"New at The Virtual Chase
Current Issue of TVC Alert

While attending Information Today 2002, I had lunch with a (VERY) young Steven Cohen of LibraryStuff.net fame, who convinced me that email newsletters are rather passe. He prefers RSS feeds and wishes more sites would offer them. Like-minded individuals will now find two feeds -- one for major new content (articles, tips, guide chapters, etc.) and the other for current news appearing in TVC Alert. I will update the latter every weekday; the former once or twice a month. Also, important breaking news (happens between email issues) will appear first via the RSS feed." [TVC Alert, via Library Stuff]

I'm trying to make up for lost time and catch up on everything I've missed during the last 24 hours. Note to self: don't ever get sick on a Monday again. However, my news aggregator is helping me catch up pretty quickly, even though I do still have to go read the articles themselves.

It makes me realize how valuable my aggregator has become to me. When Denise Howell left me a comment noting that she's having trouble keeping up with all of my posts, I remembered a comment Ernie made that she was going to have to try to follow Rich Westling's site "manually."

I truly believe that we're starting to see a split in the way people aggregate information, and "manually" is as good a term as any for the "old world" way of broadcast surfing. I used to surf two dozens sites daily trying to keep up with new information by going to each URL on my own. Then I found Radio, and the news aggregator completely changed the way I view, manipulate, and consume web-based information. Now, I'm narrowcasting web sites, channeling them into one convenient (for me) place.

If you're not already using a news aggregator, you simply have to rectify this situation immediately, especially if you're running a blog. You have to start shifting the information you're seeking into your world. You don't have to go to where it resides anymore - you can bring it to you (wherever you are) automatically.

I've been waiting for Steven Cohen's article on this subject to come out, and I know it's on the near horizon, so I'm not going to write detailed instructions because his article should suffice. However, I will say that you could do yourself no greater favor than to follow one of these paths:

• Customize News Is Free to be your aggregator
• Download Newzcrawler or any of the other aggregators available for free

I promise - you won't regret it, and you'll understand much better why I rant and rave about this stuff.