| If actually writing an RSS feed file is something that does not hold much appeal for you, worry not several software options allow you to create RSS feeds with relative ease. These programs don't create the Web sites or host the space where the podcasts will reside, but they do make the process of creating the RSS file very painless. FeedForAll  | FeedForAll (www.feedforall.com; Figure 4.12) is the RSS feed creator of choice right now. With a very simple wizard that asks a few questions about the podcast, the link to the podcast, and the addition of some descriptive text, FeedForAll automatically creates an RSS file that you can set up on your Web site immediately for your podcast to be published. Available for the PC (and currently in beta for the Macintosh), FeedForAll is a powerful tool that allows the user to create, edit, and publish RSS feeds with ease. For those with a deeper knowledge of RSS, FeedForAll allows tweaking of details that novices are likely to avoid. |
Figure 4.12. FeedForAll is a great one-stop RSS feed creator. 
At $39.95, FeedForAll is reasonably priced for anyone who doesn't want to learn how to create RSS feeds from scratch. The features of FeedForAll include: Spell checking XML editor Simple Feed Creation Wizard that walks users through the process step by step Image editor for creating RSS feed images Automatic feed repair option Automatic date management Support for an unlimited number of feeds Customizable
The most appealing feature of FeedForAll is the Feed Creation Wizard. Using the wizard, you can create an RSS feed simply by answering a few questions, one of which is shown in Figure 4.13. For anyone who's serious about podcasting but not serious about spending time learning XML and RSS, FeedForAll is an excellent answer. Figure 4.13. FeedForAll's Feed Creation Wizard is a snap to use. 
Interview with Sharon Housley Sharon Housley is vice president of marketing for NotePage, Inc., the creator of FreeForAll. NotePage, Inc. was founded in 1996 as a software company with a focus on communications software. In the fall of 2004, NotePage launched the FeedForAll product line, which involves RSS feed creation, editing, and publishing. Housley has written numerous articles and tutorials related to RSS, podcasting, and online marketing. She has been marketing online since 1996 and currently manages the content and marketing for more than 100 independent Web sites owned by NotePage. Farkas: Where did FeedForAll come from? Housley: FeedForAll was the result of a need that our marketing team had. In their attempts to create RSS feeds for product promotion, they realized the difficulties that an erroneous character or malformed feed could cause. As a result, the marketing team searched for software to create feeds. Unable to find any solutions, our marketers met with our development team and proposed the product. Realizing the need and market opening, our development team worked with our marketers to develop an easy-to-use RSS feed creation application, which has evolved into modern-day FeedForAll. Farkas: What are the future plans for FeedForAll? Housley: There are a number of enhancements planned for FeedForAll. I've detailed the enhancements that I can share below: Improved uploading capabilities We will be working on a easy way to upload files associated with a feed, all in one simple process. For example, with podcasts, there are audio files referenced in the feed that also need to be uploaded to your Web server. There will be a way to have FeedForAll upload your feed and the audio files, images, etc., all with the click of a button. Importing We will also be adding a way to import items easily from other feeds into the current feed. One possible use for this feature would be to create a new feed by picking and choosing items from other existing feeds. WYSIWYG description editor improvements We are constantly trying to add small improvements to make FeedForAll more powerful without losing any of its ease of use. For example, the next release will allow you to add images to your item descriptions easily by using the WYSIWYG description editor (and even make them into links). Farkas: How do you see the realm of podcasting changing in the next few years? Housley: I think the quality of podcasts will significantly improve. Businesses will embrace podcasting as a means to further streamline corporate communications, by finding innovative new uses for both internal and external podcasts. I think online learning will blossom with the advent of podcasting and that innovative new uses of podcasts will help unify the global marketplace. Obviously, advertising and fee-based podcast will evolve, and quality podcasts will become the standard while the lower-quality casts will fade away. Farkas: What impact do you think FeedForAll has had on podcasting? Housley: FeedForAll currently makes it extremely easy for anyone to podcast, for very little expense. Some will make a name for themselves and be able to compete with large companies that have deep pockets. Ultimately, professional podcasts, whether made by an individual or a corporation, will survive, but for now, FeedForAll helps even the playing field. |
Feeder | Published by Reinvented Software (www.reinventedsoftware.com; Figure 4.14), Feeder is a Macintosh RSS feed creator that makes creating an RSS feed as easy as pie. Feeder is an excellent tool for podcasters who are producing multiple podcasts on a regular basis. |
Figure 4.14. Feeder is exclusive to the Mac. 
The features of Feeder include: Templates to edit and create feeds Preflight check that checks the feed before it's published Quick-start feature for creating, importing, or downloading a feed Ability to publish finished feeds to your server via FTP
Feeder uses a very intuitive interface to guide you through the process of creating an RSS feed. After the feed has been created, clicking the New Item button allows you to add subsequent podcast feeds with ease. For Mac users who want a simple way to create RSS feeds for their podcasts, Feeder is the No. 1 option, and at $24.95, it won't break the bank. Feeder has a 14-day free trial built in, enabling you to sample before you buy. Propaganda  | Mentioned in Chapter 3, Propaganda (www.makepropaganda.com) is an all-in-one podcast creation/publishing program that takes you from recording the podcast through editing and finally to creating and publishing the RSS feed. If an all-in-one solution is what you need, Propaganda does the job adequately. That said, there are more elegant individual pieces of software that do what Propaganda does, but the process is not confined to one piece of software. |
iPodcast Producer | Also mentioned in Chapter 3, iPodcast Producer is a commercial product that runs $149.95 from Industrial Audio Software's Web site. iPodcast Producer is an all-in-one solution that is acceptable, but again, if elegance and ease of use are your goal, it may be better to put the pieces together piecemeal rather than have this all-in-one package. The one thing that iPodcast Producer does offer is the ability to create the RSS feed for your podcast with relative ease. For those who are looking for all-in-one solutions, this is on par with Propaganda. |
Sparks! 2.0  | BlogMatrix, the creator of Sparks! 2.0 (also mentioned in Chapter 3), offers a free service for sharing your podcasts via its Web site (www.blogmatrix.com). Remember that Sparks! 2.0 is a podcast aggregator as well as an audio recorder, editor, and podcast publisher. Most of its features are free, but if you want to use the recording feature, there is a $10 fee. (The recording feature comes with a 30-day free trial.) |
For all-in-one solutions, it's hard to beat this piece of software, but there are limitations in terms of the free BlogMatrix account and RSS feed publishing. The feed is available to other BlogMatrix users but not to the world at large. Still, this is a viable option for some podcasters. |
