What Is An RSS Feed?

RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a format used for providing users with frequently updated website content. An RSS document, which is called a "feed" or "web feed," contains simplified text and content from the associated website. RSS makes it possible for people to keep up with their favourite web sites in an automated manner that's easier than checking them manually.

RSS Feeds are read using software called an "RSS Reader". You can subscribe to the feeds by entering the feed's link into the RSS Reader or by clicking an RSS icon which starts the subscription process. Your RSS Reader checks your feeds regularly for new content and notifies you automatically of updates.

The advantages of subscribing to RSS Feeds include:

• It's simple, fast and time efficient. Rather than manually checking all your favourite websites you can simply view them all in the one place and a glance.
• When subscribing to an RSS Feed you are not disclosing any personal information such as your email address. Therefore you are not increasing your exposure to threats associated with email: spam, viruses, phishing, and identity theft.
• If you want to stop receiving news, you do not have to send an "unsubscribe" request; you simply remove the feed from your RSS Reader.
• The feed items are automatically "sorted" in the sense that each feed has its own sets of entries (unlike an email inbox, where all emails are in one big pile and email programs have to resort to complicated rules and pattern matching).

There are a wide variety of RSS Readers available (both web-based and desktop based), some popular choices include:

Desktop Based Software:

• Microsoft Outlook 2007
• Windows Live Mail
• Newsgator
• FeedDemon
• NetNewsWire
• mDigger

Web Based Software:

• Google Reader
• Bloglines
• MyYahoo
• Netvibes
• Pageflakes

You can also use your favourite web browsers such as Safari, Firefox and Internet Explorer 7.0 to subscribe using their 'Bookmarks' or 'Favourites' features.