RSS Explained
What is
 ?
This small orange icon indicates an RSS
feed is available on this web site.
RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication,"
a technology that
allows you to "subscribe" to, and
receive, web content (RSS feeds)
automatically. Sites that offer an
RSS feed (like the eCoast Campus) make
it easy for you to stay current with web
content without having to frequently
visit the web site.
Although there are many ways you can
determine whether or not a web site
carries an RSS feed, the orange speaker
icon is fast becoming the default
indicator. The eCoast Campus makes
all of its podcasts (eCoast Campus
Podcast News) available via RSS.
How do I subscribe to the eCoast
Campus Podcast News?
You may
subscribe to automatically receive future broadcasts
from the eCoast Campus
by using an RSS reader, sometimes
referred to as an RSS aggregator. RSS readers
automatically search and download any RSS
feed to which you have subscribed. To subscribe to the
eCoast Campus Podcast News (RSS feed)
just copy the address
(URL) below and paste it into
your favorite RSS reader:
http://ecoast.pjc.edu/ecpn.xml
How do I get an RSS aggregator?
There are two main types of RSS
aggregator/readers. Stand-alone applications
collect (aggregate) your subscriptions
in one place. Content is accessed
by simply logging into the application. A good example of
this type of aggregator is Bloglines
(bloglines.com). The other type is
an integrated application. This
is simply an aggregator that is part of
an existing tool you might use every
day. For example, Internet
Explorer 7 has this feature built-in.
In IE 7, the RSS indicator on the Menu
Bar will be colored orange when an RSS
feed is detected.
- Standalone
When launching a standalone
reader, most often you will see a
toolbar and three window panes. The
pane on the left side typically
displays RSS feeds to which you have
subscribed. These are normally
organized into categories or
folders.
Integrated readers typically include
a column for RSS feeds and a display
area for a headline, a brief
description, and a URL. It is
important to note that PJC's
learning management System, Angel,
includes a built-in RSS reader.
This makes it very convenient for
students to access their RSS
subscriptions within the same
environment as their course work.
For assistance in setting up your
Angel account to receive RSS
feeds, or if you have any other
questions regarding RSS, please call
the eCoast Campus at 850-484-1232.
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