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RSS: It Isn't Just For Geeks And FOGS Anymore

FOGS? Friends of Geeks! Let's fact it - most people don't know what RSS is or how to use it. Microsoft is hoping to change all that with the built in RSS capability in Internet Explorer 7.

Technology companies are jumping on the bandwagon stating that this is the beginning of a huge paradigm shift. Here is my favorite quote about paradigms. "Paradigm is a word too often used by those who would like to have a new idea but cannot think of one."

- Mervyn Allister King, then-Deputy Governor, Bank of England

RSS is NOT new. It IS something that the masses don't generally'get'. Did someone take out the first "S" in Really Simple Syndication? Is there a way to explain RSS in simple, non-technical terms? Let's talk about Internet Explorer 7 and its built in RSS capability. When you load IE7, the RSS toolbar is on by default. It's the second toolbar from the top and is labeled 'Built In RSS Client'. Click on the first option, 'Update Channels' and you get a cryptic message, 'No Profiles'.

Undaunted we go on to the next option, 'RSS Channels List'. A click on that opens a window on the bottom of the screen with some 'words?' in the window. One of the phrases is 'CNEThttp:/Read. Hmm, is that read as in the present tense or is it read as in the past tense. Remembering that we can not cause our computer to explode by pressing keys, we bravely click on it and CNET news comes up in the upper window. PROGRESS!

But how did CNET get in MY list? Did I ask for it without realizing it? No, Microsoft has pre-loaded some feeds (stuff) so you can get the hang of things. But wait - there is no X in the upper right hand corner of the CNET page. How does one get out?

There is no way out except to press another option in the RSS menu bar. Let's go to 'Options' and click on the RSS-Channels' tab. There you see the list of the channels that Microsoft pre-installed for your reading pleasure. Finally, something we understand.

Feeling quite brave now we click on the box 'Add Channel'. It asks for the name of the channel and the channel URL. We have no clue so we click out of that.3

Our learning adventure is not good so far. Watch for the next article which will explain some of the obscure RSS terms and navigating the Built In Rss Client in IE7.