If you've visited the Benevon^™ weblog, you may have noticed a link in the right-hand navigation bar that says, "Subscribe to this blog's feed." The RSS ("Really Simple Syndication") feed provides a method of getting continuous updates from the Benevon weblog.

RSS is a useful tool for keeping up to date on your favorite Web sites. RSS makes use of a code that constantly scans the content of a Web site for updates. It then broadcasts those updates to all subscribers of that feed. In addition to being available on your computer, RSS feeds can also be read on PDAs and cell phones.

RSS feeds are typically used with news sites or blogs, like the Benevon weblog. When an update is sent out, it includes a headline and a small amount of text, either a summary or a lead-in to a larger story. Subscribers then click a link to read more.

In order to receive RSS feeds, you must have an "aggregator," an application that monitors the feeds to which you subscribe. There are a number of aggregators online, many of them free. Below is a list of popular aggregators:

For Windows:

• Bloglines (free)
• Newsgator
• Sharpreader

• NetNewsWire

By either method, the feed will be available as soon as you've added it, and your next update could arrive in seconds. If you ever decide that you don't want to receive updates anymore, simply delete the feed or URL from your aggregator.

RSS feeds are used daily by people who realize the convenience of up-to-the-minute news and reports and the time they can save reading only those updates that interest them.