An RSS file is written in XML (eXtensible Markup Language), so that each item in a list is coded with a unique tag. In turn, programs that read the XML can interpret each item correctly across many different platforms. This make RSS ideal for syndicating timely website content as headlines with links back to the originating site.

There are several versions of RSS files available. certcities.com complies with the RSS 2.0 standards as explained by "Technology at Harvard Law: RSS 2.0." Our files have been validated to RSS 2.0 and are also compatible with most earlier versions including RSS 0.91 released June 2000, RSS 0.92 (December 2000) and RSS 0.94 (August 2002). See RSS Resources below to learn more.

Programs that read valid RSS files are referred to as "aggregators." RSS clients that aggregate feeds are available for the desktop and from the Web. Many are free, some charge for the service. The intrepid can even design and build their own aggregator.A list of the more common RSS aggregators is given below.

RSS Resources
(Note: CertCities.com provides these links as a service to its readers and is not responsible for their content.)
Ready to learn more about about how RSS works, get an aggregator or build your own, explore some these links:

General Information
	Technology at Harvard Law: RSS 2.0
	State of Utah RSS Tutorial
	W3.org Resource Description Framework (RDF)
	W3.org XML
	An introduction to RSS news feeds
	USC Annenberg Online Journalism Review (low-tech overview)
RSS Aggregators - Desk Top
	Aggie - free for Windows
	Amphetadesk - free works on Windows, Linux or Mac
	FeedReader - free for Windows
	Headline Viewer - free for Windows
	RDF Ticker - free for Windows
	NewsMonster - free with ads or buy for none for Windows
	SharpReader - free (donations accepted) for .NET
	wTicker - free beta for Windows
	NewsGator - free trial before you buy Windows only
	NetNewsWire - buy after free trial for the Mac
	NewzCrawler - buy after free evaluation for Windows
	Radio Userland - free trial before you buy for Windows and Mac
Web-Based (no software to install)
	Bloglines - free
	NewsIsFree - free
	SNARF! Simple News Aggregator for RSS Feeds - free for IE 5.0+
Build Your Own Aggregators
	Building a Desktop News Aggregator - free from MSDN

In order to get certcities.com 's content fed into your aggregator, you just have to copy and paste the URL of the appropriate RSS feed into your program's subscription box. Click on the icon to see the available feeds from TCPmag.com . It's really super simple.