Computer

There is some discussion as to what RSS stands for, but most people plump for 'Really Simple Syndication'. In essence, the feeds themselves are just web pages, designed to be read by computers rather than people.

How do I start using the feed?
In general, the first thing you need is something called a RSS reader. This is a piece of software that checks the RSS feeds and lets you read any new articles that have been added. There are many different versions, some of which are accessed using a browser, and some of which are downloadable applications.

Browser-based RSS readers let you catch up with your RSS feed subscriptions from any computer, whereas downloadable applications let you store them on your main computer, in the same way that you either download your e-mail using Outlook, or keep it on a web-based service like Hotmail.

Once you have chosen an RSS reader, all you have to do is to decide what content you want it to receive. For example, if you would like the latest Hythe Onlinel web site feed, simply click on the an orange button at the top of this page.

If you click on the button you can subscribe to the feed in various ways, including by dragging the URL of the feed into your RSS reader or by cutting and pasting the same URL into a new feed in your RSS reader. Most sites that offer feeds use a similar orange button, but some may just have a normal web link.

Some browsers, including Firefox, Opera and Safari, automatically check for feeds for you when you visit a website, and display an icon when they find one. This can make subscribing to feeds much easier. For more details on these, please check their websites. (See Related Links below).

How do I get an RSS reader?
There is a range of different news readers available and new versions are appearing all the time. Different RSS readers work on different operating systems, so you will need to choose one that will work with your computer. (Please see the listing below)