RSS, which stands for really simple syndication, is simply an internet technology that allows busy people to receive quick and easy updates from news sources, like blogs.

It isn’t just for blogs though, using rss you can syndicate images, videos, lifestreams, etc…

The essence is this, you visit a site you like, you click their “subscribe” link, and it may ask you which feed reader you want to load it in, choose your favorite feed reader, and badda bing, badda bang you’re receiving all the updates from the site, without having to waste your time visiting the site.
Ok, but what exactly is a feed reader?
There are many feed readers, they are actually quite similar to an email account, you have your software programs like microsoft outlook, and you have online services like yahoo or gmail.

Feed readers are the same, there are a number of different feed readers. My personal favorite is the google feed reader, which can be found here:

Google Feed Reader

Some other popular online feed readers include:

- Bloglines
- Netvibes
- Feedlounge

Some popular desktop solutions include:

- Newsgator
- Feed Demon

Another example of how to use an RSS feed, is when you create a yahoo home page, or google homepage.

However, if you are confused and don’t want to learn a new software program, the good news is - most sites have setup ways for you to subscribe to their feeds via email, so you’ll just receive updates like you would from any email newsletter.

To recap feeds and feed readers are very similar to using email programs or receiving an email subscription, it’s just organized a lot better.
OK, I’ve got my feedreader, uh how do I subscribe?
First off, look for the standard rss logo, it looks kinda like this:

Alternately look for the words subscribe, or click on a chicklet that might look like this:

Post inspired by:

What the Heck is RSS?

Other links /posts about RSS:

Dive Into XML
What is RSS?
How to Explain RSS the Oprah Way
Getting Started with RSS
Beginners Guide to RSS

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