RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is an XML-based format for distributing and aggregating Web content (such as news headlines). A web site provider packages the information up in a standard format, called a feed, and sends them to anyone who has 'subscribed' to them.

How Do You Subscribe to an RSS 'feed'?

First you need to have a news aggregator (sometimes called a 'newsreader'), a software tool that collects and displays the feeds you choose to subscribe to. There are many programs out there to do this, some are free, some charge a fee. Internet Explorer 7.0 and Firefox 2.0 have browser-based built-in newsreaders. Visit " Selecting an RSS Reader" for a description of the different kinds of newsreaders. Visit www.whatisrss.com for a list of newsreaders categorized by operating system.

Why Would You Want to Subscribe to an RSS feed?

Unlike e-mail subscriptions, RSS feeds don't clutter your e-mail inbox. News aggregators also give you more flexibility in what you subscribe to than e-mail subscriptions, and more flexibility in how information is displayed. And if you read a lot, it can save you time compared to browsing all the sources in your bookmarks or Favorites folder. And it's spam-free.

The link to the RSS feed for El Dorado County News & Hot Topics is: http://www.edcgov.us/NewsAndHotTopicsRSS.xml