OBSOLETE - Do You Use an RSS Feed/News Reader?

[Matthew Schenker]

Everyone,
I'm curious to know how many people keep up on the Festool Owners Group by using an RSS feed/news reader exclusively, how many people use a feeder occasionally, and how many people prefer to come to the forum Web page to keep up on postings.

Please vote, and feel free to post comments, questions, and opinions below.

Thanks,
Matthew

 

[Groggy]

Matthew, I use Google Desktop's Sidebar in my second monitor to keep an eye on goings on.

 

[Dan Lyke]

New posts show up in a folder in my mail program, just like they were a mailing list. Some images and attachments don't show up, and I click through for those.

 

[Eli]

I actually check the site, and click on the unread posts link like a lab rat at the crack button.

 

[clintholeman]

I'm a RSS feed kind of guy. 

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Everyone,
I would just like to ask more people to respond to this discussion, as I have been looking into new options for adding RSS capabilities to the forum.
Thanks,
Matthew

 

[cflansbaum]

Hi Matthew,

I'm pretty big into the RSS feeds (I use Newsgator online).  I didn't realize there was a FOG feed...  I have just added it and will try reading the posts this way and provide feedback.

Carl

 

[Tom Wales]

Not being a a computer guy... I like the RSS feed . I try to check it twice a day. Otherwise the regular site is too big and hard to keep track of. Of course I'm sure there are better ways to keep on top of things, but this works for me. Thanks for all your work.
Tom

 

[clintholeman]

Matthew-

I think you're doing a great job with the FOG! and I still use a news aggregator.  It is really handy for scanning all the posts after one has spent some time in the shop

I tried the RSS feed on my browser and don't get any summaries that way.  Right now I'm using NetVibes and am really liking it. 

Thanks again for "THE FOG" 

 

[Matthew Schenker]

I'm pretty big into the RSS feeds (I use Newsgator online).  I didn't realize there was a FOG feed...  I have just added it and will try reading the posts this way and provide feedback.

Carl, let me know how it goes.  I am trying some new ways of doing RSS feeds from the forum and I want to hear how people use their readers.

Not being a a computer guy... I like the RSS feed . I try to check it twice a day. Otherwise the regular site is too big and hard to keep track of. Of course I'm sure there are better ways to keep on top of things, but this works for me.

Tom, thanks for the comments.  This is the kind of thing I am trying to keep updated on, so I know how to add functionality to the forum.  I don't use RSS feeds (just a personal choice), so I need to rely on members to tell me about it.  Has the current RSS feed from the forum worked well for you?

...I still use a news aggregator.  It is really handy for scanning all the posts after one has spent some time in the shop

I tried the RSS feed on my browser and don't get any summaries that way.  Right now I'm using NetVibes and am really liking it. 

Clint, thanks for the comments.  As I wrote above, please send me feedback on what you would like to see improved on the site regarding RSS.

Matthew

 

[Overtime]

I actually check the site, and click on the unread posts link like a lab rat at the crack button.

  I did not even know what an RSS was till now.  ???  Soooooooo that's what that little orange square thing with the curved lines Icon is.  : 

 

[Matthew Schenker]

I did not even know what an RSS was till now.  ???  Soooooooo that's what that little orange square thing with the curved lines Icon is.  : 

Just so we are clear what this is about.  When you see [attachimg=1] that means you can get an RSS "feed" from the page.

One of the things I'm considering is adding these to the forum, for easy feed subscriptions.

Matt

 

[clintholeman]

Matthew-

I love it just like it is.  I am able to see a brief sentence or two when I mouse over the post subject in the aggregator and then can decide if I want to read further, then I can open that post up on NetVibes, then if I have further interest, like posting, I go to The FOG with one click.

Not sure how it could be improved, other than it would be cool if I could see the pix when I go to the post on NetVibes - but then I might rarely get to the "real" FOG...  which I'm not sure is such a great idea. :-[ 

 

[Matthew Schenker]

...I am able to see a brief sentence or two when I mouse over the post subject in the aggregator and then can decide if I want to read further, then I can open that post up on NetVibes, then if I have further interest, like posting, I go to The FOG with one click.

Not sure how it could be improved, other than it would be cool if I could see the pix when I go to the post on NetVibes - but then I might rarely get to the "real" FOG...  which I'm not sure is such a great idea. :-[ 

Thanks for the feedback.  It sounds like you found a good balance between the "aggregator" and the literal forum.  Of course, my wish would be that everyone would jump into the forum itself, but I understand the convenience of RSS feeds.  From the small sample of respondents in the RSS poll, it sounds like the majority of members check in on the forum itself.

Matt

 

[cflansbaum]

ok, so it's been a few months now that I've been using Newsgater (my RSS reader) vs coming directly to the website.  Here's my feedback.

PRO: 
I now can see all the posts since my last "visit"  Even with Matthew increasing the "recent posts" to 100, I would routinely miss a lot of the current posts as they dropped off this list.

CON:
Everything is lumped together, so I have a lot of scanning to do.  Not a huge deal as this is the same as the "recent posts" list; but we do seem to be a chatty bunch!
Also reading from Newsgator doesn't add to my "Total time logged in" meter...

I am going to stay with using the RSS reader.  However Matthew what do you think of doing separate feeds for each of the forum areas.  I know this might be a bit more to setup and manage but this would organize it a bit more - but this is just an idea.

thanks

Carl

 

[Bugsysiegals]

What's the address I should use for RSS?

 

[Bugsysiegals]

NM, found it here ...http://festoolownersgroup.com/forum...ncreased-number-of-rss-feeds/msg4726/#msg4726