Week 4, Thing #8 & #9 RSS

I started out by exploring Google Reader and setting that up and then I checked out Bloglines and created an account there. For some reason, the Google Reader appeals to me more. Perhaps it's because it appears on my Google Home Page and so it is readily available.

It has been more difficult for me to come up with a good use of RSS. I presently use the Google Toolbar to sort sites that I like to visit into folders. This system of visiting my favorite sites every day seems to work well so I'm not sure that RSS will make it easier. I did subscribe to several more sites to put into my Google Reader, just to try them out, but then was unhappy with the volume of reading I'd have to deal with, so I deleted some of them. I really don't want more to read, I barely keep up with my favorites now. So, I've put the subscribe button up on my Google Toolbar and then when I'm visiting a site that I know I'll want to return to, I can just add it to my Google Reader and see how that works out.

Then, this morning I had a brainstorm that will really help me out. Since I've started this class, I have enjoyed reading everyone's blogs, but it is really time consuming to click through everyone's name on the list to see if they've added anything to their blog. So.... now I've added everyone's blog site to my Google Reader and put them all in a folder. As I read through them, I can mark what I've read. Then, at a glance I can see any updates you all have posted and just read those. I thought about linking my Google Reader to my blog so that others can take advantage of that, but I am not sure that would work out.

I'm looking forward to reading everyone's blog on RSS to see what use they have made of it.