What is RSS?
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed.
What is RSS? Almost everyone asks this question. If you search Google, you’ll either get Rich Site Summary or Really Simple Syndication. True to its name, RSS is really simple. But, many people are confused about what RSS is. So, I thought it might me worth putting together a page to define RSS and shed some light on the topic.
Do you want to be updated with the latest posts on TeenBlogger or any other blog?
There are a number of ways to subscribe to this blog and receive updates. The main one that many readers use is RSS. But what is RSS?
What is RSS?
RSS is a new technology that is being used by millions of web users to keep themselves updated with various websites and blogs.
During the good ol’ days of the internet, in order to keep track of updates on a website, one had to bookmark them in their browser and return to the websites on a regular basis to see what had been added.
The problem with bookmarks
- The user had to do all the work. Listing, Bookmarking, Tracking, Visiting them. Whew!
- The more websites you have to track, the more complicated it gets.
- In case you forget to visit the bookmarks, you miss valuable info.
- You end up seeing the same information on websites that don’t update very often.
RSS to the Rescue!
What if you could tell a website to notify you whenever there’s an update? This is what RSS does for you.
RSS is a technology that provides you with a method of getting relevant and up to date information sent to you for you to read in your own time. It saves you time and helps you to get the information you want quickly after it was published.
To put it in a nutshell, RSS is a sort of subscription. Its like subscribing to a magazine that gets delivered to your doorstep. Isn’t this better than going to the store to get the magazine every month or week?
Let’s not go into the details of how RSS works. That lesson is for another day.
When I was first introduced to RSS, I found it a little strange and confusing. But once I began using it, I just couldn’t stop.
How to use RSS
Get an RSS Reader - This is the first thing to do if you want to read sites via RSS feeds. There are many good RSS feed readers out there. Google Reader(I use this one) and Bloglines are a few free and easy-to-use web based readers. Both of them will do a fine job.
Both of these feed readers work a little like email. As you subscribe to feeds you’ll see that unread entries from the sites you’re tracking will be marked as bold. As you click on them you’ll see the latest update and can read it right there in the feed reader. You are given the option to click through to the actual site or move onto the next unread item.
The best way to learn how to use web-based feed readers is to simply subscribe to a few feeds and give it a go. Both have FAQ and Help sections.
Don’t want to use an RSS Reader? E-mail is an option.
If the above explanation all just seems a little too complicated for you then please don’t worry. Many sites also enable you to subscribe to RSS feeds via a more familiar medium - Email.
I know that not everyone is into the RSS thing so at the top of the right hand sidebar there is a field where you can enter your email address and get a daily email with a summary of the latest posts. You can unsubscribe at any time and your email will be kept private and not used for any other purposes than to send these daily updates.
Get Started by Subscribing to my feeds.
- Subscribe to my feeds via Feedburner.
- Or, you can opt to receive my email updates:
