April 24, 2007

RSS: it’s really simple

New media is an all-encompassing expression, and even those who are actively working in the field aren’t sure what new technology breakthrough they’re going to face tomorrow.

One of such breakthroughs is called RSS.

RSS, short for Really Simple Syndication feeds, is a relatively new way to collect information from many different sources and deliver it to other people’s computers, using an RSS reader (also known as an RSS Aggregator). If you enjoy reading the news with your morning coffee, subscribing to an RSS feed is the perfect way to do it. You can use the mouse and munch on a snack at the same time. No more reading the paper with both hands.

Internet Explorer 7, Netscape Navigator, and Firefox Browser all include many new features for subscribing to RSS feeds. There are simpler ways, though. There’s a web-based RSS feed that is compatible with all browsers.

You can use the free Google Reader from Google to build a custom web page loaded with all your favorite news feeds. Another option for web based RSS readers is Netvibes. There are also groups of categories to choose from including News, Sports, Fun, and Geeky topics. You may also search for other topics.

Your RSS reader will always keep you up-to-date because the technology is designed to continually look for news updates and download them.

Almost every web site has a RSS feed that you can subscribe to. You can add any of these to your RSS reader without any difficulty. There are no limitations on topics, either. Pick a topic, look for a RSS feed on it – chances are you’ll find a feed for it. RSS feeds are designed by individuals and by businesses. A common method to promote a blog or podcast is to have an RSS feed. Many RSS feeds are simply a collection of blogs aggregated into one page.

If you prefer an RSS reader that is not web-based, you may try your favorite search engine to search for RSS reader software. One multi-platform example to consider is BlogBridge.

Try these too, for example, but don’t limit yourself. That’s the beauty of the game: the more you look, the more solutions you find. And only you will know which one works best for YOU and YOUR readers.