There are a lot of people out there who still have no clue what RSS is. Most of them are using Microsoft Internet Explorer which doesn’t understand RSS very well (if at all). But those who have made the move to Firefox or any Web 2.0 browser are starting to realize that RSS is the only way to keep track of what is new on their favorite sites.
RSS stands for “Really Simple Syndication” or “Rich Site Summary” and is usually noted with one of two orange icons that will show up on a site that features an RSS feed.
The RSS site icon from FireFox 1.5
another RSS icon.
A feed is nothing more than a way for your browser or feed reader to know when a site is updated by its’ owner. This site has an RSS feed- and if you bookmark (or favorite) the feed icon you will see a little red star in it every time I add something to the site. No need to send an e-mail to let you know that there is something new, you’ll already know.
Good sites have content that is updated frequently- on the topic that brought you there in the first place (usually through search). The RSS feed is an unobtrusive way to let you know that there is something new.
Web 2.0 is about building community- or relationships, between the site author and the reader. Websites without RSS don’t build a connection with their audience near as quickly as those with RSS. How long would the telephone have lasted if there was no way to let you know that someone is calling? WordPress builds in RSS feeds automatically for you which is just one of the reasons we believe it to be the fastest, easiest way to build your sites audiences quickly.
If you aren’t using an RSS compatible browser now, you will be soon- since the next generation of Internet Explorer will be fully compatible. But, if you can’t wait, download Firefox now- and look into Sage as a RSS reader (links to both on our WP tools page).
note: According to Dave Winer Microsoft just released a public beta of IE 7 which includes RSS support- so it may not be long for the rest of you.
[...] People often ask me, “Where do you get the time to find all the things you talk about on your blog?” The real answer is I don’t find it, it finds me; via RSS. I love to pimp RSS (Really Simple Syndication). It is the way I typically navigate the web, and has broadend my view of the internet. I believe it is something that can make your experience with the internet dramatically better, and therefore I will continue to post about RSS regularly. This week, David Esrati, of The Next Wave and Blogosopher fame, has done my dirty work for me. Please check out his post “A website without RSS is like a phone without a ringer.“ It is a great take on the benefits of using this great tool. My hope is that once you have read David’s post, you will come back and subscribe to my RSS feed. Subscribing is easy to do. If you have Firefox, (which is FREE) you can simply use the built in subscription features. David discusses this in his post. Another option is to subscribe by clicking on one of the buttons along the right side of this site. (My Yahoo, Google RSS, Bloglines) They are all easy to use, and offer a wide range of features that make the web more enjoyable. Even if you decide not to subscribe to MY feed, (God forbid) I urge you to learn about RSS. It is the future of the web. Want to discuss RSS? Voice your opinion by leaving a comment below. [...]
[...] Blogosopher » Blog Archive » A website without RSS is like a phone without a ringer [...]
[...] The solution is already here- it’s called RSS. I’ve written several posts about it already- most recently “A site without RSS is like a phone without a ringer.” [...]
Excellent article… with just the right amount of technical detail to encourage the reader to learn more.