| Imagine the next time you join a discussion | | | | available such as Plazoo and Feedster. |
| about RSS. When you start sharing the | | | | |
| fascinating RSS facts below, your friends | | | | How can I make an RSS feed? |
| will be absolutely amazed. | | | | |
| | | | If you don't have accurate details regarding |
| The best course of action to take sometimes | | | | RSS, then you might make a bad choice on the |
| isn't clear until you've listed and | | | | subject. Don't let that happen: keep reading. |
| considered your alternatives. The following | | | | |
| paragraphs should help clue you in to what | | | | You can see that there's practical value in |
| the experts think is significant. | | | | learning more about RSS. Can you think of |
| | | | ways to apply what's been covered so far? |
| What does RSS mean? | | | | |
| | | | It is definitely easier to make an RSS feed |
| RSS may mean three different things. The | | | | if you know HTML. If not, you could sign up |
| original RSS (RDF Site Summary RSS 0.9) was | | | | for a blog (there are hundreds out there), |
| developed by Dan Libby for Netscape. After a | | | | some of which automatically creates RSS. If |
| couple of months, they produced a simpler and | | | | youre using a personal webpage building |
| easier-to-use version called Rich Site | | | | system, you need to understand more about |
| Summary or RSS 0.91. But they later lost | | | | RSS. Making an RSS feed from scratch is |
| interest, leaving it without an owner. As | | | | relatively easy. |
| more and more users were using RSS, Winer | | | | |
| made an adapted version of RSS 0.91 for | | | | A RSS feed should always contain an item, |
| Userland, claiming it as his own. Later in | | | | whichever version of RSS you might use. If |
| 2005, Microsoft developed Really Simple | | | | you wrote about a recent event in your city |
| Syndication in relation to its Simple Sharing | | | | or a book review, the contents of this |
| Extensions. | | | | article can form an item. An item is |
| | | | essentially composed of three things: a |
| What is RSS? | | | | title, its description, and link (where they |
| | | | can find your webpage). In choosing a title |
| RSS is a XML file format for syndicating | | | | and description, use something that will |
| content and news in the web. It is usually | | | | describe the web content best. Although it |
| used by websites that constantly need to | | | | will be easier for you, it doesnt follow that |
| update their content regularly such as news | | | | the title tag of your webpage and the item |
| websites (CNN, BBC and Reuters) and weblogs. | | | | title are the same. |
| Since it essentially gives ones webpage more | | | | |
| traffic, it is now more widely used in | | | | An item will look like HTML tags. First, you |
| marketing, web publications and virus | | | | need to put an opening channel tag that |
| reports. Today, large and small websites | | | | defines it as an XML file. Then, label the |
| alike are usually RSS-enabled. | | | | tag as an item by putting after the channel |
| | | | tag. After this, you can now insert the three |
| For example, youre an avid fan of baseball | | | | essentials of your item: , , and . Just like |
| and you want to share something recent about | | | | HTML, we need to close the tag by writing and |
| one of the players. Other than content, you | | | | at the bottom. |
| can also attach multimedia files, like videos | | | | |
| or pictures. By using RSS feeds, other | | | | An RSS feed that contains multiple tags looks |
| Internet users subscribed to RSS-enabled | | | | like this: |
| sites can read your headline for free. They | | | | |
| can also track for changes and updates using | | | | Anne Rices Belinda: A Book Review |
| news aggregators, which will be discussed | | | | |
| later on. | | | | If you havent read any Anne Rice books yet, |
| | | | you will be greeted with shocking romantic |
| How does RSS work? | | | | relationships forming between unlikely |
| | | | characters |
| To be able to use RSS, you first have to | | | | |
| download a software (content management | | | | Harry Potter IV: Darker with More Deaths |
| system), by which XML format can be read. The | | | | |
| title and, excerpt of the article, and a link | | | | The recently released Harry Potter |
| to the full article are shown. Other than | | | | installation has proved dark for its younger |
| just text, you can also insert multimedia | | | | readers |
| files in RSS feeds like pictures, videos, | | | | |
| mp3s and others. Broadcatching, | | | | Now, if youre still having a hard time |
| picturecasting, photocasting, and podcasting | | | | understanding these tags, look for HTML tags |
| are some features you can incorporate into | | | | tutorial to further grasp the concept. Have |
| your feed, but will not be discussed in this | | | | fun! |
| article. | | | | |
| | | | When word gets around about your command of |
| For users to access a RSS feed, they need to | | | | RSS facts, others who need to know about RSS |
| use an aggregator or a feed reader. An | | | | will start to actively seek you out. |
| aggregator searches for updates on | | | | |
| RSS-enabled webpages then displays it. It can | | | | The day will come when you can use something |
| either be a standalone program or a web | | | | you read about here to have a beneficial |
| browser extension, depending on your | | | | impact. Then you'll be glad you took the time |
| operating system. Search engines for web | | | | to learn more about RSS. |
| content broadcasted over RSS feed are also | | | | |