RSS is short for "Real Simple Syndication." It uses a technology called XML to deliver news headlines to a desktop RSS reader or directly to certain Web browsers.
When you have an RSS reader or a Web browser that is RSS-equipped, you can have headlines from all your favorite Web sites — including BusinessInsurance.com — automatically fed into a common online news feed. You can also use RSS feeds on your My Yahoo page.
You will likely need to download an RSS reader. Many are free of charge; some charge a small fee. We've included a list of popular RSS readers on this page.
Certain Web browsers — including Firefox and the Mac-based Safari — are RSS enabled. Also, new versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer scheduled for release in 2006 are likely to have an RSS reader built in.
If you want to collect and browse RSS feeds, you have many choices, but there are two primary categories of feed-reading applications: installable desktop programs and online services.
There are many desktop applications for Windows and Mac OS system users, but two favorites are Windows-based FeedDemon and NetNewsWire for Macs. Both entail a small purchase price, but they're easy to use and ship with dozens of feeds pre-loaded so you can immediately begin exploring the syndication "universe."
Free readers are available as well. One popular product is FeedReader. For a list of several other RSS readers — both free and paid — take a look at this directory from Google.
FeedDemon 1.5 | FeedBurner edition for Windows |
NewsGator Outlook Edition | Windows |
NetNewsWire | Mac OS X |
Pluck | IE or Firefox, PC |
Pulp Fiction | Mac OS X |
Firefox | via "Live Bookmarks" feature |
Safari | RSS support in Apple OS X "Tiger" |