If you have a blog, you have a blog feed (also known as RSS or OPML). A lot of people have started using a blog reader to get automatic updates from their favorite bloggers all in one place. I use a web-based blog reader called Newshutch, but you could also use Bloglines. If you’re interested in one tied to your computer, you might look at the Sage extension for Firefox.
Feed Digest is a tool that allows you to enter the feed of any website, choose how it will displays, and then will give you the correct code for you to embed in your own website. Basically, it’s service that allows the non-tech oriented people to play with web feeds like a programmer. It’s very useful.
Here is just one example of how it can be used. On my consulting website I quickly added it to the right-hand margin. If I ever wanted to change the number of blog postings that were readable at one time – say from 3 to 5, I can change that in my Feed Digest account, and it would automatically change it on the other website. See the image below:
If you decide you want to start adding other people’s blog feeds to your blog, or even feeds from online news sites or something like Flickr, you can easily do that with Feed Digest. It’s free for up to 5 feeds, from there you would have to create an upgraded account starting at $11.99.
September 29, 2006 at 2:43 am
I am so pleased that you posted this. Me and RSS and OPML have been at odds since blogging was a glint in David Winer’s eyes! Now, I still need an OPML file so as to get GRAZR to deploy on my site too.
I will load this up on my sidebar and see how it looks.
Hash, may the fleas of ten thousand wildebeest migrating across the Serengt, never leave their host to nest in your armpits!
Be well
September 30, 2006 at 5:58 pm
It’d be even better if they were allowing new people to sign up. It’s been off for several months now…
September 30, 2006 at 7:33 pm
Hey Valerie, I noticed that a while back too, that’s why I checked and signed up with a new account 2 days ago.
October 3, 2006 at 9:29 pm
I guess I’m missing something. I went there again and it says signups are temporarily disabled–can you post a link to the sign up page?
October 4, 2006 at 5:49 am
Hmmm. I went there today Valerie and it’s closed again. To get started, you just enter your feed in the box and follow the steps.
Since it was just last week that I set up another account, I’m beginning to wonder if they throttle their service to make sure that they don’t get too many new users at one time? I’ve seen others do this before so that they don’t end up degrading the services of their current users.
October 8, 2006 at 1:43 pm
I was told about this service 3 days ago but everytime I have looked at the site I get the same result as Valerie.
I have found a more basic service at http://www.feedroll.com/
An example of it’s implementation can be found here http://sn15.org/rss.html on our test page.
October 8, 2006 at 4:41 pm
Good find Austen, thanks for the link. In the abscence of FeedDigest, this is a great alternative.
October 11, 2006 at 2:05 am
Since discovering Feedroll I have also found http://rssfeedreader.com/ which offers a more sophisticated service and is also free.
You can also buy the software if you want to use it without their ad link at the bottom.