| bottom-link"> | | | | listed from newest to oldest. Each item usually |
| One of the most popular features of Internet | | | | consists of a simple title describing the item along |
| portals, websites, pages and even emails is a | | | | with a more complete description and a link to a |
| frame that features an organized list of news | | | | web page with the actual content being |
| headlines and periodic updates from other web | | | | described. In some instances, the short |
| sources. Really Simple Syndication, formerly | | | | description or title line is the all the updated |
| Rich Site Summary or simply, RSS makes | | | | information that a user wants to read (for |
| this possible. One of the most popular features of | | | | example, final games scores in sports, weblogs |
| Internet portals, websites, pages and even emails | | | | post, or stock updates). Therefore, it is not |
| is a frame that features an organized list of news | | | | even necessary to have a web page associated |
| headlines and periodic updates from other web | | | | with the content or update items listed -- |
| sources. Really Simple Syndication, formerly | | | | sometimes all the needed information that users |
| Rich Site Summary or simply, RSS makes | | | | need would be in the titles and short summaries |
| this possible. | | | | themselves. |
| Most users visit a lot of websites whose content | | | | The RSS content is located in a single file on a |
| continually change, such as news sites, community | | | | webpage in a manner not very different from |
| organization or professional association information | | | | typical web pages. The difference is that the |
| pages, medical websites, product support pages, | | | | information is written in the XML computer code |
| and blogs. As Internet surfing became an intrinsic | | | | for use by an RSS aggregator and not by a web |
| part of business and leisure, it became important | | | | user like a normal HTML page. |
| to get rid of the very tedious task of repeatedly | | | | There are 2 main parts that are involved in RSS |
| returning to each website to see updated content. | | | | syndication, namely: the source end and the |
| RSS easily distributes information from different | | | | client end. |
| websites to a wider number of Internet users. | | | | The client end of RSS publishing makes up part of |
| RSS aggregators are programs that use RSS to | | | | the system that gathers and uses the RSS |
| source these updates, and then organize those | | | | feed. For example, Mozilla FireFox browser is |
| lists of headlines, content and notices for easy | | | | typically at the client end of the RSS transaction. |
| reading. It allows computers to automatically | | | | A user’s desktop RSS aggregator |
| retrieve and read the content that users want, | | | | program also belongs to the client end. |
| then track changes and personalize lists of | | | | Once the URL of an RSS feed is known, a user |
| headlines that interests them. | | | | can give that address to an RSS aggregator |
| The specially made computer programs called | | | | program and have the aggregator monitor the |
| RSS aggregators were created to | | | | RSS feed for changes. Numerous RSS |
| automatically find and retrieve the RSS feeds of | | | | aggregators are already preconfigured with a |
| pre-selected internet sites on behalf of the user | | | | ready list of RSS feed URLs for popular news or |
| and organize the results accordingly. (RSS feeds | | | | information websites that a user can simply |
| and aggregators are also sometimes referred to | | | | choose from. |
| as "RSS Channels" and "RSS Readers".) | | | | There are many RSS aggregators that can be |
| The RSS aggregator is like a web browser for | | | | used by all Internet users. Some can be |
| RSS content. HTML presents information directly | | | | accessed through the Internet, some are already |
| to users, and RSS automatically lets computers | | | | incorporated into email applications, and others run |
| communicate with one another. While users use | | | | as a standalone program inside the personal |
| browsers to surf the web then load and view | | | | computer. |
| each page of interest, RSS aggregators keeps | | | | RSS feeds have evolved into many uses. Some |
| track of changes to many websites. The titles | | | | uses gaining popularity are: |
| or descriptions are links themselves and can be | | | | ·For online store or retail establishments: |
| used to load the web page the user wants. | | | | Notification of new product arrivals |
| RSS starts with an original Web site that has | | | | ·For organization or association newsletters: title |
| content made available by the administrator. The | | | | listings and notification of new issues, including |
| website creates an RSS document and registers | | | | email newsletters |
| this content with an RSS publisher that will allow | | | | ·Weather Updates and other alerts of changing |
| other websites to syndicate the documents. The | | | | geographic conditions |
| Web site also produces an RSS feed, or channel, | | | | ·Database management: Notification of new |
| which is available together with all other resources | | | | items added, or new registered members to a |
| or documents on the particular Web server. The | | | | club or interest group. |
| website will register the feed as an RSS | | | | The uses of feeds will continue to grow, because |
| document, with a listed directory of appropriate | | | | RSS aggregators make access to any information |
| RSS publishers. | | | | that individual users like more convenient and fun. |
| An RSS feed is composed of website content | | | | |