'RSS'. What is this word? What does it stand for? Raccoon Standing Still? Rolling Sea Sickness? Random Sweet Short-breads? As much as we all wish it was that last option, what it actually stands for is Really Simple Syndication. 'That sounds too simple for it to be a computer term' you say; I know, I agree with you because I only found out what RSS means a few short minutes ago, but I assure you, within those few short minutes I've learned so much. More thank I ever thought I was capable of learning.
Get ready, I'm going to teach you stuff.
First thing first, what is this thing called RSS? It's actually quite simple. You know how going to 7-11 once every month to get your magazines can be annoying, especially if you live in Winnipeg, where most of the year our city is covered in freezing cold, soft and fluffy snow? So a better idea than trudging your way over to 7-11 is to subscribe to your favorite magazines! That way the only one who will get cold is the mailman. (don't worry, mail person's are paid well for what they do.)
In a nutshell that's what an RSS is-only it's on your computer, and not in a convenience store. You can choose your favorite websites that update on a daily basis, and instead of going out and searching for them over the freezing cold, soft and fluffy internet, you can subscribe to their RSS feed and every time they update you'll get that update. No one gets cold in this situation. It's a win win.
I know, you're probably thinking, 'Uh, Fraulein, your internet is neither cold nor soft nor fluffy!' Which my answer is, I know, it was a poor attempt at a joke.
How do you get a RSS feed started?I subscribed to Google+ a few months ago and turns out when I did they automatically gave me a RSS reader! They did all the work for me. It was absolutely lovely. I went to start my research on RSS' and BAM! Turns out it had already been started for me. I've been subscribing to different blogs that my classmates and friends have been writing and they were already added to my 'Google Reader' (which is where all my RSS updates are posted). Excellent, my assignment was already half done and I hadn't started working on it yet.
...at this point I thought you'd like to know, I took a break. I went and got some Hawkins Cheezies because let's be honest, all other cheezie brands are kind of gross.
BACK TO CLASS! Time to subscribe to a library's RSS feed; but which library? My public one? No, I'm already there weekly. My high school library? Maybe...no, wait, I assume they don't have one and the only thing that goes on there is army enrollment seminars. Then it hit me. Where was the one library that I wanted to set up a tent and live in forever? I forced my traveling companions to go there twice when we were in the city and I spent over an hour in the gift shop. The clear choice was The New York Public Library (NYPL). I even have a picture of me there. I know, you can't really see the books in the photo or even the library for that matter, but I look really good! I mean, I'm not very photogenic but WOW! What a great picture. Thank you Allison for capturing my good side.
Immediately I found a downfall to having the NYPL as a constant news feed...I WANT TO GO THERE! They have so many great events! What I wouldn't give to be a teenager in New York, able to walk down to the library every weekend and find a horribly fun and amazing activity to do. (Yes, I did subscribe to the 'Teen Feed' I couldn't resist...and now I'm green with envy.)
Deadly sin aside, I'm now addicted to all of my feeds, between checking the events, fundraisers and new programs on the NYPL page, reading about all of my geek-themed news feeds on i09 and staying updated with the blogs of all my friends, I find that my personal life will soon become a technical one where I will never go out and just read updated feeds all day. I am so in the loop! I feel like Perez Hilton does every day. I may have only learnt what RSS stands for and how to subscribe to the feeds but I love it. It's addictive, so be careful; make sure you still step outside now and then to get some sun.
I can only hope that my public library creates an RSS subscription soon, so I can subscribe to the job postings feed. I can finally be unleashed unto an actual library. I can't wait! Or I could possibly subscribe to the newsletter and be even more aware of the going on's...then again I think all the librarians at my library know me by name and will willingly admit that I know the library happenings better than they do. Either way, I await this day with baited breath, as I'm sure you do too.
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