The questions are as follows:
1. Do you understand what RSS is and what it is for?
RSS readers are new tools that operate to let you customize your view of your feeds. RSS feeds are used to all you to see that changes that are made to a blog or website without having to visit the site and scan all of the pages. Instead, the new items will show up in your RSS reader if you have subscribed to the blog or website.
2. Describe how to locate an RSS feed.
From Website
To follow the activity on a website, you just need to the site and look for the 'feed' button if the site has been setup to publish their bog or website. The feed button can show up in the box at the end of the URL and on the page itself. Once you select the 'feed' button, you will have a choice of which application to set it up with. Google Reader is a very popular choice, but you could be using other feed readers.
From Feed Reader
Alternatively, you can sign up for feeds in the reader itself. Just open the reader and either search or browse for your choices. You can search for topics, exact matches or just look around
3. Which Google feed bundle did you subscribe to?
I have subscribed to several Google Bundles and added "Thinkers" Bundle that includes RSS feeds for the following blogs:
Feeds in this bundle:
- Malcolm Gladwell's Blog
- kottke.org remaindered links
- Language Log
- LanguageHat
- Marginal Revolution
- NPR: This I Believe
- Salon
- TED Blog
4. Talk about a feature you liked or disliked on Google Reader and/or your thoughts on the user interface in general.
Like other Google products, some of the appeal of the Google Reader is that it is simple and easy to use. In the Reader, navigating and reading can be done very quickly. It also works well on a SmartPhone.
Also, it is easy to remove a feed from the list. This is done in just three steps: by selecting the feed on the list, and then on the "Feed Settings" tab, select 'Unsubscribe."
Simplicity in a feed reader is an excellent feature in utility.
5. Which feed did you select from the Mercury News list?
The San Jose Mercury has a whole page devoted to feeds for various topics. I subscribed to the traffic feed.
6. Talk about your experiences locating the feeds on the other sites mentioned and whether you have subscribed to any. Were you able to locate them all? Which ones did you have trouble with, if any?
Other sites, such as "NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day" makes it more challenging to locate the RSS feed links. This site has a text "RSS" link at the very bottom of the page.
BBC America -- has a blue button after the URL, an orange button and a text link on top of page and another one at the bottom of the page.
Google News - Health -- has a blue button after the URL and text in sidebar
National Weather Service -- has a feed box in the sidebar
Infodoodads -- has a blue button after the URL and an orange button and a text link on top right of page.
Discovery Channel News --has an orange button in the top center of the page and another one and a text link at the bottom of the page.
Infotangle -- has has a blue button after the URL.
Interesting Thing of the Day -- has a blue button after the URL and an orange button and a text link in the sidebar.
Comedy Central -- has a text link in the sidebar.
I do not subscribe to any of these.
