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Emerging Technology: RSSUnderstanding RSS

CATS 2005 Presentation

Steve Sloansteve.sloan@sjsu.eduhttp://sloantech.blogspot.com/

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Understanding RSS

All you need to know:

Keeping it simple!

Good functional definitions

RSS (pronounced "arr-ess-ess") is a web syndication protocol primarily used by news websites and weblogs

Format for delivering summaries of regularly changing web content

RSS is the format for repackaging and viewing content from changing websites

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Goals Define key terms associated with RSS

Provide an overview of the technologies associated with RSS

Discuss how RSS, and related technologies, can be a way to manage information

Discuss possible ways that RSS and related technologies may evolve

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Really Simple Syndication

A family of XML based web-content distribution and republication (Web syndication) protocols primarily used by news sites and weblogs.

Other definitions

Rich Site Summary

RDF Site Summary

Terms: RSS

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RSS: A technical definition

More than you need to know:

RSS is a file format that allows anyone with a website — from large media companies to individual commentators — to easily "syndicate" their content, similar to how comic strips and popular columns are syndicated by their owners to hundreds of newspapers. Except that on the Web, the RSS syndication is usually free, and the content that is syndicated is often not the full entry, but excerpts and links back to the originating website.

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Terms: Weblog A weblog, Web log or simply a blog, is a web application which contains periodic, reverse chronologically ordered posts on a common webpage.

Such a Web site would typically be accessible to any Internet use

The changing nature of weblogs, and their reverse chronological ordering, makes them especially suited to RSS feeding

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Terms: Feed A file document, in XML format, associated with a changing website, typically a weblog

As with all XML documents, RSS documents employ a set of tags that describe elements of the text

Typically these files are updated dynamically as the site changes

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Terms: Aggregation

A program that reads an RSS or an Atom feed is called an aggregator

Aggregator programs collect data from multiple feeds and consolidate them into a simple to navigate view

Aggregators are typically constructed as extensions to a Web browser, as extensions to an email program, or as standalone programs

An aggregator program is also called a reader

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Terms: Syndication Making Web feeds available from a site so other people can display an updating list of content from it

Focuses on changing content

For example: one's latest forum or weblog postings, etc.

This originated with news and blog sites but is increasingly used to syndicate any information

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How does RSS work?

Feeder

The XML format file is typically updated dynamically by a web application that lists and links changes to a web site

Reader

A program known as an RSS aggregator, or feed reader, checks RSS-enabled feeds on behalf of a user and displays any updated information that it finds

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Standards(RSS and Atom) Many flavors of RSS

.9x, 1.x, 2.x

Atom (a fork in the road!)

Rooted in RSS

Not backwardly compatible with any of the previous RSS versions

Feedburner™ converts Atom to RSS

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RSS 2.0 and enclosures

Allows for attachments called “enclosures”

Podcasting

Download based

Videocasting

Mediablogging

Mobile blogging (moblogging)

Download, not streaming

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Consuming an RSS feed

Each feed is like a food

Each feed is unique

The reader is like a meal

A well rounded meal is an aggregation of foods

An RSS reader is the program that presents the information feeds

The reader provides the user interface

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Headlines

Content

Feeds

A typical RSS feed

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Many faces of RSS

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How do RSS readers differ?

Three basic types of client side applications

Extensions to a Web browser

Extensions to an email program

Standalone programs

Can be Web applications

Can have widely different user interfaces

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Web based readers Bloglines

Your RSS feeds can be shared

You see what the people you read read

My Yahoo

NewsGator Online

Free

DiVX connected devices

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Local RSS readers Different 3rd party readers for PC + MAC

Hundreds of readers

List too long to include

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The real-time web Technorati

Uses RSS to track the popularity of weblogs by keeping track of links between them

Attention.xml

Extends the RSS reader by focusing on what people are reading and what information matches the profile of what you normally do read

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Future of RSS Social groups and human relations will be mapped and extend into RSS

XFN, FOAF and Rojo

Rich content can be delivered via download, using RSS

Ability to deliver rich content will grow

Podcasting

Videocasting

Mobile devices

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Mobile devices and RSS

Portable devices with always-on connection will grow market for download based media

Ability to create, post and access information nears ubiquity

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Secure RSS? Is there such a thing?

Transparency not always desired

Secure RSS 2.0 and SSH/SSL encryption technologies could be employed

Private channels One to one

One to few

One to many

RSS = “Digital Dial Tone”

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Transparency By nature RSS is transparent This can be good or bad

May violate privacy

Invites the world into the classroom

Some solutions for this

Use application layer security (SSL/SSH)

Secure RSS?

Do we adapt to provide more transparency, or do we adapt the tool to provide greater security? Route around nature of Internet may make it difficult to

not be transparent

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RSS Pitfalls Get all the news you want, and none you don’t?

Folks can subscribe to channels that only fit their world view

Increase polarization

More Red vs. Blue

Raising the bar on information compilation

Increase stress and anxiety

Aggregation aggravation

Overload

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Contact info and conversation

SJSUSteve.sloan@sjsu.edu

(408) 924-2374

GeneralSkype/AIM: ssloansjca

Web: www.edupodder.comMain Geek Blog: sloantech.blogspot.com

(408) 605-0692

S_sloan@mac.com

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My Favorite Feeds Bob Scoblescoble.weblogs.com “The human aggregator”

VersiontrackerBoth windows and mac

ItconversationsTreasures of information

Backup BrainDori Smith & her husband

The Big PictureSJSU Alpha Prof Dennis Dunleavy

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www.sjsu.edu/cats/2003/showcase/