Really Simple Syndication Is Really That Simple

It seems as though people are always looking for shortcuts, hoping to find a simpler way to do something.  That is exactly what RSS, or Really Simple Syndication, does for people.  Since their creation in March 1999 by Netscape, RSS feeds have quickly developed into yet another useful online tool. 

RSS is a family of web feed formats which deliver regularly changing web content.  Web feeds help publishers by allowing them to syndicate their content automatically.  They also thus benefit the reader by allowing people to stay readily updated on their sites of interest. As a result, you do not have to sit on the computer clicking from site to site, as all of the content you desire comes up on the RSS feed. 

RSS Feeds are often used by news sites, blogs, and other publishers to keep their readers up to date on information from their site.  Another benefit of RSS is that it can also be read using a mobile device as long as it has an RSS reader, allowing updates to be sent even to a person's pocket, and adding another useful shortcut to the lives of all people. 

According to Connor Scallaet, Contributing Editor and Site Engineer of T3ch H3lp, RSS feeds are useful for many people.  "If I like to visit 7 websites daily for my news, an RSS feed takes all seven websites and posts all of their articles, incuding rich metadata, in one place for me, and may provide a more dynamic interface for reading news other then sites.  Examples of this are Flipboard on iPad and Pulse on iOS."

Though many people are not consciously aware of the work an RSS feed does, they are commonly used by many people and make checking favorite websites much easier.  Scallaet says, "So it solves the problem of checking lots of websites and it keeps you updated by taking loads of feeds and putting them into one place." 

When Netscape created RSS feeds, they did so because they "wanted to use an XML  Extensible Markup Language [XML] format to distribute news, stories and information."  This was successfully done, and RSS feeds have become a staple in the lives of many.

Looking for more information on RSS feeds? Check out "Syndicating Web Sites with RSS Feeds For Dummies," by Ellen Finkelstein and Chris Pirillo.

Tweetaholic

            Admittedly, I was very skeptical when I first heard about Twitter.  At the same time, though, I was curious. I wanted to know what so many people could possibly find fascinating about learning their friend went to the mall, or some celebrity they will never know is about to go eat pizza.  So, after being told countless times that I "needed" a Twitter account, I decided to cave and make one.  I must say, right after making my account, I immediately joined ranks with countless others claiming to be addicted.  Reading that Spencer Youngman, a senior at Wyoming Seminary, is watching a Syracuse basketball game, or that Khloe Kardashian is on a plane to New York City has become a part of my everyday life.  I even downloaded the Twitter app on my iPhone, which is probably the most used application I have.
            Ironically enough, as much as I love reading the tweets of others, I have only ever posted under ten tweets, since I find it hard to believe that others will find what I have to say to be fascinating.  I am still unsure of how I feel about posting tweets myself; however, I am quite content with simply reading the tweets of others for the time being. 
            After admitting my fascination with Twitter, I have heard many people joke that all Twitter is good for is stalking the lives of others.  However, in June of 2009, Time magazine provided an explanation for why so many find learning a person is going for a run is interesting. The article's title, by Robyn Twomey, claims that "Twitter Will Change the Way We Live."  Twomey writes, "And yet as millions of devotees have discovered, Twitter turns out to have unsuspected depth. In part this is because hearing about what your friends had for breakfast is actually more interesting than it sounds. The technology writer Clive Thompson calls this 'ambient awareness': by following these quick, abbreviated status reports from members of your extended social network, you get a strangely satisfying glimpse of their daily routines.  We don't think it at all moronic to start a phone call with a friend by asking how her day is going. Twitter gives you the same information without your even having to ask."   Read the whole article here.
            This well planned and clearly stated assertion turns the "stalking" aspect of Twitter into something much more socially acceptable.  Yet, even if you still are the type of person who does not care about these updates in the lives of others, Twitter serves a wide variety of purposes, from reading about election results at amazing speeds to finding out the score of the Phillies game as it is happening.  Regardless of what you hope to get out of Twitter, I believe it is possible for all people to find something about this website that appeals to them. 

Above are the results of a survey done by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project.  The survey began November 3, 2010, and ran for 21 days.  It shows how often Twitter users check for material posted by others.  The results help show that, for the most part, Twitter addicts are not alone. 

Blogging: Simply a Hobby? Or Valuable Source?

Regardless of content or purpose, blogging is simply not for everyone, and I happen to be a member of the group that does not mesh well with blogging.  However, I find that it is often beneficial and informative to read various blog posts.  I do think it is important, though, to point out the differences between journalism and blogging.  In my opinion, I believe they are very different. 
Journalism is intended to be an unbiased source of information.  Now, saying all the newspapers, tv shows, and news radio stations out there are unbiased is not true, as most would agree.  Yet, reporters still do provide the public with news as it is happening, and in a way that must go beyond the personal views of that person in order to reach the viewer, reader, or listener. A blogger, though, should not even pretend to be an unbiased source, as most people use their blogs for the purpose of stating their opinions and beliefs on a matter.  Also, most blogs reflect upon news after it has happened and use their site to comment on an event, not to report "breaking news." 
I don't think it is impossible for a blog to serve journalistic purposes, as I'm sure there are blogs out there that state and discuss news more effectively than some news outlets today.  However, I feel that simply by definition, blogging is not journalism, as there are many other uses for a blog other than just discussing news.  One person might devote their entire blog to discussing their feelings on Mickey Mouse, as a blog can be about anything and everyting.  That is not the purpose of journalism, though. 
So, my opinion on blogging is split.  When it comes to reading a blog as a replacement for watching the news, I don't think it is effective.  Yet, if I was hoping to read blogs containing public opinions on a new movie that was relased, I believe it's a different story. 
Even though some blogs may be enjoyable to read or beneficial in certain instances, that is where my appreciation for them ends, as I do not enjoy the actual action of "blogging" and writing blog posts.