What is RSS?

RSS is an abbreviation for the term “Really Simple Syndication”. What this means in technical speak is that the content of any particular website has been converted into a “web feed” that contains all of the important data (headlines, article content, important links) in a standardized format.

This web feed can be distributed automatically to readers of a website who wish to keep track of the information a website is publishing without having to actually visit the site itself for each new post.

In laymans terms, RSS makes it really easy to access any websites content in an easy to read, completely customizable environment. You do not have to visit every website you want to keep track of. With RSS they send all of their content directly to your computer or mobile device with nothing more than a click of a button.

The Advantages of RSS

There are many advantages to both website owners and visitors using the RSS platform as a primary content aggregation/distribution method. For the purpose of this article though we will focus on the benefits for the website visitor and how you can use RSS to streamline your news gathering process.

The web is growing exponentially as it becomes the prefered medium for gathering information. With the addition of hundreds of new websites on any given topic popping up each and every day, keeping track of it all can become quite troublesome. This is where RSS comes in handy.

How do I use RSS?

The first step you need to take is to decide if you would like to have your new RSS feeds delivered to and read from your desktop or if your would prefer to read the news from a portable device like a cellphone or PDA.

Whichever method you choose, there are a variety of RSS reader options available. Below you will find a list of the most popular readers for both desktop and mobile access.

The second step you need to take is to locate an RSS feed that you can import into your new RSS reader. For the purposes of this tutorial we will be using the Toronto-Mortgage.ca RSS feed. It should be noted however that the process for subscribing to an RSS feed is identical for each and every website online. If they are publishing their content in RSS format, this is how you get it.

Subscribing to an RSS Feed

Most websites will publish an RSS feed. In order to access this feed you need to look for icons or links on the page that indicate an RSS download link. Most websites will use some variation of the Universal RSS Icon (see the icon used in our header for RSS download).

These RSS links are almost always located in the header and footer of the website you are visiting. If you do not see them in the header or footer, the sidebar is usually a good bet.

In addition to on page links for the RSS feed there are browser based options for accessing the feeds. If you are using the firefox browser the RSS link will will appear in the address bar to the far right of the URL. If you are using Internet Explorer, the RSS icon will usually be located in the top toolbar.

The default RSS icons are orange in colour and have a white “radio wave” pattern.

To access the RSS feed for the site you are visiting, click on any of the visible RSS links. Then on the subsequent page, click on the button labeled “Subscribe to this feed”.

You will be presented with a pop-up that will allow you to save the RSS feed as a bookmark in any folder you like. The default for both the Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers is a folder called “feeds” located in your bookmarks folder. You can however create new folders as you see fit. It is usually a good idea to organize your feeds by topic so they are easier to keep track of.

The final step you will have to take in order to read the RSS feeds you have subscribed to is to decide on an RSS reader that best suits your needs and apply the correct settings. Below is a list of some of the more popular RSS readers, broken down into three categiries: Browser based readers, desktop based readers and mobile readers.

What readers are available?

Browser based

  • Bloglines (browser)
    Simple two-pane interface, like email.
  • NetNewsWire
    This elegant Mac-like aggregator is easy to use and powerful (Mac OS X)
  • SharpReader
    Simple, but gets the job done (Windows)
  • Liferea
    A simple Gtk newsreader (Linux)

desktop

  • FeedDemon
    A more complicated aggregator for Windows. (Win)
  • Radio UserLand
    A full-stregth news-reading application, on your desktop. (Mac/Win)

portable/mobile

Reading your RSS feeds

Now that you have bookmarked your RSS feeds and chosen your preferred method of delivery, the last step in the process is to apply the correct settings and get to reading.

Each RSS reader will have a different set of instructions to complete the set up but they will all be clearly documented. If you have any problems just look for the FAQ page for the reader you have chosen.

Welcome to the World of RSS Reading

Taking in your news through an RSS feed may seem a little strange at first but I promise that once you add all of your favourite websites and news sources, you will see the value.

You will ultimately save yourself valuable time throughout your day by having all of your news broadcast to a single location which is easy to track and categorize. Isolating the most important news for YOU has never been easier.

Welcome to the World of RSS Reading