RSS Feed

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication:

It is a technology that is being used by millions of web users around the world to keep tracks of their favourite websites and helps you avoid the conventional methods of browsing or searching for information on websites.

The desired content can be delivered directly to you without cluttering your inbox with e-mail messages. This content is called a feed.

RSS is written in the Internet coding language known as XML (eXtensible Markup Language).

What Is an RSS Reader?

An RSS reader is a small software program that collects and displays RSS feeds. It allows you to scan headlines from a number of news sources in a central location.

Where Can You Get an RSS Reader?

Some browsers, such as the current versions of Firefox and Safari, have built in RSS readers. If you’re using a browser that doesn’t currently support RSS, there is a variety of RSS readers available on the web; some of them are free to download and others are available for purchase.

How Do You Use RSS Feeds?

The first step is to choose an RSS reader. Each reader has a slightly different way of adding a new feed, also called a channel. Follow the directions for your reader, but in most cases here is how it works:

• Click on the link or small XML button near the feed you want. For example, USA.gov Updates: News and Features. You will see the page displaying XML code.
• From your web browser address bar, copy the URL. E.g. the URL you would copy for USA.gov Updates: News and Features is the following: http://www.usa.gov/rss/updates.xml
• Paste that URL into the Add New Channel section of the reader. The RSS feed will start to display and regularly update the headlines for you.