RSS - Real Simple Syndication

What is RSS?
RSS is a method to receive notices when a website has changes without going to the website. You use an RSS reader program. Reader programs can be a program on your computer or a web based reader. Most web browsers also have RSS reader capabilities as well as some Email programs such as Outlook.

How do I use it?
You have to determine if the website you are interested in has the capability (ie. has RSS feed(s)). Usually there is a RSS icon on the website home page to indicate it has RSS feeds. You have to add this feed to your particular reader program. Once you do this when you run or browse to your reader it will notify you of any changes to the site along with a link to go to the website if you wish.

How do I find the RSS feed on the CRC website?
With your browser navigate to http://www.crc-inc.org. On the website you will see the RSS logo on the right side beneath the page title. To the right of the logo there is a link 'Subscribe to RSS feed'. Click on this link and a page will open to the RSS feed. Copy the URL address from the top to the windows clipboard.

How do I add the feed address to my reader?
With your reader program open find the 'Add feed' link and click it. Some type of form should open where you can search or enter the URL address for the feed you want. Paste the address from the Windows clipboard, that you copied in the previous step, into this field and enter. You should be notified if the feed is found successfully. Now each time your reader program is active it will notify you of any changes to sites you have subscribed to.

Sample scenario using IGOOGLE as your RSS Reader

If you don't have a Gmail or Google account you must create one.
Go to Gmail.com and create a new email account.

Setup and personalize Igoogle.
Fire up your favorite browser and navigate to iGoogle.com. You see a sign-up page that says Create your own homepage in under 30 seconds.

Check the boxes for any interests that pertain to you (or don't check any at all, if you don't want Google to suggest RSS-enabled sites for you), choose a theme (the plain Google theme, the first one, works fine), enter your city and country, then click See your page. Your iGoogle home page appears — it probably took less than 30 seconds.

Add Feeds to your Igoogle page
Navigate to the site that you want to add to your iGoogle page. If the site has an RSS feed available, you see an orange radio-wave icon or an orange RSS box.

To add the CRC website feed, navigate to http://www.crc-inc.org and click the 'Subscribe to our feed' link by the RSS icon. A new page will open. Copy the resulting URL page address to the clipboard.

Now go back to iGoogle.com. On the left, click the link to Add Feed or Gadget — a box appears that says Type or paste the URL below.

Paste the copied URL and click Add. If you did everything correctly, iGoogle will come back with a check mark and the word Accepted (or something similar).

To return to the iGoogle home page, click the Go back to iGoogle home link in the upper-left corner of the Add Feed page. You should now find the new RSS feed on your iGoogle home page, where you can click and drag it anywhere you like — or change settings by clicking the drop-down arrow in the upper-right corner of the feed.

Every few minutes, iGoogle reaches out to all the sites on your iGoogle home page and retrieves the latest news from the sites' RSS feeds.