What is RSS?

RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is an XML-based format for content distribution.

Many news organizations and blogs offer RSS feeds for use in news aggregators, often called feed readers. Such feeds often include headlines, summaries, and links back to the original article online.

RSS provides a simple way for you to be notified when content that interests you appears on your favorite Web sites. Instead of visiting a particular Web site to browse for new articles and features, RSS automatically lets you know when new content is available.

How do I access an RSS feed?

To use RSS feeds, you will need a Web-based or a downloadable feed reader that will display the content from the Web sites you select. This will allow you to access feeds from a variety of news organizations and Web sites by clicking on a button labeled "subscribe" or "XML" or "RSS." Web-based readers such as My Yahoo!, the Firefox browser, or the Thunderbird email application will allow you to add feeds directly to your bookmarks or personal page.

For step-by-step instructions on how to view RSS feeds using Mozilla Firefox or Thunderbird, visit our "How to Subscribe" section.

What is a podcast?

A podcast is an RSS feed that includes direct links to audio and video files. Podcasting uses the RSS subscription model to distribute audio and video programs via the Internet. Users who subscribe to an RSS podcast feed are then able to listen or view the content using a host of free audio / video software such as iTunes as well as through many feed readers. Such software enables automatic downloading of new content to your computer as well as to mobile MP3 and video players, such as the Video iPod, as new content is made available.

Questions?

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