Keeping Abreast of New Threads

One way of keeping abreast of new threads is to use RSS feeds. Oxford Dictionaries defines RSS as 'a standardized system for the distribution of content from an online publisher to Internet users' and it is quite easy to use.

RSS feeds are quite easy to use and you do not have to be logged on to the community (or even visit the website) for the RSS feeds to work after they have been set up.

The overview below of how to use RSS feeds relates to Firefox (as that is the browser I use) but searching the Internet will return other options and details on how to use RSS feeds with your chosen option.

If you have the RSS icon (something like one of those below) displayed in your Firefox toolbar then please move on to the next paragraph. If you need to add the icon, select the menu, Customise, drag the icon to your toolbar and select Exit Customise.

To begin with you need to visit the community page (http://community.autism.org.uk/) and open a new tab for each of the groups in which you are interested (if you prefer, you can also cycle through the groups using one tab at a time - I find it easier to open all the relevant groups in separate tabs at the start).

I have chosen the 'Autistic adults' group for this explanation. Select the appropriate tab and you will see the toolbar's RSS icon becomes available. Click the icon and select 'Autistic adults - Recent Threads (RSS 2.0)'. This will take you to a list of recent threads and allow you to subscribe using Firefox's Live Bookmarks.

I do not find Live Bookmarks very user friendly and so I use Feedly (https://feedly.com/). To add the 'Autistic adults' RSS feed to Feedly, click in the address bar of the list of recent threads and copy the address. Then in Feedly select 'Add Content', 'Publications & Blogs', paste the address into text box and confirm you wish to follow the feed.

Whenever a new thread is added to the 'Autistic adults' group Feedly will display the information. If you are interested in a new thread then you can click the link in Feedly to be taken to the thread and then log in. Once logged in, you can turn the notifications on to follow the thread.

(PS I know you can turn on forum notifications but I receive more than enough notifications in my inbox from the threads I follow. I find RSS feeds are a good way on reducing inbox clutter.)

Please keep this thread serious and on topic. Thank you.