Really Simple Syndication
Sunday, February 13, 2011
RSS readers are used by many people on the internet. I use Google Reader for my journalism class, and it has become very helpful for me to keep updated on news around the world.
RSS readers are web feeds that are published and updated frequently such as blogs, forums, news headlines, video, and audio. I am able to subscribe to many different news sources such as the The Des Moines Register, The New York Times, and even my hometown paper from Albia, Union Republican.
RSS stands for really simple syndication. I find this very true to its name because it is very simple to use. All I have to do is click on a news link I find interesting, and it takes me straight to the article.
Things like this can be very helpful for future journalists. Instead of surfing the internet to find your favorite news sites, blog writers, or forums you can create your RSS reader to fit you. All of the articles that you are interested in can be all in one feed. This is very convenient and saves a great amount of time.
Many bloggers and news sites have an icon on their homepage that makes adding them to your news feed even more convenient.
RSS readers are frequently called feed, web feed, or channel. Some basic RSS readers include Google Reader, Bloglines, Feed Demon, NetNewsWire, and Straw. I use Google Reader because I am able to search through articles when I am checking my e-mail account.
I think everyone should use RSS feeds. They not only help you keep up with the news, but they also are very convenient.
Photo Credit: Ben Miller, via Creative Commons
