What is RSS?

In a world heaving under the weight of billions of web pages, keeping up to date with the information you want can be a drag.

Wouldn't it be better to have the latest news and features delivered directly to you, rather than clicking from site to site?

Using RSS (Really Simple Syndication) allows you to see when sites from all over the internet have added new content. You can get the latest headlines and articles (or even audio files, photographs or video) in one place, as soon as they are published, without having to remember to visit each site every day.

RSS takes the hassle out of staying up-to-date, by showing you the very latest information that you are interested in.

RSS feeds are just a special kind of web page, designed to be read by computers rather than people. It might help to think of them as the free, internet version of the old-fashioned ticker-tape news wire machines.

Please note that RSS feeds are supported by the following browsers: IE7 (and higher) and Firefox. Should you be operating with IE6 you can download, for free, an RSS reader. There are a number of RSS readers you can choose but we would recommend using FeedDemon. Click here for the free download.

Alternatively, Microsoft Outlook supports RSS feeds. To get RSS feeds sent automatically to your Outlook simply follow these instructions:
1. Click on the RSS link on the LOtC page you want to receive live feeds from.
2. Copy the URL that appears.
3. Right click on the RSS feeds button within your mail folder of Outlook.
4. Click on 'Add a new RSS feed'.
5. Paste URL link.
6. Click Add.
7. Click Yes.

Not all websites currently provide RSS, but it is growing rapidly in popularity and many others, including the Guardian, New York Times and CNN provide it.