From Monachos.net
From January 2006, you can take advantage of an RSS/XML live 'feed' to keep abreast of the latest additions and changes to the Monachos.net web site. RSS feeds work together with your own reader client (or web-based reader) to keep dynamic track of new additions, allowing you to be informed of the newest articles, texts and studies on Monachos.net prior to visiting the web site directly.
For those with savvy in RSS/XML, you can drag the orange 'RSS' button below onto your reader client to establish the feed, or manually enter the URL of the feed it represents:
 http://www.monachos.net/rss.xml |
For newcomers to RSS, XML and Live Feeds:
'RSS' refers to the ability for web sites to syndicate their news-item related content, using a language called 'XML'. For the reader, this means that a client programme, called a reader, can be installed on your personal computer (or utilised via web-based readers, such as Google's) that scan various syndicated 'feeds', picking up information on new additions and changes, including links to those materials on their host sites. Many major new web sites (such as that of the BBC) employ RSS feeds to allow readers to scan the newest, live headlines, wihout actually visiting the site—clicking on links to be taken to full articles as interest demands.
On Monachos.net, an RSS feed is employed to syndicate our What's New page, containing summary information on new additions, changes and updates to the Monachos.net web site. This means that you can establish the Monachos.net What's New RSS feed in your reader, and receive live updates of all new materials on the web site as they are added—a handy resource for keeping abreast of new patristic source texts as they are added, new study and theological documents, et cetera. Each new item broadcasts a 'blurb' to your feed reader, briefly describing the new addition, and providing a link directly to the new material.
How do I do this?
In order to receive Monachos.net's RSS broadcasts, you will first need a feed reader. There are two types: downloadable, stand-alone client programmes that you install on your computer, and web-based readers that you access by visiting a configurable web site.
Downloadable client programmes: There are an extensive array of these available, many free, some for a fee. A listing of the most popular is found at Blogspace.com's readers list where you can download your preferred.
Web-based readers: Again, there are several web-based readers available. Perhaps the best of these is the GoogleReader which is easy to configure and use.
Once you've decided which reader to use, you need to subscribe to Monachos.net's What's New feed in order to receive broadcasts of new materials. Two general options are available:
- In some stand-alone reader programmes, you can drag-and-drop a feed button onto the reader to establish the feed. If this is the case with your reader, simply drag the Monachos.net feed button (the orange 'RSS' button at the end of this paragraph) onto your reader client to configure it:
- In other clients (including most web-based readers), you will need to establish the feed manually by entering the Feed URL in an appropriate subscription box. If your reader programme utilises such configuration, simply enter the Monachos.net feed's URL, which is as follows:
Once you've entered Monachos.net's feed into your reader by one of the two methods indicated above, and saved your settings by whatever the method your reader employs, your configuration is complete. Your reader will new receive broadcasts from Monachos.net and update you when new materials are added to the web site.
An additional option - A 'Live Bookmark' in Firefox:
As an additional feature, you can use Monachos.net's RSS feed to create a 'live bookmark' in Mozilla Firefox: that is, a dynamic bookmark collection in your browser that contains links to the newest materials on Monachos.net. To establish a live bookmark to Monachos.net's What's New feed, visit the What's New page in Firefox; once that page has loaded, look for the live bookmark icon in your Firefox browser (its exact location and form will vary depending on what theme you are using in Firefox—sometimes an orange or grey icon in the lower right-hand side of the window [in the Taskbar]; sometimes in the URL bar at the top of the window; or elsewhere). Single-click the live bookmark icon and a verification pop-up box will appear. Select 'OK' to accept the default name and details, and your live bookmark will be added.
If you cannot locate the live bookmark icon/button in Firefox, you can manually add a live bookmark. Select the 'Bookmarks' menu in Firefox, then 'Manage Bookmarks'. From the bookmark management window that appears, select the 'File' menu, then 'New Live Bookmark'. In the new entry box that appears, enter the following information:
- Name: Monachos.net - What's New
- Feed Location: http://www.monachos.net/rss.xml
- Description: Links to the newest additions to Monachos.net
Click 'Ok' to save the new live bookmark. You can then drag its location about in the bookmarks manager, to ensure that it is located where you wish in your bookmark structure.