RSS Help
What is RSS?
RSS is an acronym for Rich Site Summary, or Real Simple Syndication. It is a
file format that is gaining popularity for distributing basic information
about recent news items. RSS files are written in a language called XML.
What is in an RSS News Feed?
Usually, a RSS News Feed contains news headlines, a summary of a news item,
and a link to more information.
When I click on an RSS News Feed link I see a bunch of code, not the
news.
RSS News Feeds are not "human readable" they are designed to be processed
and displayed to you by a news aggregator program.
Tell me more about news aggregators?
Using a news aggregator program, you subscribe to news feeds. Like with an
E-mail program, the aggregator automatically and regularly checks feeds to
which you've subscribed. When the news changes, and when the aggregator
checks to see if new news is posted, the aggregator retrieves the new news
and alerts you that new news is available. For example, if you subscribe to
the DelDOT News Feed with your aggregator, your aggregator will check our
news feed regularly and pull down new news if we've posted news since the aggregator last visited our site.
How do I subscribe an RSS News Feed?
To subscribe to an RSS News Feed you must: (1) download and install an
aggregator and (2) tell the aggregator which News Feed you want to add,
which is usually done by copying the Feed's Internet address into the news
aggregator.
Where can I download a news aggregator so I can subscribe to the DelDOT News Feeds?
There are many news aggregators available for most types of personal
computers. Many are free. To learn more about RSS and also see a lists of
RSS news aggregators you can download, please visit these sites:
How do I know when an RSS News Feed is available?
RSS news feeds are often marked with small orange icons, such as or . These
icons identify the XML file that must be loaded into the news aggregator to
receive notification of new headlines. For example, to subscribe to a news
feed, you could: (1) right-click the RSS or XML icon, (2) select "Copy Link
to Clipboard", (3) switch to your aggregator, and (4) paste the link into
the aggregator's "Add a new feed" or "Subscribe to" area.
What kind of RSS does DelDOT use?
DelDOT.gov uses the most recent RSS 2.0 format to notify
subscribers of news items that have been posted on DelDOT's web site.
Does DelDOT have an OPML file of all its feeds?
The DelDOT.gov OPML file will allow you to import one or all of the feeds listed above to your RSS Reader.
Terms of Use:
DelDOT offers RSS as a free service to any individual user or non-profit
organization subject to the following terms and conditions:
Use will be for non-commercial purposes.
Use is limited where a functional link is made available allowing immediate
display of the full article, audio, or video on the DelDOT.gov web site as
specified in the xml.
By accessing our DelDOT RSS feeds you are indicating your acknowledgement and
understanding that you will not use DelDOT's RSS in breach of the above
conditions. DelDOT reserves the right to discontinue this service at any
time and reserves the right to request the immediate halt of any specific
use of its RSS feeds.