SMM Do a Dozen Challenge

Learn about RSS and set up a Google Reader account

2006-10-22T14:33:00.000-05:00

An inbox for the web.
As a blogger for the Science Museum of Minnesota Buzz Blog, I need to find out about science news. I do this mainly by reading a dozen or two websites that specialize in science news every day. Going to each of these sites to find science information would take hours. Using what is referred to as an RSS feed reader (or aggregator), I can now access news from hundreds of websites by just going to one webpage. My Google Reader puts the information I want to see on one page organized with the most recent news on top. It even tell me how many minutes or hours old the news is. As I scroll down the page the "river of news" flows by. If I wish to see more of the article, with a click, the original webpage will load in another browser window.

Here are some blog posts to learn from:
Google Blog
Frequently asked questions about Google Reader
Google Reader Blog

Your assignment is to create a Google Reader account and subscribe to ten newsfeeds.
If you want to see my feeds click settings, then import, and paste this: http://www.google.com/reader/subscriptions/export
into the import box. Another feature is to click "share" under certain articles and they will be published for others to see. You can read Art's Shared Items here.

Creating your own blog

2006-10-22T13:01:00.001-05:00

Creating a blog using Blogger takes just three steps:

1. Create an account
2. Name your blog
3. Select your template.
Once you’ve created your blog here are two important things to know:

* To add posts: The maintenance interface that you will use to add posts, edit or change the step-up your blog is accessed online at http://www.blogger.com Be sure to write down your login and password.

* To view your blog: Your blog address is http://(xxxx).blogspot.com, (xxxx)=the unique identifier you entered in Step 2. Be sure to also write down your blog address.

If you run into problems or would like more information about blogs and using Blogger here are some discovery resources you can use:

* Freevlog’s Quicktime Tutorial: Setup a Free Blogger Blog Note: Ignore the opening comments about downloading Firefox if your PC doesn’t have it. This will work in Explorer just fine.
* Blogger’s Quick Tutorial

OK-now it is your turn.
1. Setup a blog for yourself through Blogger.

2. Add a test post or two.
Note: Use one of your test posts to create an entry about which habit among the 7 and 1/2 lifelong learning habits that is easiest and hardest for you & why.

3. Have fun!!!!

Note:I wish to give thanks and credit to PLCMC for this idea and tutorial.

The SMM "do-a-dozen" challenge

2006-10-22T12:25:00.000-05:00

I am creating this blog as part of the Science Museum of Minnesota's "do-a-dozen" challenge. I am know as ARTiFactor and am a blogger for the SMM Buzz Blog.