EduTech Bits and Bytes

Introduction to RSS

2008-07-17T22:20:00.001-05:00

By now most of you have heard of RSS or have seen the RSS logo / icon on a website. It is difficult to find a professional website that does not have an RSS Feed option. This entry will attempt to explain what RSS is and how you can benefit from using RSS feeds for your own website and for getting content from other websites.

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. It is typically referred to as RSS, Site Feed, or Syndicated Feed. RSS has been around for several years. However, it has just started catching on in the past few years. RSS started becoming popular with Blogs and Forums. It is now very well ingrained on the web. Feedburner.com hosts almost 2,000,000 RSS feeds for various websites (as of July 2008).

The idea behind RSS is fairly simple. With the shear volume of tasks occupying our daily schedules, it can be a huge pain to check dozens of websites to see if they have been updated and what info the updates have. If you want to keep up with a tech blog from Cnet, publications from your local media outlets, and blogs from your peers or industry professionals, it can take a significant amount of your valuable time to check the sites daily (or throughout the day) to find out what is new. Years ago, before RSS was available for most sites, I would keep the sites I checked daily in a special bookmark folder. However, I often forgot to check many of those sites. Therefore, I could possibly have missed information that might have been important to me. RSS solves that dilemma. Really Simple Syndication brings the website updates (news stories, blog posts, etc.) to me. Saving me the trouble of remembering to check all of those sites.

To use RSS, you need two items: an RSS Reader and an RSS Feed.

RSS Readers are easy to come by. RSS Readers are available for Windows, Linux, and even Macs. There are hundreds of RSS readers available for download. The easiest program to use is probably one you already have in your software collection (at least I hope you have downloaded it by now). The Firefox web browser has an RSS reader built into the main browser. To use the Firefox RSS reader, simply go to a webpage with an available Site Feed. You will see this icon in the address line. Click on to Subscribe to the Feed. The Firefox has another icon to display all of your feeds in a sidebar on the left-side of the browser. If you are using Thunderbird for your Email Client, you can also subscribe to RSS Feeds with Thunderbird. Then when you check your email, you will also see any new Site Feeds that are available.

Finding sites with RSS Feeds is generally easy to do. Most sites that want it known that they have syndicated content will include an RSS logo somewhere on the page. Sometimes, you have to look for a link without a logo. The links will usually refer to "RSS", "Site Feed", "Syndicated Content", or "XML". Of course, if you are using Firefox 3 or higher, you will see the logo in the address bar if the page has an available feed, even if there is no link anywhere on the site about RSS.

So many topics, so little time

2008-07-17T18:55:00.001-05:00

I just checked my Outlook Notes. I still have over 60 older topics to cover before I start getting to more details with newer material.

Items that I intend to cover soon are ...

RSS
Wink
Twitter
Graphic Editing
Video Editing
Web Site Applications
Flash Editing
Social Network Tools
Streaming Video
Podcasting
OCR
Portable Applications

I may go ahead and periodically cover newer items while I am clearing my list.

Filezilla File Transfer Protocol (FTP) app

2008-07-17T18:35:00.001-05:00

If you need to use the FTP protocol to upload and download files from a file server, check out Filezilla.

There are two primary methods of transferring files over the internet: HTTP and FTP.

HTTP is the protocol used to transfer files from a web server to a local computer. This is how a website gets loaded onto your computer. HTTP is geared for transferring smaller files.

FTP is geared better for transferring larger files and multiple files. For many people, the only option to use FTP was using Internet Explorer's FTP option. This is OK for an occasional file transfer, but is a bit clunky. Filezilla fits my FTP needs perfectly (especially since Ipswitch stopped offering a free version of WS-FTP Lite). Filezilla is another quality Open Source Application. The interface is a split screen representing your local machine on the left and the file server on the right. Filezilla can handle FTP connections with a specific FTP account and Anonymous FTP. In addition, Filezilla can be used as a Portable App.

Download Filezilla here.

Quality WYSIWYG web page editing for Free

2008-07-17T15:59:00.003-05:00

Do you need a WYSIWYG web page editor? Check out Kompozer, an Open Source option for web page creation and editing.

Kompozer has many of the features found in Microsoft Frontpage, Adobe Dreamweaver, and other pricey web page development programs. Of course, since Kompozer is Open Source, it is free. In addition, Kompozer is designed for creating web pages without needing to know HTML coding.

Another Great Blogging Tool

2008-07-17T15:00:00.001-05:00

ScribeFire - Fire Up Your Blogging!

I have written about Windows Live Writer a couple of times. It is a great blogging tool.

I have recently found another great blogging tool, Scribfire. Scribefire is a Firefox extension that allows you to right-click on a website and blog about that site. In addition, Scribefire places an icon in the lower right corner of your Firefox screen. Clicking on this icon will bring up the Scribefire editing window.

The Scribefire editor allows you to enter the blog entry without logging into your blog. I am actually writing this blog entry using Scribefire.

Other features include, inserting images and media files. Like Windows Live Writer, Scribefire handles saving drafts for later editing & publishing, tags, and categories.

Click here to download Scribefire.

I love Windows Live Writer

2008-07-12T00:23:00.001-05:00

It is quickly becoming an indispensable blogging tool. Think of it as a Word Processor for blogging. I can easily start on a topic, then save it for later. I know Wordpress and Blogspot allow drafts to be saved, but WLW makes it tremendously easier.

One big advantage is that if I want to include the same post (like this one) to my multiple blogs, I can easily publish to one blog then publish to another and another (without re-typing any info).

Graphic Editing Software - GIMP

2008-07-12T00:04:00.001-05:00

OK, do you need to create a logo, touch up a photo, create a collage? Most people think of Adobe Photoshop for these tasks. In fact, Photoshop is often used as a verb when working with graphics.

Just let me photoshop it to remove the spots from that picture.

If you already have Adobe Photoshop and have knowledge on how to use it, then great. You have an extremely powerful tool at your disposal. However, for the rest of us who do not have $500 + to spend on a software program for the previous mentioned tasks, let me recommend GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program).

GIMP is yet another high quality Open Source application. GIMP's features rival most commercial graphic editing package's. Some of GIMP's features include ...

Painting
Photo Retouching
Advanced Layers and Channels
Animated Graphic Formats
Compatible with an Extensive Array of File Formats
Allows for plugins to be installed to increase the functionality of the program
Versions are available for Windows, Linux, and Mac
Extensive Tutorials are Available Online.

A Better Email Client

2008-07-11T23:47:00.001-05:00

So, how to you check your email?

If you have Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, AOL Mail, etc, you are probably using a web browser to check your email. If so, this post probably will not concern you (unless you use Gmail).

Most other types of email will have what is called POP3 access. If so, you might be using a webmail interface or using an email client.

The most popular email client in use by PC users is Outlook Express (OE). OE comes standard with Windows. It is a decent email client, but often susceptible to attacks (due to its popularity and how it handles emails and attachments). Others use Microsoft Outlook (as part of the MS Office Suites). Outlook is a useful program with a lot of features. Unfortunately, Outlook also has similar vulnerabilities as OE. Also, some corporate mail systems require Outlook. Therefore many corporate mail users must use Outlook for their email systems.

For those PC users who want a safer email reader for their POP3 email, the best alternative is Mozilla's Thunderbird. Thunderbird is an Open Source email client from the same development team who brought us Mozilla Firefox.

Thunderbird has several advantages over OE. First, it is somewhat safer in how it handles email and attachments. Second, it includes a RSS Feed Reader (more on this later), Third, it can be run as a Portable Application (more on this later). Finally, its data files are easier to locate and backup than OE's.

By the way, if you are a Gmail user, you can setup your Gmail account in Thunderbird to use POP3 email readers.

Web Browsers

2008-07-11T17:08:00.001-05:00

So, what do you use as your primary browser? For better or worse, you have several choices for web browsing.

Most PC users are still using Internet Explorer. However, over the past year I have noticed more and more mainstream PC users begin to use Firefox. Firefox is my current default browser. However, it is not my only browser. I also use Internet Explorer and Opera (depending on my task).

Why do I prefer Firefox? Its not because I am anti-Microsoft. In fact, I like a lot of Microsoft products. I like Firefox 3's performance and optional plugins to enhance my web browsing. Thanks to the support of the Open Source Community, there are hundreds of additional plugins for Firefox that add functionality to basic browsing.

Affordable (Free) Audio Editing

2008-07-11T16:11:00.001-05:00

If you need to record and edit audio on a PC, you have plenty of choices. Some are good; some are junk. Some are fairly inexpensive; others are extremely cost prohibitive to anyone without the last name of Jobs or Trump.

My main audio editor of choice is Audacity. It is an Open Source (FREE!!!) audio editor for Windows, Linux, and Mac.

You can use Audacity to:

Record live audio.

Convert tapes and records into digital recordings or CDs.

Edit Ogg Vorbis, MP3, WAV or AIFF sound files.

Cut, copy, splice or mix sounds together.

Change the speed or pitch of a recording.

And more! See the complete list of features.

Open Office

2008-07-09T23:31:00.001-05:00

By now, most people have heard of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access). MS Office can be found on most business computers (hopefully legally). In addition, most schools require students to use Office for many of their assignments. However, not all computers come with a fully functional copy of MS Office. By fully functional, I am not referring to Microsoft's trialware version of Office which allows people to use the software for a specific # of days. I have lost count of the # of people who thought that the computer they purchased last year came with MS Office for free, then did not understand why MS Office stopped working after the trialware expired.

If you really want MS Office, then you can pay the $100 + to upgrade your trialware version or pay $200 to $400 for a full version (depending on the exact Office package you purchase). Or you can go to www.openoffice.org to download a free version of an Office Productivity Suite that is compatible with the common MS Office applications.

Advantages of using Open Office:

Free
Less vulnerable to attacks than MS Office applications
Large array of file compatibility
Ability to save files as PDF's
Ability to save presentations as Flash SWF files
Open and Save files in Word, Excel, and Powerpoint formats.
Ability to be run as a "Portable App" (more on this in a later post)

Is Open Office for you? That depends on your needs and wants. Most people who have Microsoft Office do not come close to fully utilizing the program's capabilities. In many cases, Open Office will more than enough cover individual needs in an office productivity package. If you want a program that has all of the same eye candy and bells and whistles of Microsoft Office 2007, then Open Office 2.x will not fit that bill. You should go ahead and purchase MS Office 2007. On my personal laptops, I still use Microsoft Office 2003 for most of my office productivity work. However, I also use Open Office as well. On computers that I do not already have a Microsoft Office license to install, then Open Office is an excellent and very cost effective alternative.

Open Source Software (Part 2)

2008-07-09T16:31:00.001-05:00

Free TV!

Free Gas!

Free Software!

Ok, how many times do you read about or see something on TV or the Internet about Free Stuff? Now, how many of those "free deals" do you think are actually free? While it is true that "free", is usually equated with "too good to be true", this is not always the case with computer software. Below I will detail some differences among common types of "free" software.

Free to Download, but...

Sharware is a common category of software available for downloading via the internet. Shareware is software that is distributed by the honor system. Most shareware delivered free of charge, but the author may require payment in order to continue to use the software. In some cases, payment may be required in order to unlock extra features. Like freeware, the source code is not made available. Some shareware programs also include Spyware and Adware. Therefore, when you use shareware applications, you do not know exactly what might be happening behind the scenes. If you decide to try out Shareware programs... 1.) be sure to keep your anti-virus software up to date, and 2.) Download and Use Shareware sparingly. The more software you download and install in Windows, the slower your system will become (more on this in a later post).

Freeware is software given away for free by the author. The source code for the software is not made available. Like Shareware, Freeware might also contain Spyware and Adware. Therefore, when you use freeware applications, you do not know exactly what might be happening behind the scenes.

Illegally shared software is another option. I will not go into much detail on this. However, I like to use this analogy...

You have just played an intense game of basketball outside in 95 degrees. You see a refreshing bottle of a sports drink on a park table. A local radio station was giving away sports drinks about an hour ago. This bottle has the radio station's sticker on it, so you know this is one of their free drinks. No one is around and you are really thirsty. Since the drinks were free and the people sitting at the table have left, you don't feel bad about using that drink to refresh yourself. When you pick up the drink, you notice the cap is loose and the safety seal on the cap has been broken. You examine the level of liquid and cannot tell if any one has taken a drink or not.

Now, would you take a drink from the bottle? Hopefully your answer is a definite "NO". If I ask why not, most responses might be something like ...

I don't know who was drinking from it.

I don't know if the drink has backwash in it.

If so, then why would you download software from someone you do not know. Who knows what type of Spyware, Adware, Trojan Horse, Worm, Virus, or other Malware might be attached to that program.

This leads to the really Free Software

Open Source is free by definition. If the author puts software out as open source, but then says you can use it for 10 days and then must pay $25, this is not open source. In addition, software authors must make the source code of the program available to the public. While most of us will look at the source code and not know what it means, the developer community will usually pick apart any malicious open source software. Word will get out about bad code in the program. Therefore, open source applications tend to be safer to use. With this said, this does not mean that some bad software might slip through the cracks. So, be sure to keep your anti-virus software up to date. Also, just because it is open source, does not mean the program is free from bugs or will not be incompatible with your other applications. As with all software, be careful what you install and how often. Your computer will tend to slow down the more you install software on it.

Bottom Line...

Some Freeware is good, some is bad.
Some Shareware is good, some is bad.
Some Open Source Software is good, some is bad. However, I feel a lot safer using Open Source than they other two types.

Open Source Software (Part 1)

2008-07-09T15:28:00.001-05:00

Have you ever wanted to perform a specific task on your computer, but found that the cost of most of the professional software out there was your biggest roadblock? If so, the Open Source community can probably provide you with a very cost effective solution.

The Open Source community consists of software developers who work together to provide a wide variety free software applications. Some of the open source software you come across might seem buggy and amateurish, but a lot of open source software is well written and of professional quality. The quality will vary depending on the project's popularity. Popular projects such as Linux and OpenOffice get a lot of attention; therefore also get a lot of development time. Current versions of Linux (Operating System) and OpenOffice (Productivity Suite) rival the quality of Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office.

By definition, Open Source Software is free. So if you need software to fulfill a need, try searching on your topic and including "open source" in the search string. For example, if I am looking for Graphic Editing Software on Google, I will get links to several programs from Adobe and Corel*. However, if I alter my Google search for Graphic Editing Open Source Software, the first result if GIMP, an open source graphic editing package.

* Search Engine Results are likely to change by the team you read this post, but you should get the general idea.

Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats

2008-07-09T11:57:00.001-05:00

Do you have problems opening up Microsoft Office 2007 files because you are still running Office 2003? I am constantly getting .DOCX files from people using 2007. I (and several million other Office users) and sticking with Office 2003. Instead of asking the Office 2007 users to re-save their files in the more broadly compatible format for Office 97 - 2003, I use Microsoft's Office Compatibility Pack to convert the files to the 2003 format.

Click Below to download the Conversion Utility from Microsoft.
Download details: Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats

Get a handle on your Instant Message Accounts

2008-07-08T19:21:00.001-05:00

Do you use instant messengers? Do all of your relatives, friends, and colleagues use the same messenger service?

If you are like me, you have some contacts using AIM, some using MSN, some using Yahoo, etc.

One solution is to download and install the messaging app for each. This can be a pain to keep up with. This also means that each messaging client must be running to get messages, thus eating up your system's resources.

The better solution is to use an application designed to connect with multiple messenger services. I have used Trillian, Miranda IM, and Pidgin. Trillian looked pretty and worked pretty well, but it seemed to bog down my computer. Miranda was nice and simple, but rather plain. Pidgin seems to be the best in performance and quality of experience. I am not dogging the others (so don't send any hate messages just because you prefer one of the other two). Pidgin is an open source application formerly known as GAIM. Pidgin connects to the following ...

AIM
MSN
IRC
Yahoo
ICQ
Myspace IM
Google Talk
And several others (see a full list here).

Windows Live Writer

2008-07-08T17:45:00.001-05:00

Windows Live Write (WLW) is a free tool for creating blog posts offline. WLW is a Microsoft program created to work with Microsoft's Windows Live blogging services. However, it also works with several other blog hosting services(like blogger.com) and blog apps (Wordpress). With WLW, you can create a draft, save the draft for later editing, and publish your entry from the program, without having to navigate your blogging software.

Download it here.

First Post

2008-07-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the EduTech Bits and Bytes Blog.

My first few posts will not be covering any new tech items. Instead, I will be covering various tech items I have used over the past two years.

The first topic to discuss is blogging. Since you are reading this, you are probably already aware of blogging. However, in case you just found this post by accident or random search engine surfing, I will give a brief overview of blogging.

A blog is basically an online journal used to communicate your ideas, information, opinions, etc. to others.

If you want to start blogging, you have several free options. These include using blog hosting sites...

Blogger.com
Wordpress.com
Windows Live Spaces
LiveJournal
Dozens of others

Each of the above Blog Hosts have fairly easy setup steps which will allow you to begin blogging within a few minutes.

Another option is to use hosted webspace along with a purchased domain name. Then install blogging software on your webspace. Wordpress.org offers free blogging software.

Which option should you use? This will vary. For most people, the best option is to use a service, such as blogger.com. Let the hosting services do most of the work for you with no out of pocket costs. However, if you are web development savvy, want your own domain name, want more control over the look & feel of your blog, and do not mind paying for your space & domain name, then hosting your own blog is for you.

On a personal note, I use Blogger.com for some items (such as this blog) and use purchased webspace for my classroom web sites.