Figure 1. Traditional Web Browsing

Let’s say you want to keep up with all the new information on many different sites, but you don’t have the time to go visit each one of them every day. Figure 1 diagrams the problem.

The solution? RSS of course!

RSS allows you to go to one site(called a reader) that pulls all the new information in from all of the sites you want it to(providing they’re RSS enabled, more on that later), and shows it to you in one place. This method is illustrated in Figure 2. So much easier and faster! If a site hasn’t updated recently, you haven’t wasted any time going to their site, only to be disappointed. If they have added new information, you’re still saving time by reading everything in one place.

Figure 2. RSS Browsing

Figure 3.
RSS Icon

What sites are eligible? Sites must be RSS enabled in order to work with your reader. All blogs, most news sites, and many, many other types of sites, are RSS enabled. How can you tell? The standard icon used to denote RSS compatibility is shown in figure 3. This logo, or some variation of it, is the first and best clue that you can subscribe to that site.

I’m interested, but how do I get started?

1. Sign-up for a reader. There are many free RSS readers out there, but the one that I use, and highly recommend, is Google Reader.

Figure 4.
2. Once you’ve created your account, go to an RSS enabled site of your choice, and click the RSS icon. One of two things will happen:
   
   a.) You’ll be taken to a page that allows you to choose the reader your using(figure 4), and subscribes you to that RSS “feed”.
   
   b.) Or you’ll be taken to a page full of code. In this case, simply copy the url and go to your reader. Once in your reader you’ll see a link that says something like “Add Subscription”. Figure 6 shows the link in Google Reader.
   
   Figure 5.

   Once you click that link, you’ll be given a place to paste the url that you copied earlier. Now you’re subscribed!

That’s it! Now instead of trying to visit 20 or 30 websites every day, you can visit one site, and read everything new in a few minutes! It’s just that simple.

Figure 6. Subscribe Button

More information on using Google Reader.

More in-depth information on RSS.