What is RSS?
This symbol is gaining in popularity and I think its time for our family to learn it.
These three icons as well as the one above indicate that there is an RSS fee available for the website you are looking at. What RSS stands for is not as important as what it does.
RSS Stands for Really Simple Syndication.
Below from the Dictionary on my computer:
syndicate
noun |ˈsindikit|
a group of individuals or organizations combined to promote some common interest : large-scale buyouts involving a syndicate of financial institutions | a crime syndicate.
- an association or agency supplying material simultaneously to a number of newspapers or periodicals.
- a committee of syndics.
verb |ˈsindiˌkāt| |ˈsɪndəˈkeɪt| |ˈsɪndɪkeɪt| [ trans. ] (usu. be syndicated)
control or manage by a syndicate : the loans are syndicated to a group of banks.
-
publish or broadcast (material) simultaneously in a number of newspapers, television stations, etc. : his reports were syndicated to 200 other papers.
-
sell (a horse) to a syndicate : the stallion was syndicated for a record $5.4 million.
DERIVATIVES
syndication |ˌsindiˈkā sh ən| |ˈsɪndəˈkeɪʃən| |-ˈkeɪʃ(ə)n| nounsyndicator |-ˌkātər| |ˈsɪndəˈkeɪdər| noun
ORIGIN early 17th cent. (denoting a committee of syndics): from French syndicat, from medieval Latin syndicatus, from late Latin syndicus ‘delegate of a corporation’ (see syndic ). Current verb senses date from the late 19th cent.
So RSS is a way for a website to notify interested people that there is new or updated content on the site.
An example of how RSS is used:
On my website I have an RSS feed attached to my photo pages. When new or updated pictures are put on the website the subscribed parties will be notified that there is a change.
Another example is on foxnews.com near the bottom of the page you can subscribe to an RSS feed for specific types of news. If there is a new story published on the website your RSS READER will notify you there is a new story.
RSS READERS! RSS is actually not readable in Internet Explorer 7 itself you have to use an RSS Reader. This is where I can’t provide much guidance because there are a lot of RSS readers out there. I use an APPLE and it has built in RSS Capability in its web browser SAFARI which is now available for PCs and MACs it also has RSS reader in APPLE MAIL. Other possible RSS Readers for non Apple aficionados are Google Reader, Yahoo RSS, and Windows LIVE. Each one behaves differently. Perhaps the most easy to adapt would be the one that is built in to FIREFOX. You should take a few minutes to learn how to use the reader of your choice.
YOU NEED TO SUBSCRIBE!
In any case you need to “subscribe” to the “feed.” To accomplish this you will need to follow the instructions in the RSS Reader itself. It is most likely as simple as copying and pasting your “feed” URL (Universal Resource Locater) into the designated place. In the case of the Apple, you just click the link and the software takes over.
Once you have subscribed you simply need to check the Reader once in awhile for updates. In the case of the Apple, it just appears in line with your email that comes in.
Using RSS - In my opinion is the way Matt Drudge of Drudge Report fame gets and manages his news. He has most likely built up a network and an organization system for RSS feeds that notifies him of newly released stories across the planet. Since his format is so simple he can create a link to his site and publish it very quickly.
Here are some News Originators that allow anyone to subscribe to RSS Feeds
Associated Press - I don’t like them much but they do use it.
Reuters - Seems like they focus mostly on world news
--- There are more but I think these are the biggest.
If you venture into the world of Blogging then RSS is a must. If you have people who are doing blogs actively and you want to only visit the site when there is a new entry then RSS is a must. If you just like to read snippets of news the RSS will be a great tool for you.
The bottom line is RSS makes looking for new content easy and automatic.
Let me know if you need more clarification.