Aine's Quick Tips: Seeding News in 9 Steps

News Type: Other — Mon Apr 23, 2007 10:57 PM EDT

technology, seeding, aine-macdermot, helpvine, quick-tips

crunchy little seeds...

First Step: On the front page of Newsvine you'll find a Seed Newsvine button. You need to drag that up to your Bookmarks Toolbar in your browser. If the Bookmarks Toolbar is not currently visible in your browser, in Firefox look in the View menu, then Toolbars, and put a check mark next to Bookmarks Toolbar. You'll then see it underneath the Address Bar in Firefox. Drag the Seed Newsvine button into that Bookmarks Toolbar.

Second Step: When you find a news story that you want to seed into Newsvine, first, highlight some text from the news story with your left mouse button (* Please limit the amount of text you select to a paragraph or two, so as to not violate copyright laws). THEN click the Seed Newsvine link that is in your Bookmarks Toolbar. A window should pop-up with the text you selected already automatically filled into that pop-up, and that text will be surrounded by <blockquote> and </blockquote> tags.

Third Step: If the seed title contains something like " - washingtonpost.com" either before or after the title, edit your title to get rid of that bit, it's not needed since the source gets automatically filled in elsewhere.

Fourth Step: Choose whether the seed is a News Event, Opinion, or Other.

Fifth Step: (Optional) Select the Region the story is about (not necessarily the location of the news outlet).

Sixth Step: Type in some tags. These are like search engine keywords. Pick some that are what you think most people would use in a search engine to find the story you're seeding. The more accurate your tags, the easier your content will be for others to find and watchlist.

Seventh Step: (Optional) Open up the section that says: "PUBLISH TO (OPTIONAL): This determines who can see your link (default is everybody)" and if you want to publish the seed to any of the Groups you are a member of, this is the place to indicate that. Please be sure your content fits the guidelines of the Group you are publishing in so that you don't irritate the Group Owner or Moderators.

Eighth Step: Click on the button labeled "Seed" at the bottom of that popup. Then wait, this can take some time depending on network and server traffic. The tab where the news story is currently showing in your main browser should redirect automatically back to Newsvine. If you made a mistake anywhere on the seed, you can click Edit on this page and make corrections.

Ninth Step: (Optional) Vote for your own seed. :)

More help with these and other Newsvine features is available at the Newsvine Help Group. You might also check out the latest Open Help Thread to ask questions of the other Help Group members. Open Help Threads are posted bi-monthly.

* Violations of copyright law are not something you want to fool around with, as that can result in anything from being reported as a Malicious User, to having your account deleted by Newsvine Staff, to being dragged into court by lawyers of the author or news organization whose content you are republishing in full.

Please avail yourself of the help and assistance that's being offered on this site, at the link above. Thanks.

- Aine

48 Votes
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Aine MacDermot's Column, All of Newsvine
Groups: Foodies!, Newsvine Community, Newsvine Help, Open Mic, Sweeter Fennel
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2.8

{"commentId":661416,"authorDomain":"Ardith"}

ArdithDeleted

{"commentId":661432,"authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

Viki Babbles Gonia

Very nice, Aine! You can bet I'll be referencing this article frequently.

{"commentId":661432,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

1 vote

#2 - Mon Apr 23, 2007 11:23 PM EDT

{"commentId":661440,"authorDomain":"Ardith"}

ArdithDeleted

{"commentId":661464,"authorDomain":"jstamant"}

jstamant

Aine, I like that you are helping new (or generally confused) Viners to contribute to this site. There's just one thing, and I hate to be a nay-sayer, but don't you think this is fairly obvious? I mean finding and pressing the "seed link" button is pretty easy and the steps from there are self-explanatory. Maybe I am in the minority here but do we want people who can't even figure out working seeds to be seeding at all? If someone can't do something as simple as this...well...what sort of higher contributions are they going to make. I don't know, maybe I am being elitist, but Newsvine prides itself with quotes like "reach the smartest news readers in the world." Surly these people can figure out seeding....Right?

I didn't want this to sound bad and I appreciate your efforts, but isn't just kind of counter productive?

{"commentId":661464,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"jstamant"}

#4 - Mon Apr 23, 2007 11:40 PM EDT

{"commentId":661480,"authorDomain":"aine"}

Aine MacDermot

Another way of looking at it:

We all learn in different ways (learning styles, as educators say) and at different rates. For some, the learning curve is very steep. People who need a little extra hand-holding along the way via step-by-step instructions should not, imho, be dismissed as not worthy of a little time and attention. Many times, these are people who just have not had a lot of experience with online applications. A lack of experience should not be an insurmountable obstacle to becoming a valuable contributing member to an online community like Newsvine.

I don't mind helping people learn. It is what my college degree trained me to do.

{"commentId":661480,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"aine"}

4 votes

#4.1 - Mon Apr 23, 2007 11:52 PM EDT

{"commentId":661524,"authorDomain":"jstamant"}

jstamant

I see your point. Thanks a good way of thinking about it. Thanks for the feedback.

{"commentId":661524,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"jstamant"}

1 vote

#4.2 - Tue Apr 24, 2007 12:20 AM EDT

{"commentId":661530,"authorDomain":"brianford"}

Brian Ford

Well -- I wish it were obvious: Perhaps then we'd have people seeding appropriately on a more regular basis.

Great tutorial, Aine.

I was particularly pleased to see you not elaborate "too" much on the topic of seeding to "all of Newsvine." I know a lot of people have their preferences on that topic but I still think that (as of right now) they can only be seen as personal preferences. Barring an official stance from the staff, I'm not sure that there is a way to regulate the flow of content amongst categories or groups or the front page -- especially considering some people never join groups.

The key to writing a good tutorial is stepping out of our roles as members and remembering that we can't (or shouldn't) tell people how we think Newsvine should be run.

You're really good at that.

{"commentId":661530,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"brianford"}

4 votes

#4.3 - Tue Apr 24, 2007 12:22 AM EDT

{"commentId":661532,"authorDomain":"jstamant"}

jstamant

*thats

{"commentId":661532,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"jstamant"}

#4.4 - Tue Apr 24, 2007 12:24 AM EDT

{"commentId":661616,"authorDomain":"twiceshy"}

TwiceShy

Thanks a bunch! This will keep me somewhat sane as I try to find my way in here.

{"commentId":661616,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"twiceshy"}

2 votes

#5 - Tue Apr 24, 2007 1:41 AM EDT

{"commentId":661633,"authorDomain":"aine"}

Aine MacDermot

Glad I could help. :)

{"commentId":661633,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"aine"}

#5.1 - Tue Apr 24, 2007 1:56 AM EDT

{"commentId":661799,"authorDomain":"daweb"}

DAWeb

Aine,
I must give you props for all the help you provide to the Newsvine Community and especially to Newbies. I have on multiple occasions found nuggets of gold while looking through your articles to get links to give to newbies to the vine. (are these people actually buds on the vine rather then newbies??) I enjoy finding this information for the 'buds on the vine' as I also always seem to learn something myself as well.

Thanks!!!

{"commentId":661799,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"daweb"}

4 votes

#6 - Tue Apr 24, 2007 6:34 AM EDT

{"commentId":662387,"authorDomain":"aine"}

Aine MacDermot

Thanks for saying that. I know we don't agree about politics, but I don't ever let that interfere with helping "buds" on the vine. I'm glad you've found some useful nuggets in my articles, and are passing those along to others, too.

{"commentId":662387,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"aine"}

7 votes

#6.1 - Tue Apr 24, 2007 11:46 AM EDT

{"commentId":662472,"authorDomain":"daweb"}

DAWeb

I discuss many other things just fine with those of the other political affliction then myself. :-)

{"commentId":662472,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"daweb"}

4 votes

#6.2 - Tue Apr 24, 2007 12:11 PM EDT

{"commentId":661803,"authorDomain":"daweb"}

DAWeb

by the way, I also am praying for the safe return of the clip to slider!!!

{"commentId":661803,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"daweb"}

3 votes

#7 - Tue Apr 24, 2007 6:37 AM EDT

{"commentId":661991,"authorDomain":"Courtisin"}

Mr Do!

Thank you.

{"commentId":661991,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"Courtisin"}

2 votes

#8 - Tue Apr 24, 2007 9:05 AM EDT

{"commentId":662682,"authorDomain":"sprydle"}

Sprydle

Aine - thanks for this, it's very useful.

I posted a question in the help section, but this seems like a better place, so I'll paste it here:

How do I get my Avatar to appear next to my seed? For example - my latest seed appears on the front page under Politics, but there are only 2 avatars visible - and one of those is the default Newsvine avatar for those who haven't yet uploaded one.

Mine doesn't show up.

Any ideas?

{"commentId":662682,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"sprydle"}

1 vote

#9 - Tue Apr 24, 2007 1:36 PM EDT

{"commentId":662718,"authorDomain":"brianford"}

Brian Ford

our Avatars don't show up for featured seeds -- they only show up when our original content is featured.

With seeds -- you sometimes get the logo of of the site you seeded, but that just depends on if they've set one up on their end. (The NYT logo shows up, for example.) Otherwise, you just get that little grey arrow next to the seed.

A bit of extra info: If you click the article title on a featured seed, you go the seeder's column. If you click the little company logo or the little grey arrow (next to the featured seed) you go directly to the article itself, bypassing the seeder.

{"commentId":662718,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"brianford"}

5 votes

#9.1 - Tue Apr 24, 2007 1:49 PM EDT

{"commentId":662726,"authorDomain":"aine"}

Aine MacDermot

By "original content" Brian means Articles (not Seeds). Avatars only show up on Articles. Seeds only display the favicon from the source of the Seed, if one is available for display.

{"commentId":662726,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"aine"}

6 votes

#9.2 - Tue Apr 24, 2007 1:55 PM EDT

{"commentId":662736,"authorDomain":"brianford"}

Brian Ford

"Favicon!" -- I couldn't pull that word out of my mouth for the life of me! (It was right on the tip of my tongue, though.)

{"commentId":662736,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"brianford"}

4 votes

#9.3 - Tue Apr 24, 2007 2:01 PM EDT

{"commentId":662738,"authorDomain":"sprydle"}

Sprydle

Aha! Thanks both of you!

{"commentId":662738,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"sprydle"}

3 votes

#9.4 - Tue Apr 24, 2007 2:01 PM EDT

{"commentId":663132,"authorDomain":"onlineapps"}

Andy Min

When you find a news story that you want to seed into Newsvine, first, highlight some text from the news story with your left mouse button (* Please limit the amount of text you select to a paragraph or two, so as to not violate copyright laws). THEN click the Seed Newsvine link that is in your Bookmarks Toolbar. A window should pop-up with the text you selected already automatically filled into that pop-up, and that text will be surrounded by <blockquote> and </blockquote> tags.

Actually, it's easier. You highlight the text to quote, hit the seed button, and it's automatically inserted WITH blockquotes.

Also, did you see Adam Hobson's Firevine extension? Makes it easier to seed.

{"commentId":663132,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"onlineapps"}

3 votes

#10 - Tue Apr 24, 2007 4:28 PM EDT

{"commentId":664183,"authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

Viki Babbles Gonia

It couldn't possibly be easier than it already is to enclose text from the article in a blockquote. Which is why it bugs the crap out of me when I see it NOT done, especially by established users.

I wish it were done more uniformly.

And, I love, love, love the Firevine extension! Adam Hobson Rocks!

{"commentId":664183,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

2 votes

#10.1 - Tue Apr 24, 2007 10:24 PM EDT

{"commentId":664756,"authorDomain":"indelible"}

indelible inc.

Great article Aine, clipped for newcomers and friends. :)

{"commentId":664756,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"indelible"}

3 votes

#11 - Wed Apr 25, 2007 7:54 AM EDT

{"commentId":664812,"authorDomain":"raatkiraani"}

Raat ki Raani

Well done Aine. This is an essential guide for all Viners, especially new ones.

I know I may have inadvertently violated some copyright infringement rules when I first started seeding. Hopefully, new viners will find this easily as soon as they start seeding so that they avoid that trap.

Wonder if there is any way that the system detects a new viner on initial seeds and redirects them to this article. There is something similar that happens if a duplicate seed gets detected when teh user is redirected to a post by Calvin.

{"commentId":664812,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"raatkiraani"}

3 votes

#12 - Wed Apr 25, 2007 8:42 AM EDT

{"commentId":665688,"authorDomain":"aine"}

Aine MacDermot

Well, at one point Mark from Newsvine was open to the idea of adding the Newsvine Help group to the watchlist of all newbies by default, but for unknown reasons that hasn't happened yet. I'm also thinking that since Evergreen launched, there might be more in store for the Columns (our own as well as groups), and maybe we'll get some new modules(?). Ideally, I'd like to have a module in the Help Group where I could build an index of Help Group articles... this could be done with a Recommendations-style module in Groups.

The problem with redirecting people to this article is having an AI smart enough to detect when someone is seeding improperly. *grin*

{"commentId":665688,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"aine"}

4 votes

#12.1 - Wed Apr 25, 2007 2:36 PM EDT

{"commentId":665851,"authorDomain":"raatkiraani"}

Raat ki Raani

Thanks as always for your Aine.

I wasn't thinking of AI attempting to detect just when someone is seeding improperly. The system certainly should be able detect if a user is a new (or infrequent) seeder. Perhaps best way is to list out my thought in the form of a rough spec:

START
> System checks for new (or infrequent) user
>> IF =Y
>> Send message "Familiar with copyright infringement laws?" Y/N
>> ELSE, goto END
>>> If N
>>> Direct to Aine's article
>>> RETURN
>>> ELSE, goto END
END

I have no idea how this will transpose but hopefully the picture is clear (as mud).

{"commentId":665851,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"raatkiraani"}

2 votes

#12.2 - Wed Apr 25, 2007 3:35 PM EDT

{"commentId":665859,"authorDomain":"raatkiraani"}

Raat ki Raani

START
> System checks for new (or infrequent) user
>> IF =Y
>> Send message "Familiar with copyright infringement laws?" Y/N
>> ELSE, goto END

>>> If N
>>> Direct to Aine's article
>>> RETURN
>>> ELSE, goto END
END

{"commentId":665859,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"raatkiraani"}

1 vote

#12.3 - Wed Apr 25, 2007 3:38 PM EDT

{"commentId":665880,"authorDomain":"aine"}

Aine MacDermot

Maybe you should send a note to either Mike D. or Mark from NV and point them to this thread (or the link to your first comment here). :)

{"commentId":665880,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"aine"}

1 vote

#12.4 - Wed Apr 25, 2007 3:49 PM EDT

{"commentId":666041,"authorDomain":"raatkiraani"}

Raat ki Raani

Thanks Aine. Have done and already got a reply frrom Mark. They were looking at the idea anyway, although from his reply, I am unsure if it is actually the same thing. Hopefully, if they revisit this thread, they can compare notes and inform us via the thread what's feasible.

{"commentId":666041,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"raatkiraani"}

2 votes

#12.5 - Wed Apr 25, 2007 4:46 PM EDT

{"commentId":744199,"authorDomain":"Burdzye"}

Burdzye

How do you seed a link into a group?

{"commentId":744199,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"Burdzye"}

2 votes

#13 - Wed May 30, 2007 1:06 PM EDT

{"commentId":744400,"authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

Viki Babbles Gonia

Burdzye, I've left you a response in the open help thread #3.

I hope that's helpful.

{"commentId":744400,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

2 votes

#13.1 - Wed May 30, 2007 2:13 PM EDT

{"commentId":744800,"authorDomain":"aine"}

Aine MacDermot

It's also detailed in Step 7 in the article above.

{"commentId":744800,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"aine"}

2 votes

#13.2 - Wed May 30, 2007 4:10 PM EDT

{"commentId":745082,"authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

Viki Babbles Gonia

Yeah, that too. ;)

{"commentId":745082,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"vikibabbles"}

1 vote

#13.3 - Wed May 30, 2007 5:24 PM EDT

{"commentId":745324,"authorDomain":"Kiser"}

Brandon Kiser

I'd seen all the help articles and guides you've been doing around the vine and thought, "This viner deserves an RAV." But, silly me, failed to remember that you already had one! Lucky lil' devil. =]
Keep up the good work!

{"commentId":745324,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"Kiser"}

2 votes

#14 - Wed May 30, 2007 6:59 PM EDT

{"commentId":745381,"authorDomain":"aine"}

Aine MacDermot

Hehehe. Actually, you -can- earn more than one. *grinning*

{"commentId":745381,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"aine"}

2 votes

#14.1 - Wed May 30, 2007 7:23 PM EDT

{"commentId":745404,"authorDomain":"Kiser"}

Brandon Kiser

How did you earn your RAV?

{"commentId":745404,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"Kiser"}

2 votes

#14.2 - Wed May 30, 2007 7:37 PM EDT

{"commentId":745543,"authorDomain":"aine"}

Aine MacDermot

Well, here's the announcement post. In short, I guess it's because I put in the long hours doing member-to-member support, as well as the work I've put into the Help Group (which I created). I've also been a pretty good advocate for Newsvine outside the site -- in blog comments elsewhere, in email and in chat where I answer a lot of questions, etc. I probably spend more time doing Newsvine stuff than many people spend at their full-time jobs... hehehehe.

{"commentId":745543,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"aine"}

3 votes

#14.3 - Wed May 30, 2007 8:59 PM EDT

{"commentId":745564,"authorDomain":"Kiser"}

Brandon Kiser

Well, just after I asked you I decided t look at the backyard which I rarely look at and saw the wall of vineness then realized it was everyone who received an RAV, so I read it there. Good Job!
It's great that you are doing what your doing here!

{"commentId":745564,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"Kiser"}

3 votes

#14.4 - Wed May 30, 2007 9:11 PM EDT

{"commentId":977946,"authorDomain":"ronco104"}

ron c. baker sr.

thank you very muck, i will give this a shot. pray for me, cause it is a great article. i wish someone else would do it, just so it would actually get on the vine. there are those of us out here who can write, and even read, too. imagine that. the problem is, we are somewhat computer illiterate. we were not raised during the early years of the pc thing. i'm 52 years old, so please have a little patience.
by the way, what is RAV?

luv,

ron

{"commentId":977946,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"ronco104"}

1 vote

#15 - Mon Aug 27, 2007 5:01 AM EDT

{"commentId":978433,"authorDomain":"aine"}

Aine MacDermot

I'm 49, but I saw a computer (a big mainframe) the first time in 1974. :)

RAV is the 6th branch of Vineacity (click on that link, it explains what each branch of Vineacity means). RAV stands for Random Act of Vineness. All of the recipients of the RAV are listed on the Wall of Vineness.

{"commentId":978433,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"aine"}

1 vote

#15.1 - Mon Aug 27, 2007 11:12 AM EDT

{"commentId":6034205,"authorDomain":"bigmomma"}

rottlady

Aine, I just found this and want to revive it. This is all very good information and although old still holds true. Thanks for doing this.

{"commentId":6034205,"threadId":"96763","contentId":"679659","authorDomain":"bigmomma"}

2 votes

#16 - Thu Mar 19, 2009 11:51 AM EDT

{"canLink":false,"threadId":"96763","isPrivate":false}

AINE MACDERMOT

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Aine's Quick Tips: Seeding News in 9 Steps

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