I've decided to learn more about RSS feeds since I don't really use them, and if I'm going to learn I think you should, too.

RSS stands for really simple syndication or rich site summary (depending on whom you believe).

Basically it's a technology that lets you know when your favorite Web sites have been updated.

Let's say you like reading the technology blog on our Web site. I'm one of the bloggers, along with Victor Godinez and Andrew Smith, and we like to keep the blog updated daily.

Sometimes we update more often during the day if we can.

Wouldn't it be nice if our blog let you know when there was a new post to read?

Well, we won't send you an e-mail about a new blog entry, but our Web site sends out an RSS update about it. You can easily check the RSS feed for updated content without having to open the actual site.

To subscribe to an RSS feed, first navigate to the Web site you want to monitor.

Not all pages have an RSS feed, but most do – especially if they're updated regularly.

RSS feeds are indicated by the letters RSS or a small orange logo on the right side of the address bar in your browser.

What happens after you click the RSS button depends on what browser you use.

In Firefox, you'll see a small window to save the feed as a bookmark.

In Safari, you'll see the RSS feed appear in its own Web page, which you can bookmark.

The RSS bookmark appears as a folder, and you click the folder to reveal a list of entries inside. Now if you want to check for a new entry on the page you're watching, you just click the feed's bookmark and you'll see a list of the entries immediately.

You can also use RSS feeds on your Yahoo or Google home pages. Each of the small modules you add when you customize the pages are actually RSS feeds.

There are also programs you can use that keep track of RSS feeds if you'd rather not use a Web browser.

I found a video on YouTube that does a very entertaining job of explaining RSS feeds in plain English from commoncraft. Surf to www.youtube.com/watch? v=0klgLsSxGsU and take a look. It's worth the four minutes.

Jim Rossman is technical manager for Macintosh support for A.H. Belo Corporation.