|
|
|
|
Chances are you visit websites regularly that offer RSS services. Most people even have RSS functionality built right into their browser or email client.
But for many people, the term RSS is still unknown to them. On numerous occasions I am asked “what does RSS stand for and what does it do?”. So today I thought it would be a good idea to explain RSS in more depth.
What does RSS stand for?
RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. As you may have guessed by looking at the name, RSS has been designed to be as simple as possible. I mean, really simple. But you may be asking yourself “What exactly is being syndicated?” – website content of course.
How does it work?
RSS feeds work in much the same way as an email subscription service. But instead of receiving website updates, newsletters and information through email you will receive this information on a software or web application designed specifically to read RSS feeds.
What are the benefits of RSS feeds?
The comparisons between RSS and email end with content. There are 2 major enhancements and benefits that RSS can offer:
- With RSS there is no need to supply your email address, name or any other personally identifiable information to subscribe. So keeping track of your favourite websites now means you don’t have to worry about your inbox filling up with junk or spam.
- Email newsletters are sent out periodically by the website owner, whereas RSS feeds are continuously being updated – Meaning you can now be kept updated on new content added to your favourite websites.
How can I tell if a site has an RSS feed?
Feeds are typically identified by an orange, square icon with white curved lines. You may have seen it before, it looks like this: 
Chances are if you have upgraded to Internet Explorer 7 or Firefox 2 recently you will have seen this icon at the top.
What sites use RSS?
These days RSS has become very common place. With the introduction of Firefox 2 and Internet Explorer 7 most people now have RSS functionality built right into their browser, which has caught the attention of many websites.
News sites now contain RSS feeds:
News.com.au - http://www.news.com.au/rss
BBC News - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/help/3223484.stm
CNN - http://www.cnn.com/services/rss/
On the Premier & Ministers website you can subscribe to the latest News & Press Releases using RSS. The site was developed by Adamant Solutions and gives visitors the ability to subscribe to news about individual ministers or all news. View them here »
How do I view RSS feeds?
There are numerous programs and websites available that can assist you in viewing RSS feeds. The software is often referred to as “RSS Aggregators”. The “top picks” for software versions of RSS are:
Windows: SharpReader
Simple, but gets the job done.
Mac OS X: NetNewsWire
This elegant Mac-like aggregator is easy to use and powerful.
Linux: Straw
The best aggregator for GNOME.
More details about available RSS aggregators can be found at: http://blogspace.com/rss/readers
You can also view RSS feeds online using websites like Netvibes.
How do I unsubscribe?
Unsubscribing from a news feed is easy. Within the RSS Aggregator or web application simply remove the RSS feed from the listing. All done. Really simple don’t you think?
How do I get RSS feeds on my website?
You can add RSS functionality to your website manually. This is by far the easiest way to get this added functionality without requiring any modifications to your website. Simply upload a properly formatted XML file using an FTP browser or file manager. Then simply tell your visitors to subscribe to your RSS feed.
Having an automatic RSS feed generated can be a little trickier. It involves having a database driven website with dynamic scripting functionality (such as CGI, ASP or PHP). The RSS feed is automatically generated based on the content provided for your website.
Adamant Solutions can assist you in setting up an RSS feed for your website or redevelop your website around a database driven system to automatically generate RSS feeds for your visitors. This really sounds more complex than what it is. In fact, a database-driven website is much easier to maintain and keep updated because it does not require any knowledge of programming or FTP access. You simply enter the content in much the same way as you would in a word processor, you select the fonts, change the colours and toggle bold, italic & underline with ease.
If you are interested in getting RSS functionality on your website please feel free to call us on 1800 426 893 or fill in our contact form today.
|
|
|
|
|
