dnews

√app«dnews

Web Developer News

Using PHP and MagpieRSS to present Dynamic News Feeds

In my ongoing quest to demonstrate how the resources I review using the drx application are both pragmatic and worthwhile, I present RSS News feeds for Web developers from a number of different sources, and in several categories. I tweak this list often, so stay tuned. Suggestions are also welcome.

Although wrapping dnews as an application object took a little work, the engine behind actually fetching the news items is the MagpieRSS PHP feed parser (via Expat). Magpie supports RSS 0.9x, 1.0, 2.0 and most Atom format feeds. Installing and getting it working was incredibly easy. The Magpie library is very simple to use, but be warned of the old adage “garbage in = garbage out,” meaning pick your sources carefully and check them out by hand before plugging the results into your own pages. This is especially important if you are using XHTML like I am, or you can easily break your site.

On the bright side, since the results are cached, once an update is fetched (by anyone, not necessary you), the items are displayed very quickly. Not only does this improve the quality of the user’s experience, it is also good practice in order to avoid hammering your sources with requests.

On an even brighter note, I spent approximately one afternoon implementing this application. In addition to MagpieRSS, Feedview and the RSS Feed Validator were also very useful while developing dnews. Enjoy.

By popular demand, I have published a document which describes how this application was built. Visit the Howto MagpieRSS tutorial for more information.

RSS Channel Selector

Developer Buzz

1. Top Gear mystery man `The Stig' is former SAS member

LONDON - British race car driver Ben Collins, who has been unveiled as Top Gear mystery man The Stig, has been revealed to be a former member of the SAS. Collins, 35, is said to have served as a member of the renowned 23 SAS, the regiment ... Original article on : Top Gear mystery man &#8216;The Stig&#8217; is former SAS member.
Published: Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:30:36 GMT
URI:http://www.artima.com/forums/flat.jsp?forum=196&thread=304309
2. Patrician IV System Requirements

Game Info : Patrician 4 is the sequel to the historical trading simulation and strategy series. You are a merchant in northern Europe in the late Middle Ages when the Hanseatic League was flourishing. Your goal is to rise to the most successful and influential member of the Hanse, ultimately being elected Elderman, leader of [...]
Published: Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:30:36 GMT
URI:http://www.artima.com/forums/flat.jsp?forum=196&thread=304307
3. Download iPhoDroid to install Android OS on your iPhone de...

iPhoDroid is a hacking application which lets you install Android OS on your iPhone device in one single shot. Now iPhoDroid is available for Windows operating system, works fine over XP, Vista and Windows 7 (32bit and 64bit). For now, iPhoDroid only works with the iPhone 2G and 3G device. All you have to do [...]
Published: Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:30:36 GMT
URI:http://www.artima.com/forums/flat.jsp?forum=196&thread=304305
4. Home Servers

story links: Home Servers
Published: Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:30:36 GMT
URI:http://www.artima.com/forums/flat.jsp?forum=196&thread=304303
5. JavaScript, jQuery, and jQuery UI Presentations

The next Phoenix Ruby User Group meeting, September 13, will have a triptych of talks on core JavaScript, jQuery , and jQuery UI . I’ll be covering JavaScript, while Greg Furmanek and Naum Trifanoff will handle jQuery and jQuery UI. If you’re doing any sort of Web development, Ruby or otherwise, you want to know about these topics.
Published: Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:30:36 GMT
URI:http://www.artima.com/forums/flat.jsp?forum=196&thread=304301
6. Facebook `engagement announcement' adds two more to its mu...

NEW YORK - A North Carolina woman was found shot dead by her ex-boyfriend after she recently announced her engagement to another man on Facebook. Karen Ann Rooney, 63, and Peter Terrance Moonan, 62, had reportedly .... Read the original article : Facebook &#8216;engagement announcement&#8217; adds two more to its murder tally.
Published: Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:30:36 GMT
URI:http://www.artima.com/forums/flat.jsp?forum=196&thread=304298
7. Skyfire Flash Enabled Browser Submitted to App Store, Jobs...

Skyfire has finally dared to submit it&#8217;s Flash enabled mobile web browser to Apple Apps Store and according to the developers Apple is going to accept it. Skyfire&#8217;s lightening fast web browser encodes Flash into HTML5 in real time. We all know how much Steve Jobs likes Flash. According to him Flash has poor security,...
Published: Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:30:36 GMT
URI:http://www.artima.com/forums/flat.jsp?forum=196&thread=304296
8. Find duplicte files in your Windows system with a FREE uti...

NirSoft's SearchMyFiles is an alternative to the standard Search For Files And Folders module of Windows. Further to the enhanced searching capabilities this utility provide a special search mode... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Published: Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:30:36 GMT
URI:http://www.artima.com/forums/flat.jsp?forum=196&thread=304294
9. PS3Key Modchip lets you Jailbreak/Hack your PS3 [Features]

PS3Key is a USB based device which lets you hack your PlayStation 3 console to play non-approved Sony games. It also lets you pirate and copy the games and users also can save and install games from the hard drive using PS3Key jailbreak. Few days back, PS Jailbreak released jailbreak modchip for PS3 hacking for [...]
Published: Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:30:36 GMT
URI:http://www.artima.com/forums/flat.jsp?forum=196&thread=304292
10. Share Your IntelliJ IDEA Passion to Win a Free JAX London ...

Do you like IntelliJ IDEA? Do you enjoy attending developer conferences? Do you live in the UK? We&#8217;re not asking that without a reason. We have 10 passes to the upcoming JAX London conference that is scheduled to be held in London, UK, on Septeber 27-29. Each of the 2-day passes that we&#8217;re giving away is [...]
Published: Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:30:36 GMT
URI:http://www.artima.com/forums/flat.jsp?forum=196&thread=304288
11. PS3Key PS Jailbreak USB ModChip Specifications Released!

PS3Key, PS JailBreak USB device for PlayStation 3 has released its specifications which would be retailing for USD49 only in few weeks from now. The company directly wants to lock horns with original PS Jailbreak which is available for $169. Interestingly, x3Jailbreak PS3 modchip, which is all set to be released very soon is available for [...]
Published: Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:30:36 GMT
URI:http://www.artima.com/forums/flat.jsp?forum=196&thread=304286
12. India widens security crackdown, providers like Google and...

more images more images Google, Skype targeted in India security crackdown MUMBAI, India â" India has widened its security crackdown, asking all companies that provide encrypted communications â" not just BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion â" to install servers in the country to make it easier for the government to obtain users' data. That...
Published: Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:30:36 GMT
URI:http://www.artima.com/forums/flat.jsp?forum=196&thread=304284
13. Smalltalk Daily 09/02/10: Loading Network Client Support

Today's Smalltalk Daily looks at loading the network clients support (http, ftp, etc) into Cincom Smalltalk - VW 7.7.1 and OS 8.2.1. To watch now, use the viewer below: If you have trouble viewing that directly, you can click here to download the video directly. If you need the video in a Windows Media format, then download that here. You can...
Published: Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:30:36 GMT
URI:http://www.artima.com/forums/flat.jsp?forum=196&thread=304282
14. Windows Phone 7 Reached RTM Stage

Microsoft has finally wrapped up the development phase of Windows Phone 7 and released it to RTM (release to manufacturing) stage. The final build and code of Windows Phone 7 has been shipped to Microsoft&#8217;s hardware and carrier partners to allow them to integrate their own software and services before manufacturing of devices begin and...
Published: Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:30:36 GMT
URI:http://www.artima.com/forums/flat.jsp?forum=196&thread=304280
15. Download iTunes 10 For Windows (32-bit and 64-bit Version)...

The new iTunes 10 version was announced by Apple with a brand new logo (better than the old one? Well, not that stylish!) and is now available for download on both Mac OS X and Windows 32-bit and 64-bit version. What sets iTunes 10 for Windows and Mac apart from the older version is the [...]
Published: Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:30:36 GMT
URI:http://www.artima.com/forums/flat.jsp?forum=196&thread=304278