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Depending on whom you ask, the time of day and the day of the week, RSS is an acronym for Rich Site Summary or Really
Simple Syndication. Also referred to as an RSS or XML Feed , this protocol is an application of XML that provides an open
method of syndicating (or distributing) and aggregating web content.
RSS allows you to deliver and distribute your content summaries and links in such a manner that they can be read by feed
reader software, news aggregators, or implemented on other websites to deliver links to your latest content in the most
accessible format today - XML.
How it Works...
In order to make use of RSS feeds, you must install special feed reader software (also called a "news reader") to display RSS
feeds in a format that the average human can read, understand, and use. This is just like how Web browsers interpret and
display HTML and other types of code and files. Popular readers include: Feed Demon (free, still in beta, Windows only),
Amphetadesk (also free ); and Newsgator (which actually integrates into MS Outlook).
When you subscribe to a feed, you tell your feed reader that you want it to periodically poll a certain site's RSS feed file. To
do this, just click on the button that says something like "XML" or "RSS" that you see on so many sites today (see ours at
the top of this page). That will take you to the ugly feed file. Then, simply grab the URL for that page and plug it into your
feed reader. It's somewhat similar to bookmarking a page in your Web browser.
Then, when you want to read the news, you tell your feed reader to go out to the feeds you've subscribed to and grab their
latest information. Then, your feed reader displays that information in a way that's similar to what you see on Google News -
a list of the latest headlines from each source, sorted however you prefer, sometimes with brief descriptions of the content,
and always with a link to the full content on the publisher's site.
RSS vs. eMail Announcements
Just about everyone who publishes content online has some sort of e-mail announcement list. Still, RSS is a great
complement to e-mail announcements because it doesn't clutter people's in-boxes, it's easier to manage for recipients who
get a lot of news online, it's spam-proof, and it's easier to manage than an e-mail list.
While not a lot of people know about RSS right now, it's getting popular quickly. I wouldn't be surprised if in the next couple
of years RSS becomes as widely known and used as the Web and e-mail.
RSS Circumvents Spam
Again, this process is spam-proof (which is the main reason for our support of RSS)! Only the feed publisher can designate
what information gets into the feed, and the only information the subscriber pulls down is what the publisher put there.
When you subscribe to an RSS feed, you're not giving your e-mail address to anyone and they can't send you stuff you don't
want.
This is a huge deal, especially for people who currently publish or subscribe to e-mail announcement services. Spam has
become so pervasive that up to 38% of all opt-in e-mail messages (stuff that people have specifically asked to receive) get
blocked by spam filters.
Publishing an RSS Feed
While you can create your own RSS files by hand or from a growing number of utilities, if you happen to be an iUpload
customer - no problem... iUpload Content Manager can automatically create, manage and update your RSS feeds as your
content authors make their website and newsletter additions and changes.
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Click above to add my RSS
feed to your "My Yahoo" page!
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Click above and add my RSS
Feed URL to your RSS Reader!
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Click image above to see my
RSS Feed Web Page!
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