feeds, following & subscribing

feeds and subscribing

Things change on the web all the time, especially on blogs. Sometimes we intend to keep up with a blog but forget. Web feeds allow us to automatically receive notification, or even a full post, on our computer, so we don't miss out.

They work like this. When a new post is created, the whole post (in my case, though it can be just part of it) is added to other posts on a special feeds page. Readers can then use a reader or 'aggregator' program, which regular checks this feeds page, to receive notification that new content is available, and then read it without actually looking up the blog. Google reader is free software which will do this, and you can also use your Google or Yahoo home page for the purpose.

Simply choose on of the methods under the "subscribe to" heading and follow the easy instructions. An easy way (which I use) is to install Google Reader on my Google Home Page. To do this:

1. Set up a Google account if you don't already have one, by going to Google accounts and create an account.
2. Go to Google Reader and get a reader account.
3. Then go to iGoogle and set up an iGoogle Home Page.
4. On the iGoogle Home Page click on "Add Stuff" (top right corner), then "Add feed or gadget" (middle left) and insert the URL of your Google reader page.
5. And you're away. You may want to configure some aspects of Reader or iGoogle, but that can be done at your leisure.

Please note I do not work for Google or have shares, this is just the method I use myself. There are many other ways to subscribe to this blog, and many other products - just search the web to find them.

following

Following is very simple. Blogger provides the opportunity for you to select to "follow" this blog (see top left menu item). This doesn't set up a feed , just notifies me that you have an interest in the blog. If I get a few followers I can set up a box in the sidebar to show who is "following". That's all it does, but encouraging me in that way would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.