Syndication (RSS)
Web content syndication, which you might otherwise recognize by the abbreviation RSS, is a wonderful thing, and easy to use. This page briefly describes content syndication and how I make use of it here at wion.com so that you might make use of it too.
(The wion.com RSS links are at the end of this page if that’s all you need.)
Layman’s Overview of Web Content Syndication
Web content syndication is the process of reading, listening, or watching content in a place different than where the content was originally produced (the source location). This typically means you read, listen, or watch (collectively consume) content from another person’s web site in a manner more convenient for you, and perhaps much better (depending on the usability of the source web site), than at the source site itself. Establishing a connection with a source content provider is easy and only needs done once; thereafter, you keep your connections organized just like you would bookmarks in your browser.
Mild Technical Basics
To make web syndication happen, the source must provide a special XML syndication file called a feed (thus called because it feeds content to the consumer), and the consumer must have some kind of application that understands such feeds. These feed-reading applications are technically called aggregators, but most modern web browsers like Firefox work fine as feed reading applications with the help of an extension. Content owners who want to syndicate their content know they need to provide a feed file, so you shouldn’t worry about that. As a consumer, you only need to have an application that can serve as a feed reader. Thereafter you initially save your favorite feed locations like bookmarks so you can easily enjoy the content of your favorite sites without navigating anywhere on the web to do so.
Making Use of Syndication
See my other article on how to easily use Firefox and the Sage extension to save and enjoy feeds for your favorite syndicated content, all for free.
Wion.com Feed Links
Formats are currently RSS 2.0:
Joyent Hosting
Wion is hosted by Joyent, and will likely remain that way since I have a lifetime account with them on a shared Accelerator (something they call their servers). As long as Joyent stays in business and stays true to it’s lifetime members, I shouldn’t have need of new hosting services again.