why use rss (really simple syndication)
websites by individuals (like this one!) often use rss instead of mail subscriptions to notify readers of updates because rss is free and easy to set up on your page. also, unlike mail subscriptions, you don’t need to provide any information to the website owner at all to be notified of updates. if you use a local email client like thunderbird it likely already supports rss. it can also be nice to keep website content updates out of your inbox (especially if you subscribe to news headline feeds, which tend to be noisy). i clear my inbox regularly, but check on my rss feed updates (neatly grouped into categories in my thunderbird client) when i feel like it.
how to use rss
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obtain a rss reader
- thunderbird - recommended - fully free & local
- feeder - ok if you insist on a web-based reader - free plan has no ads and allows 200 feeds
- feedly - please don’t - free plan has ads, allows 100 feeds, and feedly is on the ai-in-everything bandwagon
- there are /lots/ of fully free desktop clients, please don’t waste your money on a browser version
- any desktop os
- thunderbird, rss guard, others
- linux (if you are on linux please use a package manager to install your rss reader)
- thunderbird; have you considered trying thunderbird? thunderbird is a v sage choice :)
- maybe use it for your email too and then, while you are at it, start using pgp encryption
- (even if you don’t want to use pgp, the link above will walk you through using thunderbird for email)
- simply only do steps 1, 2, and 4
- if you use kde, akregator might already be on your computer
- if you use gnome you might have gfeeds already
- newsboat is a rss reader for terminal
- there are /so/ many more options
- thunderbird; have you considered trying thunderbird? thunderbird is a v sage choice :)
- any desktop os
-
get your hands on an rss link
- don’t click them (unless you want to witness the horrors), just copy the url
- here is the rss link for this website: http://midnight-cinders.com/index.xml
- right click and choose “copy link”
- don’t click them (unless you want to witness the horrors), just copy the url
-
add the rss link into your rss reader (instructions below are for thunderbird)
- click the hamburger menu near the minimize button in the top right of the window
- choose ’new account’ (if you do not already have an account set for feeds in your thunderbird)
- choose ‘feed’
- name it whatever you would like, but the default is good
- choose finish
- the feeds account you just created should appear over on the left where all of the accounts of all types are shown
- left click on it
- click on ‘manage feed subscriptions’
- paste the rss link you snagged before in the ‘feed url’ input box
- the other defaults are fine so you can click add and then close (unless you want to tweak something)
- you should see the feed you added under the account you made
- it likely pulled the history of the feed - you can right click the feed and choose ‘mark folder read’
- great, any new updates to the feed will show up in your thunderbird client, no more need to check on the website
- as a note, you might still need to go to the website when there is an update to see the full content
that is the case with this website- i am prone to mini-updates to already posted articles and i don’t want to spam people with new versions
- if you subscribe to the rss for this website you will receive the title and subtitle of new articles & a link
- as a note, you might still need to go to the website when there is an update to see the full content
the other (worse) option
- if you can’t be bothered with any of that but you /do/ want updates there are services that can help
- blogtrottr will let you subscribe to rss feeds to be emailed without even creating an account
- can be used for free but offers paid plans, without ads and some extra features
- has ads
- don’t need to even make an account, just provide an rss link and your email
- you might want to make an account if you plan to use a lot of feeds
- having an account will help manage feed subscriptions but that is up to you
- without an account, there isn’t a way to unsubscribe from a feed without using a link in feed update emails
- you might want to make an account if you plan to use a lot of feeds
- no limit to the number of feeds you can subscribe to
- feedrabbit will let you subscribe to rss feeds to be emailed to you instead
- offers free accounts
- no ads
- making a free account only requires your email
- you sign up to 10 rss feeds with a free account
- i am not aware of a way to deactivate or delete your account once you make one
- there are others but these were the best two i have found
- blogtrottr will let you subscribe to rss feeds to be emailed without even creating an account