How Feeds Work
Tuesday 9th October 2007 05:46:38 PMI thought it'd be a good idea to give a brief run down on how feeds work since most people I speak to don't know what they're used for, and judging from my previous post (i.e "do you do feeds?") it might help a few people to get in the know.
The purpose of a feed is to push the content you want to you as soon as it becomes available, it's as simple as that really. Let's take our crazy doctors blog as an example (Bee, hope you don't mind - much, that is). Her blog feed is over at http://bongiammajee.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss and if you subscribe to it in a feed reader it'll let you know when she updates her blog, not only that but it'll also show you her most recent post.
Convenient, because you can have loads of feeds in your reader and it'll show you the posts of who's updated without having to check each and every website. The blog roll I have on this site does a similar thing.
Finding a feed is pretty straight forward as they're everywhere on the web right now and can be spotted by this icon 
either on the web page or on your browser's toolbar.
The next logical step would be to get a feed reader, the one I am using at the moment and recommend is Google Reader however there are many others out there such as Bloglines, Netvibes, and Page Flakes. It's always best using one you're comfortable with.
I always subscribe to blogs that are hosted on Blogger or Wordpress so I'll give you the feed URL structure for each one incase you can't find it on the site itself.
Blogger (using Bee as an example)
Posts = http://bongiammajee.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss
Comments for an individual post = http://bongiammajee.blogspot.com/feeds/2612254971940757728/comments/default
Recent comments = http://bongiammajee.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default
Wordpress (using Haleem as an example)
Posts = http://captainchaos.wordpress.com/feed/
Comments for an individual post = http://captainchaos.wordpress.com/2007/10/02/you-suck/feed/
Recent comments = http://captainchaos.wordpress.com/comments/feed/
All this talk about feeds is making me hungry, oh I know why ... it's because I'm fasting (can't believe I nearly forgot). This also reminds me the feeds for this blog are facuckered and need fixing, will get onto that asap. I get the feeling this is going to be the most boring post ever but I've written it now so ... and I ended writing quite a few lines aswell didn't I?
dude...that is so cool!
I really enjoy reding your posts as I learn a lot from them. I also broaden my thinking as far as what I can use and do with things
Thank you for sharing this! Just what I’ve been searching for. Great info!