What is an RSS Newsreader?

RSS reader is a kind of software or a program, this kind of software can read RSS and Atom documents in two standard formats freely, and this kind of software to read RSS and Atom documents has multiple versions, and is used by different people Or company developed with different names. RSS software can achieve roughly the same functions, and its essence is to conveniently read RSS and Atom documents. "Really Simple Syndication" is the English original meaning of RSS. The purpose of RSS is to "send" news headlines, feeds, and content to users' desktops in accordance with user requirements.

Chinese name: RSS reader

Foreign name: RichSite Summary Reader

Basic introduction of rss reader

RSS has multiple interpretations. It originally expressed Rich Site Summary, and later it was considered as RDF Site Summary. It can also be expressed as Really Simple Syndication. In essence, RSS contains a set of metadata specifications for describing web content. It is an extensible, lightweight, and versatile format for describing and syndicating gross data. RSS regards a website as a combination of a series of channels, and each channel contains a series of resources, so the description of the channel and the resources it contains can be used to describe the website as a collection of resources. This site content summary file described using RSS elements is called an RSS FEED.

Basically, RSS readers can be divided into 2 categories. Most readers of type 1 are stand-alone applications running on the desktop of the computer. News headlines can be automatically and regularly updated through news feeds on subscribed websites and blogs. Type 2 news readers are usually internal Embedded in an application that is already running on the computer. ^[1] In addition, RSS readers can not only aggregate and manage various RSS channels, but also search in the content of each channel, as well as monitor the content of the specified channel in the channel. Notify you when updates occur, or when articles with a certain keyword and title appear. At the same time, the application range of RSS is relatively wide. The RSS reader is not limited to reading the content of the lBog site. Recently, almost all large foreign news stations provide RSS news channels. ^[2]

To thoroughly understand the change in the way web pages are browsed from Pull to Push brought by RSS readers, the key is to understand the dazzling RSS and Atom. It can be said that RSS and Atom are still "high-tech" used by a few people. For those who do not engage in technology, the English original text of these letters and definitions of similar nouns can not make these even technical terms difficult to understand. Understand. Explained below by way of example and analogy.

If a person usually browses 30 websites every day to obtain all kinds of required information, in order to browse the web, it is necessary to log in to 30 different sites to search for new information that may be released every day, because as an end user, it is difficult to know when these websites will be launched. Release of new information. At the time of the visit, if a site is temporarily free of new content, the person may visit some sites multiple times a day. This method of accessing information is inefficient and random. But if these 30 websites are placed under a browser or page, when a website has new information released, the browser can issue a notification and display the updated content, so that users do not need to log in to many websites and search multiple times. Information, saving time, not missing new information, and improving the efficiency of information acquisition.

For example, an RSS reader that can read RSS and Atom documents is like a custom newspaper. Everyone can gather the websites and section addresses they are interested in on one page, and this page is the interface of the RSS reader. Through this page, you can browse and monitor the status of these websites, and report as soon as any website has new content, displaying the title and summary of the new information, or even the full text. This information can be text, pictures, music, videos. In another sense, an RSS reader is like a temporary tag, which can record personal browsing history from time to time. It uses the reading history of each user to judge whether the information is new or old. What the user has read is regarded as old information, and what is not read is regarded as new information. Therefore, every update (unread) of these websites will not be missed, even if users have a chance to go online once in a few days.

RSS Advantages of rss reader RSS reader

With an RSS reader, users no longer need to visit each blog site and news site of interest one by one, just subscribe to the RSS channels of these sites on the software, the RSS reader will read the latest articles or news titles and profiles for users If you are interested, download and read the full text. In addition to the RSS reader's aggregate management and reading of the content of each RSS channel, it can also search in the content of each channel, monitor the specified channel, and update the content of the channel or the article whose title and content contains a certain keyword. Keep you informed. The specific advantages are: no advertisements or pictures to affect the reading of the title or article summary; RSS reader automatically updates your customized website content to keep the news timely; users can add multiple customized RSS feeds to collect from multiple sources News and more are integrated into a single data stream. ^[1]

rss reader software classification

RSS readers are divided into online readers and offline readers. The advantages of online readers: not limited by the machine, as long as you can use the browser through the Internet; speed is fast, reading content can be synchronized in real time, no software installation required; user reading habits can be analyzed. You can also get certain statistics, and there are more corresponding value-added services; powerful search is more convenient. Advantages of offline reader: You can download the article to your local computer and read it offline; it is not limited by the browser, which is convenient for operation and management. In addition to using RSS on a PC, you can also subscribe to some electronic media, blogs, news, etc. through the mobile phone's RSS reading software. The RSS reader used exclusively on mobile phones is the mobile phone RSS reader.

rss reader method tips

The top part is the shortcut keys for menus and various functions; the left side is the URL link of each site or column, these links are generally added and set by the user according to their needs; the right side is the content displayed, and the upper column is generally only for news. Basic information such as title, update time, etc. The lower column displays the summary or full text of the selected article in the upper column, or the page of the website the user is visiting, which can be selected and set by the user. When a site or column is selected on the left, the content displayed in the right two columns changes accordingly.

The RSS reader brings new information to the user's desktop without the user having to go to various websites to search over and over again. The user only needs to open the set RSS reader and wait for the information to "come to the door". Various types of RSS readers The software is free. In addition to downloading the latest version of the reader on the website, many websites provide downloading of RSS readers. Generally, websites that provide RSS news aggregation services also provide downloading of various readers. If you search with a search engine, you can find various versions.

The left column of the newly installed RSS reader does not have as many links as shown in the figure above, and it has nothing but a default empty directory. This requires users to add links of interest themselves, make settings that suit their reading habits, and customize a "new newspaper" for themselves. Through the function keys such as "Add +" on the top, you can create your own directory and class, and perform directory management and attribute settings. Each RSS reader has help files and instructions on how to use and set it up.

A prerequisite for adding directories and addresses in the left column is that websites providing content services must provide RSS news aggregation services. RSS readers can only get information from websites that provide RSS or Atom services. So how to find the information source of RSS service? For the convenience of users, some RSS readers pre-store some RSS information sources directly in the software. You can select the recommended URL in the list through the directory in the Add + button. The other is that users know the sites that provide RSS services. A simple method of judgment is that if websites with such icons in their web pages generally provide RSS news aggregation services. What needs to be explained here is: XML (a subset of the standard universal markup language) is an Internet programming language that supports RSS and Atom technologies, so URL addresses added in RSS readers must end in .xml.

rss reader software benefits

The great thing about the Internet is that it completely integrates many pieces of fragmented information by sharing information for free. Of course, the field is vast and if you are working hard to get others to link to your particular website content you have already got a lot of ground coverage. Brings you new content; organizes your content into folders; promotes your business. ^[3]

RSS reader in China

Although RSS technology has entered the mainstream of the Internet in the United States. RSS only appeared in China. Except for some blogs, most people are not familiar with RSS so far.

Blog China first introduced XML (a subset of the standard universal markup language) access method at the end of March, providing RSS services for 15 channels including: blog focus, hot topics, column articles, blog posts, etc. On August 9, 2004, Xinhuanet launched RSS aggregated news, which provided aggregated news columns including "domestic news", "international news", "financial news", "sports news", "entertainment news", "military news", "IT news", The 11 news columns of "Technology News", "Education News" and "Law of the Rule of Law" and the special columns of "Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of Deng Xiaoping's Birth", Xinhuanet called it "Trial Operation".

RSS provides a customized and personalized service, which can well put advertising and sales out of the way, and avoid spam emails when subscribing to emails, so RSS readers are welcomed by many people, especially in Blog Technology popularity and rapid development In 2003, RSS was touted as an alternative to avoid the interference of spam. Some even described it like this: "RSS is not a technical term or standard name, but a concept of 'new media. This' "New media 'has revolutionized traditional print and Internet media because of its better timeliness, personalization, operability and interactivity." But those commercial websites that need to rely on advertising to make a profit are different Exclude RSS technology to a certain extent, so far there are not many websites providing RSS services worldwide.