RSS - bringing the news to your desk

A new way of delivering news to the computer desktop has hit the web and it promises to turbo-charge the way we gather information.

Called RSS (Really Simple Syndication), it is a format designed for sharing web content such as news and features. An RSS service (also known as an RSS channel or feed) consists of a list of items, each of which contains a headline, description, and a link to a web page. RSS can also include links to multimedia files, such as MP3 "radio" programmes.

To use RSS, you need a special RSS news reader or "aggregator" that will allow you to collect and display RSS services. The news reader allows you to view the services you want, all together in the same place. By automatically retrieving updates it makes sure your content is always up to date.

For example, using the Awasu newsreader program on your PC you could subscribe to feeds from Reuters, the BBC, CNN, the FT and many others - including CiB! Then, instead of surfing from one site to another you just click on the service within the newsreader to get the latest headlines. The sites can be scanned in seconds rather than having to be laboriously loaded individually, saving you having to surf around.

In an interview for the BBC, James Crabtree of The Work Foundation, said that there's growing belief in the technology community that e-mail is a system close to breakdown, thanks in part to spam, unread newsletters, and the sheer weight of messages.

"At the moment, not many people really know about using RSS. But if more people knew what it was, I think they would use it. It's just a really handy way of getting the information you want without having to surf around for it," he said.

There are many different newsreaders available, many for free. Most are applications that you download and install. Others are web-based services that you can sign-up for and view using your browser.

Once installed, you have to find the newsfeeds you are interested in. This can be tricky as there are literally thousands. One good source is http://w.moreover.com/categories/category_list_rss.html that has industry specific feeds available. Another is http://www.feed24.com/ that will let you search for all manner of information.

RSS is going to revolutionise the way we share corporate information too. You can issue press releases via RSS or share your corporate intranet content with the rest of the planet. Or how about providing a corporate news feed from London for your Singapore intranet?

You can even have your own MP3 radio programmes - or Podcasts - for people to download. See http://www.infotechcomms.co.uk/audio/rss/rss.xml

Anything is possible as programmes are available to convert an RSS feed into HTML for web pages.

FAQs

What is RSS?
It stands for Really Simple Syndication - a way of pushing news and other material from a website direct to your desktop. Alternatively, it is a way of sharing data with other web sites or intranets - automatically.

What is so special about it?
With RSS you choose what you would like to subscribe to. Then, the RSS news reader or aggregator makes sure that your news sources are updated on a regular basis.

How does it work?
RSS uses a format called XML (Extensible Mark-up Language). XML is closely related to HTML and is a great format for content that is shared between different platforms such as web, print and databases.

Where do I get a news reader program from?
There are lots available, but the most common for Windows include NewzCrawler, FeedDemon and Awasu. For Macintosh OSX the BBC recommends
Newsfire and NetNewsWire.

Do I have to use a news reader?
No. You can sign-up to RSS newsfeed via a web-based service like Bloglines (http://www.bloglines.com/). Most of these types of service are free.

How do I sign up to a newsfeed?
First you have to find a feed that interests you. There are literally thousands to choose from and there are web-based lists to help you. You can also look out for the small "RSS" or "XML" image that appears on some web sites - such as Reuters.co.uk. If you see this symbol, click on it and it will display a page of what looks like gibberish. This is the XML code. All you then have to do is copy the URL of that page (eg http://www.microsite.reuters.com/rss/uk/topNews) into your news reader or Bloglines account and you will be able to read the latest news.

Is RSS just for text-based news?
Far from it. RSS can be used to deliver multimedia to your desktop. Podcasting is the name given to audio feeds that are delivered to your computer for downloading to your iPod or MP3 player.