Really Simple RSS
If you haven't ventured into the world of RSS, you will.
You may remember in the mid-90s something called "Push" technology. The idea was that rather than you going and searching out content from the Internet, you selected topics of interest to you and then this content was "pushed" to your desktop. It failed, spectacularly. Perhaps it was because we were so enamored of the hunt; perhaps it was because the technology to really allow you to configure your pushed content wasn't there yet; perhaps the cosmic tumblers just weren't in place yet.
But with RSS, the day of delivered content has arrived, and seems to have succeeded, this time.
RSS stands for "really simple syndication," and refers to the notion that providers can "syndicate" content by informing subscribers (you and me) when new content on a subject has been published.
This is done using an RSS "reader." If you use newsgroups, or if you download podcasts, you will be familiar with the idea of a "reader." This is simply an application that intelligently gathers up data that you have requested on an on-going basis, and delivers it to you in a readable/usable fashion. RSS works essentially the same way.
iGoogle provides a built-in RSS reader, or you can find and download any number of additional readers. Once installed, you enter the URL of the content you want to subscribe to (the content provider must include code on the page/blog/etc. that permits subscriptions), and every time that content is updated, your RSS reader will also be updated with the latest from your favorite website or blogger.
RSS readers vary from free to a few dollars. Check out a few of them on TechRepublic.com.
If you haven't ventured into the world of RSS, you will.
You may remember in the mid-90s something called "Push" technology. The idea was that rather than you going and searching out content from the Internet, you selected topics of interest to you and then this content was "pushed" to your desktop. It failed, spectacularly. Perhaps it was because we were so enamored of the hunt; perhaps it was because the technology to really allow you to configure your pushed content wasn't there yet; perhaps the cosmic tumblers just weren't in place yet.
But with RSS, the day of delivered content has arrived, and seems to have succeeded, this time.
RSS stands for "really simple syndication," and refers to the notion that providers can "syndicate" content by informing subscribers (you and me) when new content on a subject has been published.
This is done using an RSS "reader." If you use newsgroups, or if you download podcasts, you will be familiar with the idea of a "reader." This is simply an application that intelligently gathers up data that you have requested on an on-going basis, and delivers it to you in a readable/usable fashion. RSS works essentially the same way.
iGoogle provides a built-in RSS reader, or you can find and download any number of additional readers. Once installed, you enter the URL of the content you want to subscribe to (the content provider must include code on the page/blog/etc. that permits subscriptions), and every time that content is updated, your RSS reader will also be updated with the latest from your favorite website or blogger.
RSS readers vary from free to a few dollars. Check out a few of them on TechRepublic.com.
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