RSS: Three Letters Every Advocate
Needs to Know
Presented by David Bonebrake
Legal Services National Technology Assistance Project
July 25, 2008
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Today’s Training
Introduction to RSS
 RSS Walkthroughs

◦ Setting up Google Reader
◦ Setting up a News Alert feed for your
organization
◦ Getting started with Law Blawgs
Creating RSS feeds for your organization
 Related Technology - Twitter

WHAT IS RSS?
What is RSS?
RSS stands for Really
Simple Syndication
 RSS allows websites
to syndicate content
to other websites and
other applications
such RSS feed readers,
and web browsers

How RSS Works
Traditional Web Browsing
Web Browsing Now
RSS to the Rescue
RSS makes keeping up
with web-based
resources easier,
especially as that pool
of resources expands
 When used effectively,
it’s an important tool
for fighting
information overload

Atom Feeds
Very similar to RSS feeds
 All new RSS readers and web browsers
support Atom and RSS standards
 Most users do not need to worry about
the difference between the two

GETTING STARTED
WITH RSS
Different Uses of RSS
Stay updated on your field
 Immerse yourself in a new area
 Monitor what others are saying about
your organization

Who is creating RSS Feeds?
Legal news sites
 Legal technology sites
 National legal aid organizations
 Statewide websites
 Law Blawgs
 Courts
 Project management tools
 Case management systems

RSS Readers

Web Based Readers
◦
◦
◦
◦

Google Reader
Bloglines
iGoogle
MyYahoo
Software Based RSS Readers
◦ Feed Demon
◦ Net News Wire
◦ FeedReader

RSS-supporting Web Browsers
◦ Internet Explorer 7
◦ Firefox
Web Based Readers - Google
Desktop Readers - Feed Demon
Browsers - Firefox
Browsers – IE 7
Subscribing to RSS Feeds
Look for the RSS logo:
 Both Google Reader & MyYahoo have
built-in feed searches

GOOGLE READER
WALKTHROUGH
SETTING UP A GOOGLE
NEWS FEED FOR YOUR
ORGANIZATION
LAW BLAWGS
ABA Journal Blawg Directory
RSS FEEDS AND
WEBSITES
Websites Consuming RSS Feeds
Like RSS readers, web pages can consume
and display RSS feeds
 Most modern web platforms support easy
inline display of RSS feeds

◦ Pro Bono Net
◦ Open Source Template
Websites Creating RSS Feeds

Most modern web platforms also support
syndicating website content
◦ New Open Source CMS’s
◦ Pro Bono Platform
◦ Blogging Software

http://techsoup.org/learningcenter/interne
t/page5820.cfm
RSS Feeds on the
Probono.net template


The probono.net
advocate site
template has
outgoing RSS
feeds from the
News, Calendar
and flexible
content pages.
Site visitors can
subscribe to that
content via their
own RSS reader)
RSS Feeds on the
Probono.net template


A widget for an
incoming RSS feed
from other
sources can be
added to the
homepage and
other areas of the
site.
Supports all RSS
and most Atom
feeds.
TRLA Press Center
Additional Resources
RSS section of the LSNTAP Tech Library
Ultimate RSS Toolset:
http://oedb.org/library/features/the_ultimate_rss_to
olset