News readers allow you to keep updated with feeds that you are subscribed to. There are several to choose from - some involve downloading some software, some involve visiting a web site, some are free, and some require a small investment.

Once you have chosen a particular news reader, you simply take that address that you have copied, and, following instructions provided with news reader to subscribe to, or add a new feed, simply paste it in - reader will take care of rest, and keep you updated with your new feed. Once you have done it once, you will see just how simple it really is.

Here are 15 different news readers you can choose from, in approximate order of recommendation under each category:

Browser-Based: BlogLines (http://www.bloglines.com) AmphetaDesk (http://www.disobey.com/amphetadesk/) NewsIsFree (http://www.newsisfree.com/)

Software For Windows: NewsGator (http://www.newsgator.com/) - integrates into Microsoft Outlook FeedDemon (http://www.bradsoft.com/feeddemon/) Awasu (http://www.awasu.com/) SharpReader (http://www.sharpreader.net/) FeedReader (http://www.feedreader.com/) NewsWatcher (http://www.newswatcher.com/) NewsRanker (http://egofile.com/newsranker/) - claims to learn from your news reading to prioritize feed items you receive Novobot (http://www.proggle.com/novobot/) - extracts headlines from feeds, and also web sites that you are interested in Radio Userland (http://radio.userland.com/) - blogging tool with an integrated news aggregator

Software For Mac: NetNewsWire (http://ranchero.com/netnewswire/)

Software For Linux: Straw (http://www.nongnu.org/straw/) for GNOME RSS2email (http://www.aaronsw.com/2002/rss2email/) - Python script that sends you new messages from your feeds via email

It's useful to spend a few minutes researching some appropriate choices - once you've decided on one that you believe to be suitable, you can start picking up new feeds straight away. It's Really So Simple, you won't look back.

DON'T be impressed by awards. They're easy to get. Many of them are available to all comers. All you have to do is promise to link back to their awards site.

DON'T be impressed by a slick marketing presentation. If firm is dominated by marketers, they may undervalue their technical talent. Some of best companies are two or three person firms whose members are all actual designers and programmers.

Three other things to consider:

One: A marketer is overhead for a design firm. That means firm that hires one has to charge you more to pay marketer's salary.

Two: A marketer knows how to sell, not nits and grits of how to make a website. You might as well start process with person who's actually going to make website.

Three: You may love marketer you meet with initially, but that's not person you'll be living with during creation process. You need to be sure you can communicate with person who's actually going to do work.

The final DON'T:

Don't authorize work with a handshake. Get a contract spelling out who's going to do what and how payment will be handled. It's for your protection as well as developer's.

As an internet development manager, I've worked with all kinds of design companies. I know you will find, as I did, that a good designer can make process of putting up a website a pleasurable and edifying experience.