Really Simple Syndication = Really Simple Organization

RSS is a simple XML feed that lists the title, description, and date published of an entry on a Web page.  As you publish an entry, the XML is updated with the latest information about that new entry.  RSS is best applied on Web pages that have similar entries which are posted or updated often like news stories, financial reports, press releases, blog entries, podcasts, etc.

To illustrate the power of RSS, let’s apply it to your own Web browsing habits.  Say you come to work every day and try to stay up on the latest news to be competitive.  You look at CNN, Yahoo, Reuter’s, and IBM’s Web sites.  These are trusted sources of content for you.  You know the headlines on these sites are not going to be worthless.  They provide content on topics that interest you and the sites are updated often. 

PULL vs. PUSH

Now, you may choose to have alerts pushed to your email whenever a new story breaks.  But, that email with those important alerts is lost in all the junk email you receive every day.  And, you have to open your email folder often to look for the alerts, which may or may not be there.

If these sites have RSS feeds, you could just copy the RSS shortcut to your favorite RSS reader and build a portal of trusted content -- a single place you can go to that has all the content that interests you.  And, that content is updated as soon as a new entry is published on each site.  This gives you almost complete control over what information is pulled to your portal.  You can add or delete content whenever you want.  Pat yourself on the back, because you have just built a customized portal to the universe of information that matters most to you.

You can also create your own feeds to pull into your shiny new customized portal with search engines.  You can perform searches on topics that interest you, instead of just dialing into certain sites for content.  For instance, you can create your own RSS feed for the words “BMC Software” in any blog by going to Google Blog Search.  In this way, you create an RSS feed (see it on the left side there) that tells you whenever someone mentions “BMC Software” in a blog.  Imagine.  You can now find all the buzz about virtually any subject all by yourself -- without paying someone to go get this information for you.

What does all this cool technology cost?  Nothing.  RSS is now integrated into a variety of Web sites like Google, Bloglines, Technorati, and Yahoo.  I prefer Yahoo because they were using RSS portlets before it was really cool to do so (and because their logo is a Y and I happen to go by that nickname).  My own MyYahoo page is built with feeds to TalkBMC, TED, CNN, Reuter’s, personal blogs that I pull from WordPress and MySpace on topics of interest to me, mountain stats so I can compare and prepare for the best snow vacation, stock information, asthma and allergy info, my horoscope, and company news.  I don’t have to go to 20 different places every day to find information.  I have one portal, customized to my own interests and needs.

Now that I have the remedy for my information processing disorder and have resolved the problem of information clutter and chaos in my life, I actually have more time to connect, to have face-to-face conversations with people.  I have the time and energy to ponder and wonder, generate ideas, create bonds, and build bridges.  It is a paradox that we are all connected via networks and Nets, yet don’t have time for enough truly human connections.  RSS isn't just the new trend -- it seems to be here to stay.  Yes, there is technology that allows us all to become more human.