RSS Feeds 101

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. Acronyms include: XML feed, syndicated content, web feed. Podcasting is a special type of feed that is used to distribute audio files. A podcast could be music or a narration for your tour through a museum.

A feed is frequently updated content that is published on a web site. The content may be the same as a web page but it is formatted differently. The purpose is to allow the content to be distributed. If I have a standard web site,  I am dependent on you coming to my web site to read my information. A feed allows me to send information to you. You control the information by subscribing to the feed. A feed is typically a small piece of information on a specific topic. Instead of sending a newsletter to ALL of my clients about ALL of the software I work with, a feed allows me to send just ACT! articles to just ACT! users. I would compare RSS feeds to a clipping service. You're saying, "These are the topics I'm interested in. Search them out and deliver them to my reader."

This symbol tells you that the web site you're viewing offers RSS feeds.

A web site can offer standard web pages and RSS feeds. A web address for a web site is just like the web address for a blog. http://www.yourcomputerlady.com/ used to take you to a standard, static web site. That address now takes you to my blog. At the site, I offer RSS feeds.

Using Internet Explorer 7, you can click on the RSS icon and view the RSS feeds on that site. The posts and comments are displayed in an easy to read list.

When you view an RSS feed, you are offered the option to subscribe. Most subscriptions are free.

A subscription will automatically pull new posts from the RSS feed and let you view them in your reader. (See articles on this site about the various readers.)

Post(s) - This is the term for the original entry published by the web site owner/author.  The original post may be an editorial, a link to an article the owner found on the topic, a link to an interesting web site, a photo. Really anything that can go on a web site can be a post.

Comment(s) - Comments are from the visitors to the web site or blog. It could be a question to clarify something the author said in the original Post. It could be an opinion, a disagreement, another perspective, etc. The whole point of blogs is to encourage discussion. The author wants to hear from you!

Take a look at these sites which offer RSS feeds

http://www.moviegeekout.com/ - movie news and reviews

http://www.office.microsoft.com/ - information about Microsoft's Office Suite

http://www.webmd.com/ - medical information site

http://www.wallstreetjournal.com/- podcasts and news feed