What exactly is RSS?
Often when people talk about RSS, others simply nod knowingly but have no real idea what they’re nodding about. I’ve discovered that a great deal of people are lost when it comes to RSS and how the technology works. It’s actually quite simple (and very cool), so I thought I’d break down the barrier by providing some info and a few helpful links.
RSS – or Rich Site Summary – is an easy way to distribute news and other content on the Web.
For instance, if you have eight blogs and three news sites you follow regularly, you can download an aggregator to follow all your favorite content from one convenient digital location.
Getting started:
1. Download a news aggregator. Most are free, and here is the one I use and like for its simplicity.
2. Visit your favorite blogs and/or news sites and find their RSS addresses. For instance, here is CNN’s RSS page.
3. Subscribe to the RSS URL by following the instructions provided by your aggregator.
Here is a very helpful page with a nice overview of RSS and aggregators.
You can use the Technology in the Arts blog RSS URL to test yourself. The URL is: “http://technologyinthearts.org/?feed=rss2.” Copy the link and subscribe to our blog using your new RSS reader.
About the Author
Brad Stephenson Brad Stephenson, based in Pittsburgh, PA, directs marketing and online communication for Carnegie Mellon University’s H. John Heinz III College, which offers 11 Master’s degrees and two Ph.D. titles in public policy and information systems. He previously served as the director of projects and marketing for the University’s Center for Arts Management and Technology (CAMT), helping artists and arts organizations more effectively leverage technology resources. While at CAMT, Brad co-founded Technology in the Arts, which investigates the intersection of arts management and technology through blog posts, webinars, lectures, podcasts and social media.
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