One of the key problems with the internet is the fact that you never get to really interact with the people whose services you are using. This might mean a company or person is misrepresented, either to their benefit or detriment. Chat rooms amplify the problem on a personal level but all “clicks only” present an image that may, or may not, represent reality.
Google is trying to overcome that problem within it’s own company with their Google Space initiative - a retail type stand at major UK airports. They’ve rightly noticed that at airports you have “dead time” with little to do. Shopping isn’t always a great idea but surfing, checking email and forums just might be. (more…)
A quick search on Google came up with this free service to intelligently parse an RSS feed into a javascript feed.
You don’t have full control of the layout but for most of us it will be more than enough. (more…)
CaRP is a “Caching RSS Parser“, thus it’s name. It comes in a variety of flavours but I tested the free version.
The only problem I had was that my host had safe mode turned on and that caused some problems in the “installation” - creating the cache folders but the manual instructions did the trick.
The scripts come with an install and example page. To get real value check their online examples which show how you can combine two feeds and take the most recent, for example. (more…)
I’ve worked with DOMIT! because it’s part of the Mambo and Joomla CMS systems so I expected this to be a doddle. Sorry, it wasn’t. There were 2 undefined constants and one code defect which all took time to identify.
There is no doubt that the code in DOMIT! is far more exhaustive than that of Magpie but, really, you don’t need it if all you’re planning to do is parse an RSS onto a webpage. (more…)
Magpie RSS is an RSS parser available free from SourceForge.
It consists of a handful of scripts which sit on your site and creates a cache file which needs to be chmod’d to 755 or 777 - you may need to use your FTP tool to do that - or Magpie may do it for you.
So, what do you need to do? (more…)
This is the main page of a series (yet to be written) of How-To guides for adding RSS feeds to your website.
It’ll cover HTML and PHP scripted sites and all the tools will be free to use.
Why HTML? Well, some blogging systems and the Blogger sites don’t allow the user to add serverside scripts. Poop to them, but until they relax or allow some controlled way around it then those sites need to be treated as pure HTML.
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So say the lights at Alek’s house.
Alek is one of the genuinely nice characters on the web. Our paths don’t cross often but when they do you pay attention. His trademarks are a big blow up “Hulk” and two smiling cherubic boys.
A couple of years ago he launched a system of controlling the Xmas lights that adorn his house via the internet. It was a hoax back then, but is it now? Take a look and decide for yourself!
But why does he do it? Well the cherubs have Celiac disease and, I gather, we’ll be hearing more about it as the years go by. It’s one of the big problems of a western diet that over-consumes breads and pastas.
So Alek is using the high profile of his Christmas Lights to sell advertising - with the ad fees being paid directly to University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research (UMBF). If you can help please do so, and read a bit more about celiac disease, I’ve a feeling we’ll be hearing more about it.
