Really Simple Syndication Explanation

A while back, I learned that RSS is “Really Simple Syndication.” So here's a simple explanation.

RSS technology is how web page content is delivered to a computer (via an XML file format) when you subscribe to an RSS feed. You read the XML files in a program called an aggregator, which collects news from various websites.

Click to select an RSS reader. There are several choices: a Web-based client, an e-mail client, or a stand-alone application. I’ve chosen a Web-based reader because I work on multiple computers, have easy access to the Internet, and don’t want to crowd the inbox or other folders in my email.

Now when visiting an interesting blog or website, I’ll look for small icons on each page with the acronyms RSS, XML, or RDF and add them to the list of feeds the aggregator checks.