[PART-2 / 2] : Opt to Receive blog updates by 'RSS Feeds Syndication' or 'Mailbox Subscription' methods?

NOTE:- THIS POST IS THE CONCLUDING PART (PART-2  OF 2) UNDER THIS POST MESSAGE THREAD.  THOSE, NOT HAVING READ THE PART-1 OF THE POST, MAY GO THROUGH THE SAME CLICKING HERE.

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PREVIEW TO PART-1 OF THE POST

In the first part of this post, we discussed about the often asked query of many of our readers and visitors asking:

• How to choose the right & apt method of receiving our blog's Updates?
  
• Asking which method of of 'Email Subscription' method or 'RSS Feeds Syndication' method was having an edge over another?  
• Seeking guidance & explanation as what is RSS Feeds Syndication, and how to install them / subscribe to them.

We had explained in the said previous part of the post that Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is a service which is a simplistic means of offering content feeds of a website or a blog or any electronic data server in XML format to its visitors who desire to receive its updates on third party websites and/or web browsers and/or web applications. We had also suggested to read a good tutorial about RSS available on the internet published by Mark Nottingham.

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FACTORS PRIMARILY INFLUENCING WHICH METHOD IS GOOD FOR AN END USER (SUBSCRIBER)

Since the End User (Subscriber) is the KING of any service oriented field, the parameters influencing his/her decision are of prime concern to any web-publisher (or any business strategy, for that matter of fact!). These parameters play a key role in letting the end user (subscriber) take a decision as which method would be suitable to him/her, which in turn, is largely based upon the various external conditions that the end user would be subjected to while accessing the updates.

Team BRICKS-n-MORTAR hereby analyze, deliberate and tabulate hereunder the key decision parameters which an end user can deliberate upon while taking a decision as which method of receiving web updates be more suiting to him/her:

MAJOR DECISION PARAMETERS THAT ONE MAY ANALYZE TO CHOOSE WHICH SUBSCRIPTION METHOD IS SUITABLE FOR HIM/HER FOR RECEIVING WEB CONTENT UPDATES FROM HIS/HER FAVORITE WEBSITES / BLOGS
Sn.	Decision Parameter	RSS Feed method	Email subscription method	Remarks
1.	Subscriber's control over the updates/content received	Full control for the moment-- in terms of the latest content being presented to the subscriber whenever he/she accesses the feeds over a electronic medium connected to internet.	Full control over the content -- in terms of all the desired web content being delivered directly into the end user's desired mailbox, as and when the content is published in the host website.	Decision may be taken by the end user depending upon whether he/she desires full control over the 'content available for the moment' OR full control over the 'content made available in entirety'.
2.	Subscriber's comfort and time factor	End user can log in to the RSS feed service once he/she is connected to an internet connection. Feeds/ Updates can then be read till the time one is connected to the net. (People using offline web content downloading however are an exception to this case).	Subscribers can go through to the received updates at their own behest and leisure as the content is available in their very own mailbox.	Both methods have pros and cons over one another. It entirely depends upon end users' habits, internet connection availability and intention how the content is going to be utilized that act as guiding principle.
3.	Subscriber's ease to browse content	One can perhaps read only the latest (recently available) content by this method, which is guided primarily by the settings of the web-content publishers and/or the capacity of the RSS Feeds reader/ browser.	Since the subscribers have the content available in their very own mailbox, they can access and utilize the content as and when desired.	The content is essentially momentary in case of RSS Feeds method, while it is available anytime in user's inbox till the time he/she decides to delete it in case of Email subscription method.
4.	Subscriber's choice/ limitation over disk space	For accessing content syndication over web browsers, the end users need not worry about the local computers' disk space as the content is available over the world wide web for that particular moment of time, and is not eating-up the personal quota of inbox/ webspace.	Opting the web content to be received through Email Subscription method calls for an end user to receive the content delivered electronically to his/her mailbox, thereby eating up the disk space and/or webspace (inbox) quota	One can decide on this parameter depending upon his/her preference for the availability of content vis-à-vis factor as how much disk space is available with them. Obviously, for those who don't have disk space worries, are more likely to opt for Email Subscription method.

--> 5. End user's reliance on the internet / mail service provider
Usually requires an internet connection to access the feeds over the web browser or other web applications installed in one's computer. Requires an internet connection for accessing email services hosted by websites (like gmail, yahoo! mail, and the likes). HOWEVER, for email client platforms serviced by server based internet connections (like thunderbird, outlook express, etc.), one does not need to open the web browsers, and therefore, do not need active internet connection on their workstations all the time. Again, both methods have an edge over the other depending upon end users' email clients and/or email services and internet connections availability. 6. Ease of use, Technology-wise
One need to learn and understand pulling the desired link-feed URL that one intends to subscribe to, and install/ plug it in the desired RSS reader program (whether over web browsers or over installed web applications on personal systems). One need not be a tech-geek to receive updates by Email Subscription method as there are no feed URLs to be plucked and no feed syndication applications and installed.
One can simply receive desired web content subscribed by submitting his/her email address followed by validating the authenticity of the same once a email address verification mailer is sent by the publishing website/ blog. For those who understand technology better, RSS Feeds subscription should not be a problem at all, as it only requires a few basic steps.
Otherwise, for all non-geek kinds, Email subscription is the simplest way to received web content updates.

SUMMING IT UP IN SIMPLE TERMS FOR THE BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF OUR READERS

In a nutshell...

• If one desires to receive web content updates of his/her favorite websites / blogs, one may choose either of the two OR through both the methods of receiving updates, i.e., by RSS feeds syndication method as well as by Email Subscription method
• Majority of the modern-day internet users use both the methods of receiving updates.
  
• While updates from general topics oriented/ news/ current affairs/ and similar websites are usually subscribed and read using RSS Feed Syndication Readers (like My Google, My Yahoo, Bloglines, FeedDemon, NewsFire, RSSOwl, etc.). These readers could be web browser based services or local PC installed applications too. The updates could also be subscribed in the form of XML, which readers with a reasonable tech-geek-skills usually use.
• Subscription by Email delivery method is by far the easiest and least tech-knowledge-requiring method.
  
• All in all, its the major decision parameters as listed in the table above, that need to be deliberated upon by anyone who desires to receive updates by either or both of the methods.
  
• One should choose the method which he/she feels would help him/her the most in utilizing the matter and would require the least of his/her attention in streamlining, accessing and managing the stuff.
  

ALL THE BEST to all of you who are about to take the first ever step opting for web content syndication (publishing and/or receiving content).  Do ask us in case you need any other information / assistance from our end.

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SPECIAL END NOTES:

Note-A:

By the way, would like to pay a mention to the efforts of various web developers and eminent bloggers alike to generate awareness among netizens about the usefulness of RSS feed syndication towards which every 1st of May is being observed as RSS Awareness Day. Check out dailyblogtips' founder Daniel Scocco's post relating to this RSS Awareness Day for more insight on this topic.

Note-B:

THIS BLOG POST COMPRISES OF TWO PARTS, viz., Part-1 and Part-2, with respective hyperlinks being provided hereunder for ready reference to the readers to any of the two posts:

• [PART-1 / 2] : Opt to Receive blog updates by 'RSS Feeds Syndication' or 'Mailbox Subscription' methods?

• [PART-2 / 2] : Opt to Receive blog updates by 'RSS Feeds Syndication' or 'Mailbox Subscription' methods?

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