Don't miss a trick with RSS11 May 2005
RSS or Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary is a method of disseminating information that has taken the Internet by storm. Developed in 1999 by Netscape, the system has grown to be a major force in blogging, information updates and online news distribution.
The great benefit of RSS is that instead of having to visit a web site for updates, you can use the system to be instantly informed of product or content changes, or even the latest news headlines. Unlike e-mail newsletters content doesn't run the risk of being blocked by spam filters and you can cherry pick the areas of information you're interested in.
Download an RSS reader
Receiving RSS feeds is simple and easy to set up, and perhaps most importantly, keeps you in control at the same time as keeping you informed.
The first step is to download an RSS reader. These can be web based like Bloglines, desktop downloads like NewsGator or part of an online browser like Firefox. Many more are available through Google.
RSS reader programs typically display the content in much the same way as an e-mail inbox. However, as no personal information is given you won't get bombarded by unwanted or unfocused spam - just the news you want.
Start receiving
After you have your RSS reader you will want to populate it with some feeds.
You may have noticed small orange links on some websites with the letters XML in them - clicking these adds an information feed from that website to your RSS reader that will update automatically whenever new content is added. A good example of this is available on the Reuters website.
RSS readers also allow you to set up keywords so that you will receive information from a range of sites that mention something you are personally interested in - saving you valuable time, but again keeping you right up to date.
Why not try it now? To be kept up to date with developments on the BT Business Today site simply copy one of the following links into your RSS reader as the program explains.
