Foliosus :: RSS Feeds

RSS Feeds

What is RSS

Usually meaning "Relatively Simple Syndication," RSS is a content delivery technology that allows individual users to identify the kinds of information they want to receive (from any source offering an RSS-based news feed), and to have that information aggregated in to a single location. No more getting some news by e-mail, whereas other news has to be checked manually. E-mail is for communication, not information aggregation; let RSS take care of the news, since that's what it's designed to do.

How do I use RSS

It's very simple. All you need is a news reader. For Mac users I highly recommend NetNewsWire, or if you like a little more graphical spice, NewsFire. For Windows I recommend Newz Crawler or FeedDeemon. If you want to have access to your feed information while you're on the go, there are several free web-based RSS readers such as Bloglines, or NewsGator. There are also many other RSS readers (and there are lots) to choose from. Once you have a news reader, you subscribe to RSS feeds by clicking the now nearly ubiquitous orange RSS buttons like the ones below, and copying the address of the feed in to your news reader. The reader will then check periodically (once an hour, once a day, etc.) to see if there is new information in the feed, and if there is it notifies you.