What is RSS? “RSS” is about getting live web feeds directly to your computer. RSS takes the latest headlines from the web site, and pushes those headlines down to your computer for quick scanning.

What problem does RSS solve? we all know that repeatedly checking each website to see if there is any new content can be very tedious. RSS is a better way to be notified of new and changed content.

What information does RSS provide? RSS provides very basic information to do its notification. It is made up of a list of items presented in order from newest to oldest. Each item usually consists of a simple title describing the item along with a more complete description and a link to a web page with the actual information being described (wihch contains the full content).

For example, the RSS information for headlines on a local news website could contain the following information:

Item 1:

Title: Sidewalk contract awarded 
Description: The city awarded the sidewalk contract to Smith Associates. This hotly contested deal is worth $1.2 million. 
Link: http://www.newstestsite1.com/contractawards/sidewalk.htm 

Item 2:

Title: Governor to visit 
Description: The governor is scheduled to visit the city on July 1st. This is the first visit since the election two years ago. The mayor is planning a big reception. 
Link: http://www.newstestsite1.com/news/2004/06/gov-visit.htm