RSS Feeds
RSS is an efficient way to get information quickly from the Web. Basically, it drives information from the Web directly to readers instead of forcing those readers to surf a list of bookmarked sites. Think of it as the difference between subscribing to a magazine and going out each month to buy that magazine at a newsstand.
For example, subscribers to the New York Times’ RSS feed see a constantly updated list of the front-page stories on the Times’ Web site without having to visit the site itself. If they see a headline that looks interesting, they can simply click on it, and their Web browser automatically opens the story.
RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. There are two halves that make it work: an RSS feed created by a Web site and a news aggregator program that reads that feed.
Feeds
An RSS feed, sometimes called a Web feed, is a text file containing a very specific format that is standard across the Web.
To create an RSS feed, you should have a page on your Web site that contains a computer-scannable list of the latest items you’ve added. The information is tagged with special code that allows a news aggregator to interpret it much like a Web browser interprets HTML code for a Web page.
RSS feeds are written in a language called XML. If HTML creates Web pages designed for humans to read, XML presents information in a way that’s easy for other computers to read.
Every RSS feed file contains the following information, categorized with XML tags:
- Information about the feed, or “channel,” itself. This can include the name of the feed (“My News Site’s Headlines,” for example), a link to its Web site (“http://www.mysite.com”), and a description of the topics the feed includes (“Breaking news headlines”).
- The code for that RSS file would look like this:
- <title>My News Site’s Headlines</title>
- <link>http://mysite.com</link>
- <description>The latest news headlines about my community</description>
- A list of items – the links, pages or updates — that make up the feed. Each item needs, at the very least, a title and a link. Items can also include short text descriptions. If you were creating an RSS feed of stories for a news Web site, the title would be the story’s headline, the link connects to the Web page that contains the story, and the description might be the story’s lead sentence or paragraph.
- The code for a sample item in an RSS file would look like this:
- <item>
- <title>Parents, teachers clash at school board meeting</title>
- <link>http://mysite.com/news/schoolboard.html</link>
- <description>Teachers demanding higher salaries and parents complaining about higher school taxes engaged in a heated debate at last night’s local school board meeting.</description>
- </item>
It’s possible to create an RSS feed with nothing more than a text editor such as Notepad or BBEdit, just as you would any HTML file. There are plenty of tutorials like this one (http://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/website/view.cgi?dbs=Article&key=1059503386) that will show you how. However, if you manually create an RSS feed, you’ll have to go in and edit the file every time you need to update it with new information.
Many content management or blogging systems now create an RSS feed for you, automatically updating it with new items as you make changes and additions to the rest of your site.
News Aggregators
A news aggregator is a program designed to read, catalog and subscribe to RSS feeds. It's designed to interpret RSS feeds and display them to readers as lists of clickable headlines.
There are many different aggregator programs with varying features; some cost money and others are free. You can find a selection of news aggregators by searching such sites as Download.com (http://www.download.com). We’ve provided links to a few of the more prominent programs at the end of this chapter.
As users browse the Web, they are increasingly seeing links inviting
them to subscribe to an RSS feed. Many sites with RSS feeds display
them with small orange “XML” buttons like this one:
When users click that button, they get the address of a site’s RSS feed file. By entering that address into their aggregator – much like bookmarking a Web site in a browser – they subscribe to that feed. Every time readers open their aggregators, they’ll see lists of that feed’s latest items. Clicking on a headline in the list opens the reader’s browser to the Web page with the full story.
Modern Web browsers include the ability to easily subscribe to RSS feeds. Firefox allows users to create “Live Bookmarks” from RSS feeds. Apple’s Safari and Microsoft's Internet Explorer automatically detects the presence of an RSS feed on a site and lets users read or subscribe to that feed at the click of a button.
The Advantages of RSS
RSS offers advantages to both Web site publishers and users:
- RSS increases efficiency. Readers can keep track of many more sites more quickly than they could by surfing through a list of bookmarked sites.
- RSS targets audiences. Readers get information that is tailored to their interests without having to wade through unwanted information on slow-loading Web sites.
- RSS adds value. Web publishers can automatically deliver the latest links to their readers without having to advertise.
- RSS promotes linking. When other sites use your RSS feed to display an updated list of your headlines, they drive readers to your site.
Helpful Links
Here are some widely used news aggregators to get you started:
Web-based:
- Google Reader
- Netvibes
- My Yahoo (http://my.yahoo.com/)
- Pageflakes
Windows applications:
- Feedreader (http://www.feedreader.com/)
- FeedDemon (http://www.bradsoft.com/feeddemon/)
Mac applications:
- NetNewsWire (http://ranchero.com/software/netnewswire/)
To learn to create RSS feeds, turn to:
- This tutorial from Stephen’s Web (http://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/website/view.cgi?dbs=Article&key=1059503386).
- Another tutorial from the Utah State Library (http://gils.utah.gov/rss.html).
- This FAQ (http://www.voidstar.com/node.php?id=129).
- The specification for RSS 2.0 (http://backend.userland.com/rss), which is the latest standard.
> READ NEXT ARTICLE: Getting and Giving Links


That’s the nice fact. Is this feasible to receive the cellphone ringtones or just ringtones download from this page?
Posted by JOAN22Ic on 02/18 at 01:44 PMScholars are willing to have a PhD degree, but what is the correct way to get this? I would advice to detect for the dissertation service to order the thesis sentences just about this post from. I used it and reseived the highest range.
Posted by JOAN22Ic on 02/18 at 07:36 PMEvening dresses
Posted by on 02/19 at 11:28 PMWith more 1000 Designer dresses,we supply Evening Dresses,Custom Dresses,formal gowns,cocktail dresses with wholesale price
prom dresses
Thanks for that. I’ve tried a few other RSS readers, like HeadLine from Wildpalm, and FreeRange, both of which are not completely accessible with Talks. I’m sure that Google and Yahoo! rankings are one of the best ways of receiving targeted traffic. If your selling a product, targeted traffic is one of the most surefire ways of doing that.
Posted by on 02/20 at 02:29 AMSCART to USB | Koh Samui Villas
RSS feeds are really very useful in blogs. Thank you very much for that mac news aggregator! Berlin flats | Video production company
Posted by Thomas H on 02/28 at 08:14 AMI really love RSS because web feeds benefit publishers by letting them syndicate content automatically.
[url="http://www.turkishlawproject.org"]
Posted by on 03/01 at 03:03 PMPhentermine 37.5[/url]
I really love RSS because web feeds benefit publishers by letting them syndicate content automatically.
[url="http://www.turkishlawproject.org"]
Posted by on 03/01 at 03:04 PMPhentermine 37.5[/url]
I really love RSS because web feeds benefit publishers by letting them syndicate content automatically.
Phentermine 37.5
Posted by on 03/01 at 03:06 PMI’m sure that Google and Yahoo! rankings are one of the best ways of receiving targeted traffic. If your selling a product, targeted traffic is one of the most surefire ways of doing that.
Posted by on 03/02 at 11:16 PMBaby Boy Bedding
I’ve tried a few other RSS readers, like HeadLine from Wildpalm, and FreeRange, both of which are not completely accessible with Talks
Posted by on 03/03 at 01:22 AMJump Manual
Feed search engines and blog search engines are springing up all over the Net. More and more web surfers are learning that to find good feed content they can search specific search engines and directories, like Pub Sub, Technorati, Nowadays you can t get over it
Posted by on 03/03 at 06:57 PMFacilities Management jobs
I really appreciate your sharing.
Posted by craigdavid on 03/04 at 06:10 AMlogo design service | Animated Logo Design | Website Design | Stationery Design | brochure designing
RSS feeds are really very useful in blogs. Thank you very much for that mac news aggregator
Posted by on 03/05 at 04:57 PMgrow taller 4 idiots
Since a month ago I have been submitting every site update to over 50 ping list. I see there is increase in traffic! web hosting
Posted by webhost on 03/06 at 03:14 AMIt seems that alot of people have different view on aggregators.I have used google news aggregator and had some great results. Rss feeds are v good. Handy Logo Klingelton cardiff letting agents facilities jobs
Posted by fmjobs on 03/07 at 10:39 AMI have not used an rss reader before but i have heard alot of good things about them.
Posted by fmjobs on 03/11 at 03:56 PMwool rugs Modern rugs Übersetzung Übersetzer Dolmetscher Übersetzer Übersetzung Dolmetscher
Great info.I like all your post.I will keep visiting this blog very often. immobilienverzeichnis | finanzportal | pagerank-service | partnerprogramm reisen
Posted by on 03/15 at 07:31 AMI think that this is a great way to keep up todate with any websites which you are following such as jobs sites. opkopers
Posted by fmjobs on 03/16 at 04:07 PMThank you for the info.
March Group
Posted by March Group on 03/16 at 04:27 PMGreat article!
J. Hass Group
Posted by March Group on 03/16 at 10:54 PMI’m sure that Google and Yahoo! rankings are one of the best ways of receiving targeted traffic. If your selling a product, targeted traffic is one of the most surefire ways of doing that. schuler finden
Posted by fmjobs on 03/17 at 03:34 PMI am a big fan of rss feeds. I use them on my personal loans website. Its a big relief to finally have learned how to set this up. I really am excited about this. Thanks so much!
Posted by on 03/18 at 01:26 AM