RSS Part Two

ACE 2004

June 21, 2004

Versions of RSS

• .90

• .91

• 1.0

• .92

• .93

• 2.0

...And then there’s Atom

A Short History of RSS

• In the beginning there was Netscape– RSS .90 developed for Netscape portal– RSS .91 (also for Netscape)

• More standard• More valid XML• Still in extensive use today (weblogs, news)

History of RSS (con’t.)

• Then came RSS 1.0– Enhanced metadata format– Rich Document Format– XML namespaces

• RSS 0.92– 0.91 with optional elements– Eventually leads to RSS 2.0

History of RSS (con’t.)

• RSS 0.93– Talked about but never used

• RSS 2.0– The end of RSS– 0.92 with optional elements

• Atom– Attempt to step outside RSS progression

Versions in use today

• 0.91• 0.92• 1.0• 2.0• Atom (Google)

RSS versions in use at Syndic8

0.91

0.92

1.0

2.0

Web Services

What are Web Services?

• Applications that interface with each other to give you direct access to information

• Automated resources accessed via the Internet

• Web-based applications that can dynamically interact with other Web apps using XML protocols

Web Services can provide...

• Personalized web content

• Immediate updates

• Internal content integration

• External content incorporation

Advantages

• You only have to negotiate once

• Automatic maintenance

• Immediate response

• One-time setup

Creating the RSS FeedCreating the RSS Feed

Investigate your current CMS / Investigate your current CMS / blogging system, it may already do blogging system, it may already do it for you.it for you.

– Might have to configure CMS or blogMight have to configure CMS or blog

Creating the RSS FeedCreating the RSS Feed

Some other systems may allow you to Some other systems may allow you to “mark up” your content in a manner so “mark up” your content in a manner so that “scraping” tools can be used to that “scraping” tools can be used to generate the XML code.generate the XML code.

– Mark up contentMark up content– Register your siteRegister your site

http://feedster.comhttp://feedster.comhttp://blogstreet.comhttp://blogstreet.com

Creating the RSS FeedCreating the RSS Feed

Form input at WebDevTipsForm input at WebDevTipshttp://www.webdevtips.com/webdevtips/http://www.webdevtips.com/webdevtips/

codegen/rss.shtmlcodegen/rss.shtml

Creating the RSS FeedCreating the RSS Feed

OK, so you don't use blogging OK, so you don't use blogging software, forms are a hassle, but you software, forms are a hassle, but you have content that would lend itself to have content that would lend itself to being syndicated. Now what? If your being syndicated. Now what? If your site is generated with a scripting site is generated with a scripting language like PHP, ASP, JSP, Python, language like PHP, ASP, JSP, Python, or Perl, then there are software or Perl, then there are software libraries you can use to write your libraries you can use to write your own. It is doable! own. It is doable!

Software Scripting for RSSSoftware Scripting for RSS

Generally, two things you do with Generally, two things you do with RSS from a software coding RSS from a software coding perspective:perspective:

1.1. Create a RSS fileCreate a RSS file

2.2. Parse an existing RSS fileParse an existing RSS file

Software Scripting for RSSSoftware Scripting for RSS

Software parsing libraries are Software parsing libraries are generally “loose” and allow you to generally “loose” and allow you to parse multiple versions.parse multiple versions.

Scripting Libraries and TutorialsScripting Libraries and Tutorials

JSP/JavaJSP/Java PHPPHP ASPASP PytonPyton Coldfusion MXColdfusion MX PerlPerl

Feed VerificationFeed Verification

Feed Validator http://feedvalidator.orgFeed Validator http://feedvalidator.org

http://feeds.archive.org/validator/ http://feeds.archive.org/validator/

Example feeds:Example feeds:

http://cyfernet.ces.ncsu.edu/cyfdb/pmt/http://cyfernet.ces.ncsu.edu/cyfdb/pmt/cyfernet.rsscyfernet.rss

http://www.ncsu.edu/news.rdfhttp://www.ncsu.edu/news.rdf

http://sysnews.ncsu.edu/news/index.rdfhttp://sysnews.ncsu.edu/news/index.rdf