What is RSS?
How can I make use of RSS?
How do I get a News Reader?
How can I sign up to RSS feeds from iTWire?

What is RSS?
RSS is an easy way for you to keep updated automatically on websites you like. Instead of you having to go to websites to see if they've written a new article or feature, you can use RSS (which stands for Really Simple Syndication) to get them to tell you every time they have something new.

RSS is a system whereby dynamic websites that carry frequently updated information generate a separate 'feed' comprising just the headlines, and important stories. By using special RSS-reading software on your computer, you can receive these instant updates directly.

An RSS reader automatically updates itself with the latest items from the sites you tell it to watch, so it's always fresh. You don't have to hop from site to site, or constantly click "refresh," to know what's been published by the sites you frequent most.

It all sounds a bit complicated but in practice it is very simple and instead of wading through all those newsletters or visiting websites, you just open your RSS reader and scan the headlines from your chosen sites. If something catches your attention, click on the link and the full story is displayed. This way you can monitor dozens of web sites from one convenient browser type window, and customise it so that it only displays material and content that you are specifically interested in.

How can I make use of RSS?
First, you need to download a program called a News Reader. This displays RSS information feeds from your chosen websites on your computer. All you have to do then is choose which RSS feeds you want from your favorite websites.

Once you've installed a reader, go back to your browser and open the iTWire site. Look for the link that says "RSS". Some sites have multiple links, one for each section of the publication. Cut and paste these URLs into your reader to read the site in RSS. Sorry, there's no one-click or "click here" method for this yet. After a few seconds, a list of headlines should appear. Most RSS readers have a Preferences option that lets you tell the program how often to check sites for updates.

How do I get a News Reader?
There are a range of different News Readers available. Different News Readers work on different operating systems, so you will need to take this into account when you make your choice.

Sample News Readers