What is RSS, and how do you use it?

Posted on January 11, 2008
Filed Under Internet |

The copyblogger website has a very useful FAQ about RSS. After reading the article I set up my own RSS info page at www.jaredrbyer.com/rssfeeds.

So what is RSS?

RSS is a simply an Internet technology standard that allows busy people to receive updates to web-based content of interest.

If you wanted to know about feed readers:

You may already be using a form of feed reader, and not even realize it. If you use personalized home page services like My Yahoo or My MSN, you’ve got RSS capabilities built in. That’s how syndicated content like news, weather and stock quotes appears on your personal page. You can also add content from any blog or other site that uses RSS to provide updates.

You should care because:

Unlike getting website updates or ezines by email, RSS feeds give you absolute, 100% complete control over the situation. You don’t have to reveal your email address. If you don’t like the content, you can make it disappear as fast as you can change a TV channel. With just one click.

RSS feeds save me hours a day by bringing all my updates into one place. I like to use Google Reader myself because it is alway running on the web, unlike a program feed reader that is only checking for updates when it is running and your computer is on. The best part is that not only do you get all the updates, you don’t have to spend hours checking sites that haven’t changed.

If you want to read the whole article yourself you can find it at:
http://www.copyblogger.com/what-the-heck-is-rss


Comments

2 Responses to “What is RSS, and how do you use it?”

  1. Strumpet on January 11th, 2008 11:25 am

    I still have to get back to you on how to TURN MINE OFF!

    I think I have decided that I want to do that.

    Thanks for the reminder.

  2. jaredrbyer on January 11th, 2008 10:24 pm

    I will look it up later and email you on that.

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