What is RSS?

I assume that you have already known what is RSS stand for. This is very basic information, although I've known it for a long time, but sometime I don't really understand the benefit of it, how is it works and do I need this for my blog. So I dig a little bit information regarding to it, and I want to share it with you, in case you also confuse to understanding it like me.

RSS stand for Really Simple Syndication but sometime other translate it as Rich Site Summary. According to Wikipedia Rss is:

"a family of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated works—such as blog entries, news headlines, audio, and video—in a standardized format".

So RSS is a medium for distributing web content, that stored in xml file and it only can be read and viewed by a program or software called RSS reader, feed reader or Aggregator.
The history

The format of RSS has been evolved several times to get in today form. The first stage of its development was attempt in 1995 when Ramanthan V. Guha from Apple Computer's Advanced Technology Group developed the Meta Content Framework. And then Guha created RDF Site Summary, the first version of RSS, at Netscape in 1999. This early version of RSS became known as RSS 0.9. Furthermore the evolution of RSS format become controversial form over the year as its copyright issue claimed between Dave Winner and the RSS-DEV Working Group. Despite of the copyright issue, RSS usefulness become more popular as the internet browser producer adopted it on their browser. 

How is it works?
The web site or blog which has contents to be syndicate publishes a feed link on their site/blog. This feed link allows the reader of the site registered to their favorite feed reader or aggregator program. Registered to a feed reader is like dragging link from web browser to the feed reader program. Once you subscribe to the feed reader, you will receive updated content from the site that you like.

The feed reader works like an email autoresponder program but with no email address needed. And it can be performed online or offline. The offline feed reader works by downloaded the fresh content to the user's system before it can be read by the user subscriber.

The Benefit of RSS
The main benefit of subscribing to RSS feed is saving your surfing time. You don't have to visit all your favorite site or blog to read their new content. You just have to open your feed reader program and read all your favorite site/blog fresh content from it.

RSS would be benefit for both of the web master/blogger and the reader, because it has mutually usefulness. The RSS feed help the web master and bloggers to distributed their content to the internet audience and it can help them to be noticed.

Is there any suggestion that you have regarding to RSS? Don't be hesitate for commenting.

technorati claim token: V5BNUWCWNEAN