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RSS 101

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This lens explores the basics of RSS and more generally 'feeds' and is part of my ongoing effort to educate people about new web technologies.

RSS?

The Basics of RSS and Feeds

Although somewhat disputed, one widely accepted definition of the term "RSS" is Really Simple Syndication. Essentially, RSS provides you with quick access to a website's most recent content.

RSS strips out all the graphics, design elements, and bells-and-whistles of a site and gives you just the text. The power of RSS is two fold - it circumvents your need to check a site for new content and it allows you to consume more content more quickly and efficiently.

RSS is most often associated with blog postings, however, virtually all of today's news and information sites offer RSS feeds to their top headlines or breaking stories - you'll soon see that these implementations only scratch the surface for the usefulness of this technology.

More Basics

Some other readings to get you started.
A Real Word Example of RSS
RSS is not unlike the way columns in a newspaper are distributed.
Wikipedia on RSS
The technology of RSS allows Internet users to subscribe to websites that have provided RSS feeds; these are typically sites that change or add content regularly
Answers.com on RSS
A syndication format that was developed by Netscape in 1999 and became very popular for aggregating updates to blogs and the latest news from Web sites.

Next Steps

Subscribe Ahoy!

When someone mentions RSS, the word 'subscribe' is not too far behind. The reason is simple, RSS works on the publish-subscribe model. Whenever new content goes onto a site, it is published into the feed. In order to consume an RSS feed, you need to subscribe to it.

How do you do that? You need an RSS reader to interpret the feed. Also often referred to as an RSS aggregator, feed aggregator, or feed reader. There are two types: web or client based.

Web based aggregators require no software installation and allow you to access all the feeds you have subscribed to from any computer with an Internet connection.

Client based aggregators require you to install some sort of software on your computer. The benefit in this case is simpler management of the feeds and the ability to read them offline.

Web Based Aggregators

Some Options

Bloglines
The most popular web based aggregator.
Rojo
Allows you to tag and discover new feeds. Based on how easy it is to manage feeds, Rojo is currently my preferred web based option.
NewsGator Online
Newsgator's web based reader.
My Yahoo!
My Yahoo! is probably the most simple web based feed reader around. It is also (arguably) the easiest to use.

Client Based Aggregators

Some Options

Feed Demon
Feed Demon is Newsgator's Window based client feed reader. It cost money (after a 30-day trial period) but it is probably the most advanced client based option available. Another nice feature is that it syncs with an online NewsGator account. In the event you like to read your feeds on and offline, this option is for you. Currently, my preferred client based option. If you are a Mac user, than use NetNewsWire, which is the Mac version of this software.
RSS Bandit
I'm not a fan of having to install .NET framework but people seem to like RSS Bandit.
GreatNews
Previously my preferred client based option.
Omea Reader
Another fairly popular option.

Must Haves

What I Consider Necessary Features of Aggregators

  1. Easy Means to Subscribe - Typically done via a bookmarklet for web based aggregators.
  2. Easy Means to Manage - One pro to client based is that you can easily move feeds around. Consider using a web based option to read feeds and then a client version to organize and manage them.
  3. Easy Means to Go Elsewhere - Make sure you can import and export an "OPML" file. Essentially, it's a file that contains all your feed subscriptions. In the event you find a better aggregator out there, you'll want to take your subscriptions with you.

Going for Gold

Get the Most out of RSS

Ten RSS Hacks
Steve Rubel shares his tips on maximizing the usefuleness of RSS - keep track of favorite authors, subscribe to your Gmail feed, and more.
Three More RSS Hacks
My addition to Steve's post...use RSS to track jobs, Google News, and create personalized feeds.
Five Ways to Improve Web Based Feed Aggregators
Once you to start trying out web based aggregators, you'll see there is definitely room for improvement.
The State of Online Feed Readers
Frank Gruber compares nine web based feed readers.
The State of Online Feed Readers - An Addendum
My response to Frank's analysis.

by

kyarmosh

I am the Editor of the Corante Web Hub and a consultant who helps
organizations, investors, and technology developers get the most out of
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