What is XML/RSS and why does it matter?

The ever-rising popularity of blogging and curiosity for the latest information have raised many striking, yet logical, questions. Chief amongst these questions is what is XML/RSS and why it is getting so much attention?

To start with, XML stands for Extensible Markup language. XML is a structure that provides computers with the ability to share information and documents. XML facilitates the sharing of information amongst various software programs, websites, and search engines in an incredible capacity. XML is drastically more powerful than HTML.

Why XML is important?

• Information gets indexed quickly. Because of the computer-to-computer level of readability, search engine bots are attracted to the content written in XML format..
• You just need to present information to the search engines in XML to call search engine spiders back to your site repeatedly.
• Rather than waiting for months, you can send out pings that inform bots of your updated XML file, allowing them to index your website immediately.
• Automatic delivery of the latest information to your customers' inboxes, once they get subscribed to your XML file or blog.

Why does XML/RSS get preference over HTML?

• HTML displays data whereas XML carries data.
• HTML focuses on the appearance of data whereas XML focuses on the details and descriptions of data.
• XML helps to organize, share and store the information.
• HTML is the foundation of the Web whereas XML is the future of web.
• XML is an easy and handy tool for data manipulation and data transmission over the Internet.

XML/RSS is considered an effective technique to point computers and search engine bots toward hundreds of pages. Informative content, blog pages, articles, and more, are all easily accessible through relevant hyperlinks with XML/RSS. The feed file is, effectively, your entire blog or website.

Remember that the feed file may contain the whole content or just a bit of information. Yet, XML/RSS is a fundamental technology that can lead your business to the front of the online pack and deliver consistently positive results.

So what is XML/RSS? In short, RSS is a subset of XML. Or perhaps RSS is a smaller establishment beneath the realm of XML. RSS is a part of XML. There are numerous uses of XML but we are only concerned with how XML enables RSS.

Dave Winer, who is known to be father of RSS, wrote the basis for the standard for RSS in 1997. Dave had a great vision and insight that made him propose RSS as a format that could leverage the power of XML. He recognized a solid connection between RSS and XML and found it far more dynamic than the static HTML format. It was found to have great worth regarding information on the Internet as it allows:

• Easy compartmentalization
• Quick indexing
• Trouble-free sharing

The dynamic nature of RSS is mainly responsible for its popularity. It allows for the automatic delivery of latest information and content to users. By subscribing to RSS feed file, users receive information update message automatically to their inbox.

The full current specification for RSS 2.0 can be seen at Harvard Law.

RSS technology was highly popularized with its' adoption by the blogosphere. A blog is actually built on the RSS format. RSS was further revolutionized by news media giants like Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. They found RSS to be the best way to deliver fresh content and information.

Online businesses and websites were the next big hunters to adopt RSS for furnishing relevant and timely information about their products or services.

Finally, the question of "What is XML/RSS?" and what value it carries can be simply realized from the fact that Google has brought it to the mainstream and has started advertising on this medium.

Some RSS feed publishers are now even serving Google Adsense directly from their RSS feeds!

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