What is RSS? How to use RSS Web Feeds Reader (Google Reader) to receive Web Feeds?

What is RSS?
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a technology format used by millions of internet users around the world to keep track of their favourite websites and blogs.

How RSS web feeds work?
In the ‘old days’, if you have many favourite websites that you like to visit and read, you will bookmark them. Every now and then you will visit your favourite websites to see if there are any new articles or information updated. This is fine if you have a few favourite websites, but what if you have maybe 50 favourite websites? Do you think you have the time and energy to visit all your 50 favourite websites everyday to see if there are any new information? I guess you will get tired of it very soon.

What if you can have a single ‘Inbox’ where you can receive updates on each of your favourite websites? It can be 1 website, 2 websites or even 1000 websites! You do not have to visit all 1000 website anymore, any updates done on those websites will be delivered to your RSS Reader indox. It’s like a personalized inbox for the entire web. Then you can decide which ones you want to read. That saves a whole lot of your time and effort!

How do I read RSS web feeds?
First of all, you will need an RSS Web Feed Reader. There are many free RSS Web Feed Readers available, and I’ve decided to use Google Reader. It is free to use and it is accessible online, that allows you to read web feeds from anywhere in the world which has internet access. You will need a Google account to use it, it’s free anyway.

You can access Google Reader at:
http://www.google.com/reader

If you like a quick tour about Google Reader before using it, check this link:
http://www.google.com/help/reader/tour.html

How do I use it?
Whenever I visit any website or blogs and I like reading them, I will look for any RSS link or icon. I’ll click the link and choose the option of Google Reader. Once that particular website or blog is added to my Google Reader account, I’ll never have to visit them to check for new updates. All new updates will be delivered to my Google Reader.

This is how an RSS web feed subscription icon looks like.

Another way is to copy the RSS Feed address by right click the link and select “Copy Link Location”. Then in Google Reader, click “Add Subcription” and paste the RSS Feed address. Click Add. Then click Refresh and you’ll see the new Website or Blog listed.

In this way, I can easily keep track of my favourite news and other websites, and all my friends blogs.

If you still can’t make any sense of whatever I’m talking about, then the following video may be able to help you.

You can try these web feed URLs to test:

http://www.prajishsankar.com/blog/feed/rss/

http://www.malaysiacentral.com/information-directory/feed/rss/

Let me know how it goes..

Are you still having problems using RSS Web Feeds?
Then send me a message, or comment in this post. I’m willing to assist you. No charge of course..