A step by step guide to getting the news you want delivered to your computer

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication and don’t worry it really is simple!

Basically RSS, or news feeds, allow you to be in control of when you find out the news.
If you want to know the instant a news website uploads a story you can.
Or if you’d like to check once a day, you can do that as well.
There are many options, from having a little headline scrolling across the bottom of your computer screen, or a box popping up in the corner, to a nice table where it all appears every time you open it.

But the best way to work out what will work for you is to try.

How do I start?

To use the RSS feeds you need a ‘reader’.

A reader is the program that displays the headlines on your computer as soon as they appear on a website.

There are two types of reader.

The first kind is a program that is free to download from the internet.
It will appear on your desktop as an icon and when you open it, it will automatically connect to the internet.

This kind is the best if you would like pop ups in the corner of the screen as you are working, or the headlines to scroll along the bottom of the screen so you notice it straight away.

Examples of these are (click on the links to download them now)

Windows

- Newz Crawler

- FeedDemon

- Awasu

Mac OS X

- Newsfire

- NetNewsWire

The other kind is a web-based reader.

This means you can only check it when you open an internet browser window.
So how often you are updated depends entirely on how often you open an internet browser to check it – a bit like checking your hotmail.

Web

- Bloglines

- My Yahoo!

- NewsGator

- Google Reader

There are loads more, just search news readers.

Ok, I have my news reader, what’s next?

Now you can get live updates from our websites.

All you have to do is click on the button on each section of the website you want updates from.

Most readers will automatically pick up the feed and start displaying it.

If you have difficulties there is usually an option on readers to submit the web address and it will find the RSS feed itself that way.

Here are the links for our websites. Click on the link or paste the address in to your reader.

Midweek Herald:

Midweek News:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/rss/feed/feed.aspx?id=midweeknews

Midweek Letters:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/rss/feed/feed.aspx?id=mdwletters

Midweek Athletics:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/rss/feed/feed.aspx?id=mdwathletics

Midweek Basketball:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/rss/feed/feed.aspx?id=mdwbasketball

Midweek Bowls:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/rss/feed/feed.aspx?id=mdwbowls

Midweek Cricket:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/rss/feed/feed.aspx?id=mdwcricket

Midweek Cycling:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/rss/feed/feed.aspx?id=mdwcycling

Midweek Darts:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/rss/feed/feed.aspx?id=mdwdarts

Midweek Equestrian:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/rss/feed/feed.aspx?id=mdwequestrian

Midweek Football:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/rss/feed/feed.aspx?id=mdwfootball

Midweek Sport Misc:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/rss/feed/feed.aspx?id=mdwsportmisc

Midweek Golf:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/rss/feed/feed.aspx?id=mdwsportgolf

Midweek Hockey:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/rss/feed/feed.aspx?id=mdwhockey

Midweek Judo:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/rss/feed/feed.aspx?id=mdwjudo

Midweek Karate:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/rss/feed/feed.aspx?id=mdwkarate

Midweek Motorsports:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/rss/feed/feed.aspx?id=mdwmotorsports

Midweek Rugby:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/rss/feed/feed.aspx?id=mdwrugby

Midweek Swimming:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/rss/feed/feed.aspx?id=mdwswimming

Midweek Tennis:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/rss/feed/feed.aspx?id=mdwtennis

Midweek Art:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/rss/feed/feed.aspx?id=mdwart

Midweek Cinema:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/rss/feed/feed.aspx?id=mdwcinema

Midweek Comedy:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/rss/feed/feed.aspx?id=mdwcomedy

Midweek Local Events:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/rss/feed/feed.aspx?id=mdwmisc

Midweek Music:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/rss/feed/feed.aspx?id=mdwmusic

Midweek Theatre:

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/rss/feed/feed.aspx?id=mdwtheatre

 If you have any problems connecting email clare.hayes@archant.co.uk