RSS Feeds

What is RSS?
RSS is an acronym with several meanings, but most commonly "Really Simple Syndication." RSS is a convenient way to "push out" the latest news and events at the University of Miami Alumni Association to alumni and friends by "subscribing" to a news service. RSS functions through two utilities: an RSS feed (provided by the UMAA) and a newsreader (third-party software similar to an e-mail client.)

How does RSS work?
To receive RSS feeds, you must configure your news reader to subscribe to the address above. Then, at an interval that you set in your news reader (e.g. every 30 minutes), your news reader checks the RSS feed the UMAA provides for new or updated content. That content is then listed in your news reader as a headline, and exerpt of the news item, or the full article (depending on your settings). There will also be a link provided so that you can view the web content directly on the UMAA web site.

Why would I want to subscribe to an RSS feed?
If you're someone who visits a lot of different web sites to get news and information, an RSS feed makes your surfing convenient by alerting you when new information is available on the UMAA web site. It is also useful to save you time when information is updated (such as an event date/time change) and you ordinarily wouldn't know about the change unless you visited the site.

How do I set up an RSS feed?
First, you will need to download and install a news reader client. Some commonly used readers are Thunderbird, NewsGator, Feed Demon, and NetNewsWire. (The UMAA does not endorse any of these software products and cannot provide technical support). Then, use the settings on the news reader to point to this address:

http://www.miami.edu/alumni/news/news.rss

Your news reader will do the rest.

Will the UMAA offer other RSS feeds?
Yes! The UMAA is working on building other RSS feeds so people can subscribe to e-Alumni Connections and @Miami, as well as other convenient news sources.

Who do I contact if I have any questions?
You can contact the alumni communications and digital media staff at alumniweb@miami.edu with any questions you might have.

Where can I learn more about RSS?
More information about RSS and XML can be found at Dynamic Objects and at XML.com. Dynamic Objects gives a good, easy-to-understand overview of weblogs and RSS, and XML.com provides a more technical description of RSS and XML feeds