What is RSS?
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is an XML-based format for sharing and distributing summaries of Web content. What does that mean to you? You can get the latest headlines delivered to you. You don’t have to go looking for them. If a headline interests you, you just click to access the complete story. For example, using one of the AAFP News Now (ANN) RSS feeds, you can receive ANN headlines, including story summaries and links to full stories, as soon as they are published.
How do I start using RSS feeds?
First, you will need a news reader (also called an RSS reader, feed reader or feed aggregator). A news reader downloads and displays RSS feeds for you. Many news readers are software that you download to your computer. Others allow you to add RSS feeds to a Web page. Services such as MSN, AOL, Google and Yahoo! let you add RSS feeds to your personalized web page. Visit the RSS Compendium to see a list of free Web-based and downloadable news readers. If you choose to download one, be sure to pick one that is compatible with your computer’s operating system (e.g., Windows, Mac, Linux).
To view ANN headlines, just add one of the available RSS feeds to your news reader.
How do I add ANN to my news reader?
All news readers are different, so it’s important to look at the instructions for adding feeds to your specific news reader.
Generally, you can add ANN to your news reader by clicking on the orange RSS graphic anywhere you see it. You will then see a page of unstyled code – the “instructions” for your news reader. Ignore it! Just copy the URL from the navigation bar and paste it into your news reader.
