How I Follow Blogs - The Magic of RSS

[Target9000]

Have you wanted to follow sailing blogs? Lots of them? Do you always want to read more? Do you not know where or how to start? Do you enjoy variety?

If yes....

I thought I would share how I primarily follow blogs. I follow over 130 blogs and do it easily without having to check in on each blog all the time. How is it possible? RSS feeds.

How do you use RSS? What is it and how to get started? RSS is simply a fancy term for an easy way to "aggregate". That means if there is an RSS feed or link for something you can add it to your aggregate. What is your aggregate?

I use google reader. Anyone with a google account or gmail account can log in and go to http://www.google.com/reader and use it. What does it do?

Anytime a post is made on any of the blogs you follow, a new item will appear there automatically letting you know. This makes it easy and convient to follow a lot of blogs at once.

Sounds daunting but I can help you get started. If you go into google reader and go to the settings -> Import/Export portion, you can upload a file of RSS feeds. I'll share mine so you can upload it to start out. You can download it here:
google-reader-subscriptions.xml

Just upload it as noted in the steps above and you'll have an easy way to browse and stay up to date on a LOT of blogs. Its easy to add and remove blogs too.

Hope this helps satiate some of the other heavy readers like myself that might not have known about RSS or how to use it.

[Sandero]

hahahaha you didn't explain how you *follow* a blog... as opposed to reading it.

[Richard Jordan]

Good tip. I love RSS too. I even use it for CF.

[Cormorant]

Thanks, Target9000. I had heard of RSS but never really used it. I have imported your subscription list. AWESOME! Now . . . now it'll be a miracle if I ever get any work done.

[Target9000]

Glad you guys enjoy it. I claim no responsibility for lost work hours due to this thread!