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Technical Corner

Do you have a technology idea? Is there a way to better utilize technology to reach more people? We want to hear from you.

Audioblog

Blog entries that feature audio files appear in the audioblog. To learn how to use iTunes to listen to this content, see the Podcasts section lower on this page.

Blog Feed

When a user signs up for our blog feed, he or she will be notified each time there is new content added to the blog. Here's how it works. When the content on the blog is updated, the blog will automatically send as XML file that contains an excerpt of the new content and a link to the updated Web page. Users can access the XML file by signing up for an RSS reader. (You can find one at www.bloglines.com.) That way, you don't have to constantly scour the blog in search of new content; the blog notifies you when new content is added, and by clicking on the link, you can go directly to that new content.

Blogroll

A blogroll is a collection of links to other blogs. These are the blogs that we consider interesting, but not necessarily the blogs that we endorse. That is, in listing a blog on our blogroll, we do not necessarily endorse what is said on the blog. It's simply a link to content that you might find helpful and useful.

Citizen Journalism

A citizen journalist is someone who acts as a journalist while not employed by a journalistic agency. This includes bloggers and podcasters, many of whom uncover scandals, opine on relevant issues, and point to important facts — just as professional journalists do.

del.icio.us

Think of del.icio.us as a "favorites list": your del.icio.us page features the URLs that you find most interesting. Others can view your page and check out your URLs. If they like a URL, they then add it their del.icio.us pages, where others can in turn view them add them, so on and so forth.

What makes del.icio.us so easy to use is that you can categorize your URLs by assigning them "tags." These tags indicate the theme of the URL — is it a Chicago Bulls fansite? A blog that focuses on economics issues? An underground news site? When a user wants to find sites of any sort, he or she types in a given tag word. del.icio.us then guides that user to those del.icio.us pages that feature such sites.

Flickr

Flickr is essentially a photo-sharing site. Member of our community can go to Flickr and post photos from events with Senator and Mrs. Edwards or any other photos that might be appropriate.

The beauty of Flickr is that it allows people to tag photos. So if you attended an event with Senator Edwards in Topeka, Kansas, you might want to put the tags as follows: John Edwards, Topeka, Kansas. So when people search for John Edwards, they will find that photo.

Folksonomy

Think of folksonomy as people-powered way of organizing the Internet. Instead of algorithims, people can take control, using various tools and tricks. For example, Flickr (mentioned above) is based on folksonomy. Think of del.icio.us.

Permalink

Permalink is short for "Permanent link." The Permalink links directly to a particular blog post. So if you want to refer others to a particular post, be sure to copy-and-paste the post's Permalink in your message. With one click, your readers will be able to view the post you're referring to.

Ping

A "ping" is form of communication between two websites. Here's where it fits in. When you're reading a blog entry on Blog X, you can click on "TrackBack" to see any other blog entries that refer to the entry you're reading. How does it work? When another blogger on Blog Y writes a post about an entry on Blog X, that blogger can send a "ping" that indicates to Blog X that Blog Y has a related entry. Blog X's TrackBack system registers that ping and creates a link to Blog Y's entry in the TrackBack section.

Podcasts

About podcasting

Briefly, the word podcasting comes from two words: iPod and broadcasting. Although the word is derived from iPod, you do NOT need an iPod to listen to the audio program. Any device that can play an MP3 file will work.

In fact, you do not even need a dedicated MP3 player. All you need to listen to the audio program is an Internet connection (preferably broadband), a computer, and speakers or headphones. If you have a dial-up connection, you may experience significant download time depending on the size of the audio file.

In other words, a podcast is simply an MP3 audio file that you can download from the Internet. Once the MP3 audio file has been downloaded, you can either listen to it from your computer or you can transfer it to your MP3 player — which is great because you ultimately decide when and where you want to listen to it.

What makes podcasting special?

If you have a portable media player (like an iPod) and you want FREE content delivered automatically to you, then podcasting is for YOU.

Two easy steps to get started using iTunes

1. Download free iTunes software version 6.01 or greater. (It is free and available for both Macs & PCs.)
2. Click on the following button:

You will then be automatically subscribed in your copy of iTunes. When you launch your podcasting application it automatically downloads the John Edwards Podcast each time a new show is made available to your computer and syncs it with your portable media player (like an iPod). When you dock your portable media player, it will be updated with the latest podcast.

Three steps for subscribing with other podcasting software

1. Download podcasting software (Juice, iPodderX, Doppler).
2. Using the podcast software, subscribe to the John Edwards Podcast. You will need to right click or control click and copy the following link: http://jre.gigliwood.com/podcast.xml.
3. You can then paste this address to the podcast software so that it is one of your "subscribed feeds."

RSS

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication.

RSS works similarly to email updates. When you sign up for email updates on CNN.com, for example, you are telling CNN.com to send you an email any time a particular sort of article (e.g. an article about "John Edwards," or an article about the "minimum wage") is published on the site. It works the same way with RSS. When you sign up for the John Edwards RSS updates, our website will automatically send you a notice each time new content is added to the site. Instead of sending it to your email inbox, it will send the notice to your chosen RSS reader (more about RSS readers below). These notices: (a) tell you that new content has been added to the site, and (b) provide you with a link to the content in case you are interested in seeing it. That way you don't have to scour your favorite websites all the time for new content. The websites send you an RSS notice (aka an "RSS feed") every time that new content has been added, and all you have to do is click on the notice and boom — the new content is at your fingertips.

What is an RSS reader?

An RSS reader is -- continuing with the email analogy -- the inbox that receives any RSS notices for which you have signed up. So, let's say you've signed up for the John Edwards RSS feed, the Democratic National Committee RSS feed, and the MoveOn.org RSS feed. Every time any one of those sites has new content -— a new article, a new blog post, a new podcast, whatever -— you will get a notice from that website telling you that this new content has been added. When you go to check your RSS reader, you'll see all of your notices in a list, just like emails in an inbox. You click on the notices you want to read, and you ignore the notices you don't care to read.

How can I get an RSS reader?

There are many options. In fact, you might already have an RSS reader, you just don't know it. Some cell phones include RSS applications. Some browsers —- like Firefox and Apple's Safari —- have this functionality. Perhaps the simplest way is to go to a website that specializes in gathering and distributing RSS notices to its users. One example is "bloglines" (www.bloglines.com). At bloglines, you can sign up for your own RSS reader (aka an "aggregator"). After going through a very painless registration process, you will be outfitted with your own aggregator. You then tell the aggregator which RSS notices you want to receive — for example, the John Edwards Blog, DNC, MoveOn, etc. From that point forward, your aggregator will receive and store all RSS notices from those sites so that you can view them the next time you visit.

Another option is to download an RSS reader from Pluck (www.pluck.com). Like bloglines, the process is very painless, and thanks to their helpful instructions, you'll be up and running in no time.

Just remember — your RSS reader is like an email inbox, except instead of receiving "emails," you're receiving RSS notices from providers (websites, blogs) that you've subscribed to. These notices tell you when new content has been added to your chosen sites, and they provide you with a link to that content in case you are interested in checking it out. It's very simple and very helpful, and we expect that in the next few years everyone will be using it.

Skype

Skype (pronounced to rhyme with "ripe") is a peer-to-peer Internet telephony (VoIP) network, founded by Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis, the creators of Kazaa. Skype users can speak to other Skype users for free, call traditional telephone numbers for a fee (SkypeOut), receive calls from traditional phones (SkypeIn), and receive voicemail messages.

Tags

Tags are keywords that appear under the title of a blog entry or a diary entry. An entry's tags are created by the entry's author. Tags serve two major purposes: (1) by reading a entry's tags, a reader gets a sense of what the entry is about, and (2) by clicking on tags, a reader can read other entries that feature the same tag. Say you are reading an entry that has these tags: "poverty," "Senator Edwards," and "minimum wage." If you click on the "poverty" tag, you will be taken to a page that shows all other entries that feature the "poverty" tag. Likewise, if you click on the "Senator Edwards" tag or the "minimum wage" tag, you'll be taken to all other entries that have those tags. As such, tags allow you to view all entries that pertain to a given topic or issue.

Technorati

Technorati is an Internet search engine focused on the world of weblogs. As of December 2006, Technorati indexes over 63.2 million blogs. Technorati was founded by Dave Sifry and is headquartered in San Francisco, California, USA.

TrackBack

Think of TrackBack as a "Related Articles" feature. When you've finished reading an entry on Blog X, that entry's "TrackBack" feature shows you a list of other blogs that have commented on that entry from Blog X, or have addressed the same issue that said entry addresses.

So, if you are reading a blog entry by Senator Edwards that addresses the minimum wage, then the TrackBack for that entry will show links to: (a) other blogs that have commented on the entry, and (b) other blogs that comment on the minimum wage.

How does it work?

Here's a quick overview. If I write an entry on Blog Y that refers to Senator Edwards' minimum wage entry, Blog Y can send a "ping" — an online notification — to the John Edwards Blog's TrackBack system. That ping tells the system that my blog — Blog Y — has a blog entry that is related to the Senator's entry. When the John Edwards Blog's TrackBack system receives this ping, it will automatically place a link to Blog Y on the TrackBack page for the Senator's entry.

The purpose of TrackBack is to allow users to find other blog entries that relate to the blog entry you are reading. These other entries either: (a) address the specific entry you are reading, or (b) they address the same issue that the entry you are reading addresses.

Video Blog

Video blogging allows individuals to post video diaries online. In these diaries, an individual might ask questions he or she hopes will be answered. The diaries can also be used to express opinions or convey information.

Vlog

A vlog is technically a video blog, in that blog entries are recorded as video. This is different than video in a blog, which may be any video content which is attached to a more traditional blog entry. There is currently debate within the vogging community as to which of these definitions is correct, and several manifestos, some delivered as video, have tried to address this question.

XML

Think of XML as a universal language for computers — no matter what operating system you use, and no matter what sort of browser you use, your computer will be able to read and understand an XML file. This is useful for RSS and other types of blog feeds, because instead of having to format those feeds for the many sorts of systems that are out there, a site can just send out one XML file.

How You Can Take Action

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From the Blog

• Thank you for being part of our online community!
• An Open Thread
• A Message from John
• An Open Thread
• Coast-to-Coast

Upcoming Events

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• Edwards Calls On Congress To Help States Manage State Budget Deficits - Including Up To $375 Million For Missouri's Looming Budget Crisis
• Edwards Response To The State Of The Union Address
• Edwards Statement On 2007 Increase In Union Membership
• Edwards Campaign Breaks Online Fundraising Record

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