use, such as:
Organization: Using a personalized homepage, you can separate different types of
information into separate pages. Using a feed reader tool, you can sort different types of
information by folders. Do you like to get information on world news, gardening, and odds n
ends? You can label your page or folder names with these exact titles, allowing you to sort
and view your information in a way that makes sense to you.
Mobility: For those that read information from their mobile phones, Google Reader and
other feed reader applications make reading the latest news on the go from a mobile phone
possible.
Sharing: Do you have a group of people that might like to comment and discuss certain
articles or resources? Web/feed aggregator tools with social /sharing options can help you
have a conversations around a favorite blog post or article (if you choose to share them of
course).
What other terms do I need to know to understand how to manage information on the
Internet?
Web browser – a software program used to view the Internet. Internet Explorer, Firefox,
Safari, Chrome are all names of Web browsers offered by different companies.
URL/Web address – URL means ‘uniform resource locator’, which is essentially means: web
address. Remembering the specific name ‘URL’ is not critical, but knowing that people are
referring to a web address when they say URL is good to know.
Feed URL /address – This is the specific web address for a feed. It may or may not resemble
the web address for a Website or blog.