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This blog is updated more or less frequently. Instead of always having to check if there is something new for you to read can you subscribe to it. Then updates are sent directly to you when new content is added. You can subscribe via RSS or email depending on how you like reading your updates. That way you stay current and don’t have to waste your time looking for something, which isn’t there.
You can think of this service as subscribing to a magazine. Instead of running to the News Agent (or wherever you buy your magazines) to look if a new issue has been published you can lean back and wait for it to be brought to you the minute it is published. Since I believe in cutting no one out of the loop do you get the full post also when subscribing. I do encourage you to visit the site to see it in context and to leave a comment, but the choice is yours.
When you click one the subscription links below each post or in the sidebar are you taken to a page that helps you with the final steps of completing your subscription. Since you can always unsubscribe if you are not satisfied do you really have nothing to lose by subscribing. Your privacy is not compromised either as you don’t have to enter anything more personal than your email address. Furthermore this will only be used to deliver the content and will not be viewable or accessible to anyone.
Subscribing via email is straightforward as you (most likely) already have an email client or use web mail. Subscribing to the feed requires that you get a feed reader or set up an online service to read it. The advantage of the feed reader is that it offers a number of functionalities that your average email service or client doesn’t. You can use whatever feed reader you like. Thanks to modern technology do you get your feed delivered like you want it.
This new method for distributing online content is most often referred to as a web feed. The technical format that makes it possible is called RSS, which stands for Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary depending on who you believe. RSS is based on XML, a widely used standard for textual information exchange between applications on the Internet. In essence RSS is designed for communication between computers, which is why you need a feed reader to make sense of it.
According to FeedBurner are there more than 2000 feed reading applications and online services to choose from. A good place to start would be trying out one of most popular free web based services namely Google Reader. It is easy to use and you can easily find lots of tips and tricks for making the most of it. Since it also works somewhat similar to how your email client or web mail works you will quickly get the hang of it.
