About a week ago, I posted my need for wanting to stay in tuned with everyone's posts without having to go through the hassle of loading individual blog pages and wasting precious loading time all for there to be no updates when I get there. And that goes without saying how much time will I have to dive into if I've missed a couple days of blogrolling. It can get pretty overwhelming.
Like most, my laptop is loaded with things that just haven't been burned/deleted to free up resources. Yes, I'm lazy! Anyhow, I run off my 4-year old Dell Inspiron who has a tummy ache because of the photo storage diet she is on. My laptop is actually going into overtime as pictures accumulate because the pictures that comprise this blog are nil to the photo folder I have for my kids. I've actually been maintaining a website of my son's photos which updates weekly (at least I try) with pictures since the day he's been born. Most of those pictures are burned on CD, but I have about the last 6-months still stored on my C-Drive awaiting transfer to a CD. Again, I'm lazy, hah.
Well, thanks to lovely Mayaari, she suggested me to get a Google Reader since I already have my 'gangster'mail account with Google. Literally, it was the easiest thing I've ever done and I only wish EVERYTHING was just as easy. All you have to do is go to the Google Reader homepage, sign into your account, and start typing in URLs of the sites (not the feed address just the homepage address) you want to subscribe to, and voila! Done and done. If there's an update, the titles are bolded and even indicate how many new posts there are within that site and an overall count next to the folder they're all stored in (if you've done it that way).
I've also done some digging into the features and have found some other useful tools that Google Reader provides.
They have these two options in which you will be utilizing your bookmarks tab: 1) viewing your subscriptions and 2) subscribing to pages you run across and adding it to your Google Reader.
Viewing your subscriptions, just a 'drag' away
If you look up at the top of your browser, you should notice a Bookmarks drop-down menu. Here you can keep all your shortcuts, right? So after getting Google Reader setup, you've probably added it to your Bookmarks. Well, how about cutting out the middle man of going to Google Reader and just going directly to the feed of sites with new entries.
Google Reader calls it the 'Next Bookmark'. Basically when you click on the 'Next >>' link in the Bookmarks drop-down menu, it takes you directly to the next unread entry on the site you're subscribed to. When you're done, all you do is click 'Next >>' to view the next unread entry.
And again, it's easy. Once you're signed in, click on 'Manage Subscriptions', then the 'Goodies' tab, then drag the 'Next >>' button into your bookmarks. Ta-da!
Subscribing to pages you run across and adding it to your Google Reader
We're always being referred to other web pages. Whether its from new commenters, a recommendation from a fellow blog buddy, or just an interesting search, we can now add it to our reader again, without the middle man of having to go to Google Reader and 'add subscription'.
All you do now, is scroll down that 'Goodies' tab and drag the 'Subscribe...' button into your bookmarks. It's almost like magic!
So say you run across thislovelyblog.blogspot.com. You like it sooo much you want to view its contents on a regular basis without having to visit the page everytime to know what's going on. Well, not knowing the 'Subscribe...' option was available, you'd probably have to open up another screen, go to Google Reader and subscribe to this new site. Already easy, right?
This is life with the 'Subscribe...' button in your bookmarks. If you're on thislovelyblog.blogspot.com, click the 'Subscribe...' link from your bookmarks drop-down menu, it'll show you how it will look in your Google Reader which you then decide if you want to actually subscribe or not. If you want to proceed, then that's it. It's now part of your Google Reader reading collection. If not, then no harm done.
Other subscription services...
If you are utilizing another subscription service and the preceding seems like something that would make your life easier, then check to see if your subscription service has the same options. I imagine they would. But if they don't, then go to gmail.com, grab yourself a 'gangsta'mail address and enjoy being spoon fed, hah.
Oh, and to those that are wondering what the RSS feed link is for Blogger, simply scroll to the very bottom of the blog and you'll find: Subscribe to: Posts (Atom). Left-click on 'Posts (Atom)', click Copy Link Location, then paste this into your reader.
Allowing readers to subscribe to your blog...
I'm using Feedburner for this. Simply open an account with them, if you haven't already and enter the feed address of your site. You'll want to check out the Publicize Services once you're up and running and then take a look at Emailing Subscriptions. There you can manage your subscription options as well as the code to add the form to your site. Mine is on the right side if you want to take a look.
Well, folks. Hope this added some clarity for those on the fence about what to do in terms of subscribing, feeding, whatever you want to call it. I'm no expert in all this technical stuff, but hope I've provided some insight.
Aloha,
Mrs. Lynne
December 26, 2007
Subscribing and Offering Subscriptions
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3 makeovers:
hey mrs. lynn!!! you are the bomb! opening us up further to the magic of google reader! thank you!
See we are cosmic sisters! I was just thinking what how I am going to organize all these pictures. I'm so protective of my inspiron I have my music and Itunes on a separate 80gb slim hard drive, but it is kinda a pain because I have to hook it up every time I want to add songs or make changes. Also trying to decide on a photo editor. See posting in your blog ends up being a post for me LOL!
One thing that also makes it easier if you use IGOOGLE as your homepage you can put your reader on there and it will update the little box when ever somebody updates.
yummy411: Hey Yums! Girl, I got your back. If there is anything that can simplify our reading, especially with so many of us providing genuine and authentic information, I'm all about it and you can rest assure that I'm sharing!
Shawnta: I'm actually lucky that I don't have to keep music/movies on my laptop. Hubbo deals with all that on his laptop since he's the one continuously getting new stuff. Mine practically just houses the pictures.
I don't know if this would help you, but here is how I organize my pictures. I have a main folder titled 'Lynne'. In there, I have sub-folders titled according to dates for my FOTDs. I have a couple folders titled 'Hauls', 'Posts', etc.... and sub-folders in there according to dates. When I transfer my files from the digi to the laptop, I title them based on date and then transfer them to the corresponding folder. That way I have the information at hand. I should do a post on this, huh? Lol.
And iGoogle does make things easier. I played around with it when I was checking out the Google Reader features. I don't use it because I hardly ever pay attention to a homepage. I open up my Mozilla, then immediately type in the site address or click my bookmarks. Don't even think twice about the information on the front (shame on me..).
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