What is RSS and How Can it Save Me Time?

RSS (Really Simple Syndication) allows you to save time by quickly viewing updated text and images on most of your favorite Web sites and blogs in one location.

For this example, let’s say you have 10 sites and blogs bookmarked you like to check daily.

To see what is new on your favorite sites or blogs, normally you open your Internet browser application, go to the bookmarks section and then manually visit each of the 10 sites to discover unread posts or updated information.

Now, if the Web sites or blogs you like to read offer an RSS feed, instead of viewing each page separately with your browser application, you can use a completely separate program (or one built into your browser) to subscribe to and read the updated info (RSS feeds) of your favorite sites and blogs.

These programs (often called “RSS Readers,” “News Readers” or “News Aggregators”) automatically check your subscribed feeds throughout the day, download any new information, and then present all the new information from your favorite sites and blogs on one screen. When you launch your RSS reader, you see one screen with many small “blurbs” from your favorite sites or blogs combined in one list. This way, you can quickly scroll down the list of new information reading the first few words of each blurb. When you find a post that interests you, just click on it and your Web browser will launch and go to the actual site or blog allowing you to read the entire post. If you are a news junkie or like to visit many blogs, using RSS can save you much time and hassle.

Getting started using RSS is a three-step process.

1) Download and install a RSS reader application: See list below of free readers. Note: some Web browsers (including Firefox) either ship with built-in RSS readers or have free plug-in readers available for download.

2) Subscribe to some feeds: Go to the sites and blogs you like. Look for links and icons like “XML,” “feed,” “syndication,” or “RSS”. Copy the link to the feed (it will look similar to an Internet link) and paste the link into the “Subcribe” area of your RSS reader application. Note: Some RSS readers can automatically find and subscribe to links for you when you surf to your favorite sites and blogs.

3) View new content: Launch your RSS reader, discover what’s new and read away!

Links to RSS readers:

Look at this link for a list of RSS readers for Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems.

Here is a link to reviews on the top 10 free readers for Windows.