What is RSS?

RSS is the English acronym for Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary. It is an application of XML and is used by websites to link to articles available to interested parties.

Websites that offer RSS write a piece of XML code containing the title, short description and link to various articles. Periodically a news reader collects and bundles the new articles (the news feed) and sends it to the user.

The big advantage is that as a reader you choose in advance which topics interest you so that you only receive the information you require.

What do I need to be able to use RSS?

To take advantage of RSS you need a special news reader or "compiler " which displays the contents of the websites you have selected. There are many different, often free, news readers available. They can be easily downloaded and installed. There are also several web-based news readers on the internet.

Once you have selected and installed a news reader, all you need to do is sign up (for free) for the subjects in which you are interested. You can find an overview of all news readers, free or not, on Google.

What are the benefits of RSS?

RSS is an easy way to be always up-to-date with the latest information about the subjects you have chosen. You don't have to constantly scour different websites any more to see if there is new information online. With RSS you are automatically notified when something new appears.