Just downloaded and installed SharpReader and it took about 45 seconds to get it running. Great stuff. Easy to import feeds, and I think that just this moment I figured out the solution to my wanting access to my RSS feeds from every computer dilemma. (I absolutely love it when my bulbs go off, though I am also absolutely sure that they usually light up way behind everyone elses…) David Wiley has a post “A Beginner’s Guide to Joining the Instructional Technology Blog Scene” which highlights the use of RSS. He created an .opml file of all of the edubloggers he has on his list which I downloaded and imported into SharpReader. Voila, I had twenty feeds in a moment. Well, why can’t I just do that with my own feeds, then just import the .opml into the SharpReader install I have on each computer I use (only three, really.) And I could have the .opml and the SharpReader install online for “emergency” use if necessary. Duh.
Ok, now two things. First, how to create the .opml file, which I know I can do through the Manila. (I think I’ll need to create the list as a my subscriptions file and then grab the code, right?) Second, what do I do when I want to add to the list? I guess I just add it to my subscriptions and then reexport the code. A couple of steps, but still the easiest solution I can think of if I can’t get all of this to be Web based. And yes I know the Manila aggregator qualifies as that, but I just don’t like the lack of flexibility in terms of sorting and searching.
Now the only other problem is finding time to read all the stuff I’m going to aggregate, and even more, keep track of all the good stuff in here. Has anyone else noticed that as more and more thoughtful, smart, forward thinking educators latch on to this idea it gets harder and harder to keep up? I could do this full time, I swear.
UPDATE: Too easy. I now have an .opml file for all my student Web logs which I can read through Sharpreader AND click through to respond. AND, I realized that Sharpreader will export the .opml file of my list of feeds, so when I update it, I just upload it for import on my other machines. I am now officially overwhelmed.
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