What is RSS?

RSS, which stands for 'Really Simple Syndication' is a family of popular Web feed formats (also called "feeds," "web feeds," or simply "channels") used to publish frequently updated Web content such as blog posts, news headlines or podcasts.

What are the benefits of using RSS?

Using RSS feeds is a very convenient way for you to keep up with your favorite web sites, blogs and podcasts in an automated manner that's easier than checking them manually. RSS also significantly reduces the time and effort needed to regularly check websites for updates; instead of visiting numerous sites individually you can simply check all of them in one place. This saves time, bandwidth, and greatly improves the overall web surfing experience.

The number of web sites and blogs offering syndicated (RSS) feeds is growing rapidly and includes big sites like CNN, Yahoo News, BBC, and millions of others.


How can I read RSS?

RSS content can be read using software called a "feed reader," "news reader" or an "aggregator." You can subscribe to a RSS feed by either entering the feed's URL into the reader or simply by clicking a RSS icon (see image on top) in a browser that initiates the subscription process. You can start with my feed first ;-) The reader then checks your subscribed feeds regularly for new content, automatically downloading any updates that it finds.



A variety of RSS readers are available for different platforms. Some popular standalone (need to be installed on your system) include FeedReader (Windows), and NewsGator (Windows). There are also a number of web-based readers available. Google Reader (pictured above), Netvibes and Bloglines are popular and widely used web-based reader choices.


Resources

Bloglines - Frequently Asked Questions
Netvibes - Frequently Asked Questions

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