The Internet is a big place. Really big. With more than a billion
existing pages and thousands more being created each day, there’s
a wealth of great sites offering fantastic content free of charge. But
with such a massive torrent of media being produced each and every day,
it can often be tough to keep up with all your favorite websites. So,
how do we alleviate this problem? Easy. Here’s a really simple
explanation of Really Simple Syndication (RSS).
What is RSS
RSS is all about simplifying the way we view and digest content on the Internet. Web
pages are typically multimedia experiences, with multiple columns of
images, text, and advertisements. An RSS feed of a page strips the
information down to the bare essentials — usually the main text content, main images, or in the case of podcasts and video channels, the content itself.
By
reducing the desired content down to just what you really want, you
can enjoy it on a larger number of platforms without worrying about
compatibility or display issues. It also allows you to keep track of
when new content is posted without requiring you to refresh the blog or
podcast page every 10 minutes until something new appears.
How does RSS work
Rather
than paying upwards of 100 bucks for a DVR like TiVo, you can start
using RSS for free — all you need is a valid Internet connection and a
program called an RSS aggregator
.
An RSS aggregator, also known as feed reader, is a program that runs in
the background and constantly waits for your favorite sites to post new
content. When something new pops up on a site you’re subscribed to, it
instantaneously gets sent to your feed reader
.
Typically, aggregators come in two varieties; they can be Web-based or
desktop-based. There are also a number of programs and add-ons that
provide RSS functionality to email clients and Web browsers. Once you’ve
installed a feed reader, you can get started.
How do I use RSS
There are hundreds of aggregators out
there, with all kinds of different interfaces and useful features, so
finding one you like is just a matter of experimentation. Google shut
down its coveted Reader service in July 2013, but thankfully, a number
of new software options have come about since then that are more than
capable of handling your subscriptions. The most popular of these
options is Feedly given
its ease-of-use, robust compatibility, and the mere fact that many
sites feature an embedded shortcut button for utilizing it.
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