RSS: What is It and How You Can Use It

You probably have seen a little orange symbol with RSS or XML on some Web sites. Sometimes you may see a symbol with an orange background and a white satellite icon. These little buttons are changing the way people read news and updates from their favorite Web sites, and it can help you be more productive and spend less time on the Internet.

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication, and it allows Web site content to be delivered directly to you. Most commonly, RSS is used to distribute news headlines on news Web sites, such as FoxNews, CNN, NPR, or the New York Times, but it is also used by bloggers and forums to inform readers of new content.

RSS feeds require the use of an RSS reader, or news aggregator. You input the RSS feeds you would like to follow into the RSS reader by either subscribing to the feed from the Internet or manually typing in the URL for the feed. After you input a feed and open the RSS reader, the RSS reader automatically searches for new content on the inputted Web sites and shows it to you in one place. Instead of visiting each and every Web site to see what has changed, you can simply open the RSS reader and view the new content. Sometimes RSS feeds only contain short summaries of the article, and then the user is required to click on the headline to view the entire article. However, some RSS feeds provide the entire article so you don't have to visit the Web site to view it.

This is how you can save time when getting your information. Say you visit three news Web sites and two blogs every morning. Currently you have to visit each Web site individually to view the new content. Sometimes when you are at a particular Web site, you must click on various subheadings (such as the business or tech section) to find "fresh" news stories. Viewing each Web site takes much longer than reading the "fresh content" in an RSS reader. With RSS, you open the reader, and presto, the new content from each of these five Web sites is at your fingertips! RSS is like a newspaper in that you do not have to read every single article. Simply skim through the articles and read what interests you.

Here's what you need to get started. First, a RSS feed must be read by a program. There are two basic types of RSS programs:

• Web-based RSS readers: Google Reader,, Bloglines, and Net Vibes  are three popular Web-based RSS readers. These are Web sites for which you sign up (usually free). After inputting the various feeds into the Web-based RSS reader, you can easily track new content on your favorite Web sites from any location. Feed Journal  is another Web-based RSS reader that amalgamates all your RSS feeds into an RSS newspaper, which you can read online or print to read later.

• Software-based RSS readers: Software-based RSS readers are programs installed on your computer. Three basic categories include programs specifically designed to read RSS feeds (e.g., Great News, AmphetaDesk, or FeedDemon, email programs that have RSS capabilities (e.g., Mozilla Thunderbird), or programs built into operating systems or Internet browsers (e.g., live bookmarks in Mozilla Firefox or the RSS reader built into Vista).

So, which type of RSS feeder should you use? If you travel frequently or do not use the same computer all the time, a Web-based RSS reader would best suit your needs. However, if you only have one computer, the  software-based RSS reader is the way to go. Just like any other software product, you need to find the one that best suits your needs and tastes. Try out a couple and see which you like the best.

Once you have selected a reader, here's how to add a feed. They can be added in a few ways:

• Type the Web site for which you want to find an RSS feed, such as www.washingtonpost.com

• Look for "RSS," "XML," the orange symbol with a dot and two semi-circular lines, or "News Feeds" on a particular Web site. If you cannot find any of these symbols, search for "RSS" or "news feed" in the search box on the Web site. When you find the feed, click on how you wish to subscribe to the feed. (Most sites give the option to subscribe using specific RSS readers or by viewing the RSS feed directly so you can manually input the feed into your RSS reader.) After clicking on this link, the feed should be added to your RSS reader.

• Use the search options within your RSS reader to find feeds. Bloglines has a list of popular feeds sorted by topic.

• Using Google or other search engine, query best RSS feeds.

Although RSS is a fairly new technology, jump on the bandwagon and start using it today. Doing so will cut down the amount of time you spend on the Internet and increase your productivity dramatically.

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