PODCAST HELP AND ADVICE
Here's some advice that may help you if you're new to the world of
podcasts...
Q: What is a podcast?
A
podcast is just like the streaming media files you're used to seeing at
web sites, only better! Instead of waiting to listen to the show while
it downloads, your computer's podcast receiving software (also known as
an "aggregator") searches for updates to WhiskyCast while you're online
and downloads the .mp3 file to your computer. That way, you can listen
on your computer or transfer the file to a portable media device, such
as Apple's iPod.
Q: Where can I get an
"aggregator"?
If
you have Apple's iTunes software on your computer, you already have one.
To subscribe to the podcast feed of WhiskyCast, just go to the
"Advanced" tab at the top of the iTunes window, click on "Subscribe to
Podcast", and paste this address into the form:
http://whiskycast.libsyn.com/rss
That will tell iTunes that you want to receive each WhiskyCast episode
as it's released, and all you have to do is click on "Podcasts" on the
left side of the iTunes window, look for the "Update" button in the
upper right corner of the iTunes window, and click on it.
Of
course, there's an easier way...just go to the WhiskyCast page at the
iTunes Music Store.
You can also find "aggregator" software and other podcasts at web sites like Podcast Pickle, or just do a search on "podcast directories." They do come and go from time to time. Zune users can also subscribe via the podcast section of the Zune Marketplace.
Q: Do I need an iPod to
listen to a podcast?
No! While Apple's iPod is very popular among podcast listeners, you can listen to podcasts on any device that's capable of playing MP3 audio files. That includes your computer, other portable media devices, and even some Tivo models are capable of downloading and playing podcasts. You can also download podcasts to your computer and burn them to a CD for use in a CD player that's MP3-compatible -- many car audio systems can play MP3 CD's.
Q: I clicked on your
"Click the link to subscribe" button, and my web page was full of
gibberish. What gives?
What you're looking at is the data from the RSS feed that I mentioned
above. That's the raw data that tells your aggregator whether there's a
new feed, and yes, I found it confusing at first, too. The important
thing to remember is to take the address from that page, highlight it,
then copy and paste it into the receiving software of your choice.
Q: Can I add WhiskyCast
to my personalized home page at MSN, Yahoo, or Google?
Of
course! In fact, if your home page gives you a way to subscribe to blogs
or newsfeeds and you see the RSS logo somewhere on that page, just
follow your site's instructions and enter the WhiskyCast RSS address --
again, it's right here on the page!
Q: Do I have to worry
about viruses or spyware when I download your podcasts?
Absolutely not! As far as I know, no one's figured out how to add
spyware to .mp3 files. By the way, I do not use cookies or the
"deep-packet" tracking
software you may have heard about recently. I am experimenting with
Google Analytics to see how users view the site and where I can improve
your experience here, and my website hosts do collect some generic
data that I have no control over, such as what country you're in, the
operating system and browser you use, and what files you request while
you're at the site. The data is collected as an aggregate, and no
individual can be specifically identified.
Q: Can I add a link to
your site from my website?
Sure, as long as you're not running a porn site, online gambling, or
anything else that could be illegal in certain parts of the world. For legal reasons, I'm not responsible for the content on any site
that links to this one, and the same goes for the sites I link to. I've
made reasonable efforts to make sure that those links don't go anywhere
unsafe or offensive, but I can't be responsible for sites I have no
control over.
If
you have any other questions, feel free to e-mail me!