|
|
NKPHTS Internet Tools
|
As I'm sure you are aware, the internet is full of new and exciting tools that enhance or at the very least make visiting the WWW fun. We have recently begun to make use of three internet tools with which we hope you will take advantage. They are ...
Twitter (or 
)
Twitter is simply a announcement based service that can keep anyone you want in the loop as to what you are doing in your life as often or as little as you like. It can be tailored to anyone or any enterprise who wishes to take advantage of it. We have chosen to do so with our own Twitter feed at:
We will use Twitter to keep you apprised of any important developments in the Society or its members. It is a service that you can subscribe to by simply choosing to "follow" our feed. We also have a Twitter interface on our News & Information page at:
RSS (or
or
)
If you visit our website Home Page, Site Map, and the aforementioned News page, you will see either a small square "broadcast' icon or an "RSS" text icon at the end of your browser location window (could be any color - not just as shown above). All three pages also show the "RSS" text image somewhere in the body of the page. RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication". In reality it is simply (no pun intended) another news announcement tool such as Twitter but with a different interface. RSS is a little more complicated in that each different browser client will display RSS in a different way - and some not in a usable form. If your browser isn't very friendly with RSS feeds, (i.e., they look like Greek to you) there are two other ways to view these news announcements - either with an RSS news reader, or by subscribing to a service that will post it for you. That's where RSS news reading clients come in, and there are many (and a lot free). Our News page offers an RSS feed in its simple form, indicated by the RSS icon, or three services to which you can subscribe to post the messages (Google, Yahoo, and AOL).
The icon in your location window is used to 1.) indicate that there is an RSS feed somewhere on the page, or 2.) if you click on the icon, you are given the option to subscribe to the service and to set your default RSS news reader. You have to already have an RSS reader installed on your computer to subscribe. If you do not have a reader, you can download one from the places mentioned below, then set that as the default reader in your Subscription Preferences window.
For more information on obtaining RSS readers visit:
http://download.cnet.com/windows/newsreaders-and-rss-readers/ (Windows) http://email.about.com/od/rssreadersmac/tp/top_rss_mac.htm (Mac)
For a further explanation of RSS, visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSS_(file_format)
The link to our RSS feed is:
http://www.nkphts.org/feed.xml
(Note- This is a change from the old RSS file, feed.rss, so if you are subscribed to that file, please re-subscribe to the new file.)
There are a couple of caveats involved with both our Twitter and RSS tools - one is that not everyone will want to take part, and two, that we are certainly not a service like CNN that will post announcements every day. Our goal is to provide you with a service that will get an important or timely message to you between issues of the Magazine and Newsletters without bothering everyone. It's totally voluntary, but we hope you will take advantage of the service so you can keep up to date with what the Society is doing on a timely basis. Those who follow our Twitter and RSS feeds will be privy to website updates before those who do not. If you need help with either service, please do not hesitate to ask.
YouTube™
We have just recently created an NKPHTS YouTube™ page that will display either 1.) NKPHTS generated videos and/or 2.) public Nickel Plate related and or Society generated videos. There are presently many Nickel Plate related videos being shown all over YouTube™, uploaded by many different users. The only way to find them is to do a search of YouTube™. Our goal is to place as many of these videos on our YouTube™ "Favorites" section as we can (or are aware of) so you do not have to look any further than our page. Our YouTube™ page is at:
http://www.youtube.com/nickelplateroad
If you have a Nickel Plate related video and do not know how to upload it to YouTube™ (or simply do not want to register with them, etc.), you can send us your video either by postal mail or email and we'll do it for you. Of course, you will get all the credit.
If you already have a Nickel Plate video currently showing on YouTube™ or intend to in the future and wish to have it displayed in our "Favorites" list, just let us know where it is and we'll add it.
You may ask why we do not use our own website for such a display. Without a long technical explanation, videos require a huge amount of server space, and in their "raw" or even compressed form, can really burden a website visitor with a slow connection speed. YouTube™ offers a free service to display and stream videos for anyone and with a user friendly interface.
Please note the term "Nickel Plate related". We will insist that, as a requirement for a video to be posted on our page, it must be just that. The video can be either a pre-merger Nickel Plate video or a post-merger merger Nickel Plate related video that features currently restored and operating rolling stock, e.g. the recent 765 excursions. Slide shows of photos in video form and videos of Nickel Plate operating model layouts are eligible. If you attend one of our conventions and have a video to share from the convention, that would be welcome as well. Obviously your video and/or video-slide show must not be copyrighted by anyone else or taken from a commercial property of any kind (videos or photos).
Our goal is to spread the word about both our Society and our favorite railroad, and to make it easy on members to view the many videos that exist on the internet.
© Copyright 1998-2012 The Nickel Plate Road Historical & Technical Society, Inc.
The NKPHTS logo and the name "Nickel Plate Road" are registered trademarks of the NKPHTS, Inc.