Monday, May 26, 2008

What's an RSS?

Subscribe via RSS

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. It's a way to get blog posts, podcasts, and other web information in an archive format. Why use RSS? There's lots of reasons, but the best reason is to access content that isn't otherwise easy to get after it's been updated.

One of my regular sites to visit is Postsecret. Updated weekly, it's a poignant look at human issues through the medium of anonymous postcards being sent to the web page author. Postsecret has become somewhat of an internet phenomenon, but I was always frustrated when I missed a week, and the author doesn't archive the pages. Since I subscribed to Postsecret via RSS, I can read any weeks postcards, anytime, just by logging onto Google Reader.

Another example is one of my favorite radio shows, Stuart McLean's Vinyl Cafe. The Vinyl Cafe is only available on the internet as a podcast, and the only way to get the podcast is via RSS. The symbol above is the key to subscribing to tons of interesting content on the web, and reading it at your leisure.

We provide an RSS feed for Rockhoppers Daily Grind, you'll find it at the bottom of the sidebar to the right, or you can click the giant RSS icon above. It's a great way to be sure you don't miss any of our blog posts.

Simple stuff on Whidbey Island.

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