WTF is "Content Syndication"??

[Adz]

Mmmmkay, I've enabled a feature on marinators.net called "Content Syndication" and since I've been asked by a few people what the f*** it's all about, I thought I'd just answer here.

Here's a summary - "Originally developed by Netscape in 1999, RSS (which can stand for RDF Site Summary, Rich Site Summary, or Really Simple Syndication) is an XML-based format that allows web developers to describe and syndicate web site content. Using RSS files allows developers to create a data feed that supplies headlines, links, and article summaries from a web site. Other sites can then incorporate them into their pages automatically."

It basically allows:
* Users to download the latest headings to any software that supports RSS, they will get a headline that is linked to the article on our site, along with some of the article.
* Other sites can use it to show articles from our site.
* Firefox has a feature called "live bookmarks" which downloads the latest headings from the rss into your bookmarks.

Clear as mud?

Summary: If you don't know what it is, just ignore it
Oh, if it's too confusing I can take it off.. just thought people who use this sort of stuff might like the feature.

[Hammer]

I've found this to work well. I use it on my.yahoo.com as my homepage, lets me know when sites i'm interested in have been updated.

Good work having it on the site.

[sacko]

Aren't we the IT geek! ;D

[spindr]

Yeh i am a bit dissapointed that news.com.au does not have an RSS feed, BBC does, and so does Google mail.

Really i can only see its use if you want to turn the page into a one stop shop for all your internet needs.

ps. Mambo CMS for the win.

[Adz]

spindr said:

....
ps. Mambo CMS for the win.

Not any more www.opensourcematters.org/