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Post by Brendan Anderson on Dec 5, 2008 10:20:26 GMT -8
So I'm behind the times, I really am. I never really understood the need for a 'feed reader' before, but it was only out of ignorance. But today, I've changed my world by configuring my Google Reader and it's awesome. Now I only have one place I need to go to check on new things from my favorite blogs and websites.
Jon, have you thought about setting up an RSS feed for your MMUK reviews? It would be great if, on my reader program, it would simply light up with your new review every time you posted one.
RSS Feeds aren't all that difficult to create (I'm sure guys like Hook and Jens can create them in their sleep) - the hardest part is the fact that you would have to go back and list all your past reviews (or at least as far back as you wanted to reasonably go) and that would take some time. But then, every time you do a new review, you'd simply add it to the feed, and boom! Anyone who subscribes to your feed would instantly see it without even having to remember to visit the site!
-Brendan, enlightened
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Post by Hook on Dec 7, 2008 13:48:21 GMT -8
Because most options require either commercial software or doing each feed by hand, may I propose a simpler, more economical solution?
Add a blog to the site. Instead of announcing new reviews on the message board, do it on the blog. Blogs are like insta-RSS. People, then, simply suscribe to the blog.
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Post by Jon Broxton on Dec 7, 2008 20:16:47 GMT -8
Doesn't that sorta negate the point of having the website?
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Post by Jens Dietrich on Dec 7, 2008 20:48:02 GMT -8
Doesn't that sorta negate the point of having the website? You're living in the past man. Nobody cool goes to websites anymore.
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Post by Hook on Dec 7, 2008 21:24:24 GMT -8
Doesn't that sorta negate the point of having the website? Not at all. Stop the website *poof* the feed is gone. Think of people subscribing to your reviews as getting an e-mail notification. Now, instead of others getting to the reviews, the reviews go to them. The reader presents content differently, true, but it still downloads it from you. You always get a hit.
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Post by TJ on Dec 8, 2008 13:06:05 GMT -8
I disagree with the blog thing. Daish transferred over to the blog system and I don't think it's as neat as the way he used to do it.
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Post by Brendan Anderson on Dec 9, 2008 9:11:29 GMT -8
I don't think Hook is saying the whole site would have to go to blog form, just a "news" part of it that contains notes of new reviews. Just think of Filmtracks' "On Cue" section on its homepage - it announces new reviews and gives a snipet, but still has a link to take you into the site for the full content.
-Brendan
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Post by Jon Broxton on Dec 9, 2008 10:10:55 GMT -8
In that case... um... does anyone know how to do it?
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Post by Joseph Bat on Dec 9, 2008 17:10:08 GMT -8
I disagree with the blog thing. Daish transferred over to the blog system and I don't think it's as neat as the way he used to do it. A blog system can work great - it just has to be done right and not totally feel like a blog. RSS can be done outside a blog system, but really works better within it. I told Jon a while back to go blog, but I think the idea of moving everything over to it is a daunting notion to him! Joe
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Post by Jon Broxton on Dec 9, 2008 20:50:09 GMT -8
1,600+ reviews, 500+ composer bios, plus all the awards archives and everything - daunting indeed!
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Post by Hook on Mar 12, 2010 0:25:42 GMT -8
Boy do I have egg on my face. I originally thought you needed to write a script for RSS, so my search terms were biased towards software that handled the feed for you. I downloaded Clemmensen's feed and, as it turns out, it's just an XML document. I took the liberty of using Clem's to edit one for MMUK (see attachment). I added two comments, in XML they're of the <!--comment--> form, as in HTML. www.astaara.com/rss-feed-code.htmlsevencolors.org/studies/code/rss-feedLike the above sites state, edit some of the missing stuff: an appropriately sized mmuk logo banner uploaded to your site, to keep it similar to that of Filmtracks' feed and, if you prefer, the descriptions if you don't like the pazzaz of "MMUK's take on (composer)'s score." Upload the file to your site, validate it online (there are many sites for this) to make sure it's fine and problem free, put the link/path to your xml/rss document in the <head> section of your homepage, like so: <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="RSS" href="your_file.xml" /> Add a link to wherever you put the file advertising it as your RSS feed, make it stand out so users are aware of it, hell announce it outright. Use some of the "standardized" icons, if you like. Best (most recognized): ...or any variation. Once you've done this, register the file with the publishers/readers/channels/aggregators of your liking. The bad: each time you publish a new review, you need to edit your rss/xml file, delete the last item from it, and add the new review using the same syntax, then re-upload the file at the same destination. The good: feed aggregators will update themselves. So, why not give it a shot? Attachments:
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Post by Brendan Anderson on Mar 13, 2010 17:59:53 GMT -8
Hook, I just wanted you to know...
...
...I appreciate you. ;D
-Brendan, who does actively read the "Site Feedback" part of the forum
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Post by Jon Broxton on Mar 13, 2010 19:17:42 GMT -8
I see the words, and I recognize them as being English, but beyond that I have no idea what you're talking about...
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Post by Hook on Mar 14, 2010 1:54:30 GMT -8
Hmm... let's go slowly, plenty of things we don't know. How exactly to do you go on maintaining this site. Where do you write a review, for example? Proboards pretty much takes care of itself. But the main page, how do you keep that up?
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Post by Jon Broxton on Mar 14, 2010 20:18:36 GMT -8
I do all the HTML coding by hand. I write in word, add all the necessary HTML coding, and upload it using FileZilla.
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