I have 138 RSS subscriptions and 29 podcast subscriptions. I have about 200 RSS items to wade through each week, and even if all I do for a week is listen to podcasts non-stop, I will still have unlistened podcasts. It’s pretty safe to say I’m addicted to passive information, news and entertainment. I’m even listening to a podcast as I’m writing this. Meta, I know.
I love “Real Simple Syndication” or RSS. This protocol allows content creators to propagate their new content passively – update the feed and everyone will eventually get the update. What I love about it is that it’s asynchronous, as is the nature of most “pull” communication methods – I don’t get notified about every RSS item or new podcast episode – as opposed to email which is synchronous and immediate. I am not subscribed to even one blog by mail because I have this separation between immediate items and the rest. I’m up to about 4 hours to go through my weekly RSS reading, but I think it’s a worthwhile investment for now, and it’s fun. I’ve picked a few highlights to create a blog roll and added a justification here.
Twenty Sided by Shamus Young and friends
www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale (RSS)
If I can choose one blog to model mine after, it will be Twenty Sided. It has articles about graphic programming, game design and general entertaining commentary. I love the community that sprung around the let’s play “Spoiler Warning Show”. You should really check it out and specifically the new “New here” section.
Coding The Wheel
http://www.codingthewheel.com/ (RSS)
This blog needs way more posts. The author is obviously a knowledgeable programmer who writes about code and Poker and gives a look into the fascinating world of Poker Bots. You should definitely read the series.
Joel on Software by Joel Spolsky
http://www.joelonsoftware.com/ (RSS)
Joel on Software needs no introduction but I still wanted it to be high on the list of blogs because of how influential it was on my decision to become a programmer and entrepreneur. This is where I first discovered a lot of concepts about starting and running a company, treating customers and about Fog Creek’s unique philosophy and company culture. He has great reading lists according to what you do and they are all worth your time.
Beta List
betali.st (RSS)
This site aggregates a lot of new startups that are in Beta. This is a great way to stay updated on new startups and ideas, and sometimes I even sign up for some. I’m sure everyone can find a startup to check out from this list and this is mutually beneficial to you and to the startup – a win win!
tynan.com by Tynan
tynan.com (RSS)
A truly unique and interesting blogger with a wide selection of topics – minimalism, software, travel, living in an RV and picking up women. This blog is one I consistently enjoy every post in, which is pretty hard to achieve.
Procrastineering by Johnny Chung Lee
procrastineering.blogspot.com (RSS)
This blog is by a guy who is consistently working on the coolest projects around. From a do-it-yourself head tracking using the wii to Kinect to his work in Google – there is no one that sold me on the field of HCI more than him.
Podcasts
Security Now! by Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte
www.grc.com/securitynow.htm (RSS)
Hands down the one podcast that beginner programmers or people with an interest in the behind-the-scenes of computers should listen to weekly, and add another from the archives because it has been around for years. Steve is a genius and a hacker, but most importantly he has that elusive talent of being able to explain hard and complicated technical issues clearly and methodically in a way that is understandable even to laymen but is not oversimplified. If you never listened to podcasts, you should make this your first and you’ll be as addicted as me in no time.
Radio Free Python
radiofreepython.com (RSS)
A podcast about python, how can it not be awesome? I only listened to the first two episodes and they have interviews with the greatest pythonistas around, including the BDFL himself, Guido van Rossum. Definitely worth a listen if you want some programming in audio form.
Stanford University’s Entrepreneurship corner
ecorner.stanford.edu/podcasts.html (RSS)
A lecture and a Q&A by a successful entrepreneur, VC or other startup insider? YES PLEASE! If you need motivation to finish a project or to go out and start a company, just listen to a random episode and you’ll be pumped. The message is – just do it, and while you’re at it here are some tips and common mistakes to avoid. Archive includes people like Marissa Mayer, Steve Ballmer, Mark Zukerberg, etc. and basically every hot startup and successful company is represented.
A Life Well Wasted
alifewellwasted.com (RSS)
A shortlived but prominent podcast about games and why we play them. Only a few episodes but they are really insightful and have great production value and atmosphere. This podcast is not updated anymore but you should listen to the past episodes and just enjoy the feeling of nostalgia, bliss and pure innocent happiness.
If you still can’t get enough of RSS, here are my full RSS and podcast OPMLs (an XML format for a collection of RSS feeds). Be warned though – some of the podcasts are adult only and a lot of them are not programming related. You should customize it to your tastes and time constraints. Dome of them are in Hebrew and one is in Russian. You have been warned!
Lastly – you should consider subscribing to my RSS feed. It is the best way to get updates, and who wouldn’t want more of this?
Got interesting items in your RSS feeds? Share them in a comment and feed my addiction.