What is RSS?

RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a technology that allows the forum to notify readers about new posts on the sites and to allow other sites to publish some of its content.

RSS-enabled sites provide RSS feeds that list article headlines, summaries and links back to the latest full-text articles on the web.

RSS automatically tells you when something new is posted online — so you spend less time searching for content. All of your chosen feeds from any websites that are RSS-enabled, are managed and viewed from one central location.

How do I use RSS?

To use RSS you need to:

1. Choose an RSS reader
2. Subscribe to an RSS feed, and
3. Read the feeds!

1. Choose an RSS reader

RSS readers can either be “Standalone” or “Plug-in”. Standalone readers are applications that run in the background on your desktop and automatically update your subscribed feeds. Plug-in readers work within one of your existing programs such as Microsoft Outlook, Firefox or Internet Explorer.

There are a variety of free RSS readers available as well as readers you can purchase that have more tools and features within the reader.

One recommended reader is Pluck. Pluck's RSS readers are free of charge and they will collect, update, and display your RSS feeds in one central location that you can access from anywhere. Pluck works as a plug-in with both Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers.

Another free reader is RssReader. This reader is a standalone application that works in the background on your Windows desktop. It works independently of any other programs.

2. Subscribe to an RSS feed

Some RSS readers may come with a collection of RSS feeds organized by topic such as News, Health, Finance, etc. More than likely you will want to subscribe to other feeds that are of interest to you.

To know if a website, blog or forum offers an RSS Feed, look for the RSS subscribe button or link, which can be any one of:

• The usual RSS button:
• The XML button:
• A simple list of links: RSS, Atom, MyYahoo, Bloglines, etc.
  
• or even your selected RSS Reader's button:
  

Most RSS readers support multiple ways to subscribe to an RSS feed:

• Click to Subscribe
  When you see a feed you're interested in, simply click on the subscribe button or link and follow the prompts offered by your RSS reader to complete the subscription.
• Drag and Drop to Subscribe
  Another simple way to subscribe is by dragging the subscribe button or link into the RSS Reader. You will be instantly subscribed to that feed.
• Manually Add Feeds
  If you know the URL of the feed you want to subscribe to, most RSS Readers will offer you the option to add it manually.

3. Read the feed!

Once you have subscribed to the RSS feeds you want, your RSS reader will seek out that information, and you will receive any new content from the publisher. Most feed readers present you with easy-to-browse headlines and short summaries of the latest information, including links that will take you directly to the full article. You can see what's new on dozens of sites, and read only the ones that interest you.

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