RSS provides a convenient way for content publishers to distribute information in a standardized format. A standardized XML file format allows the information to be published once and viewed by many different programs such as Internet Explorer and Firefox browers, and Outlook. A common example of RSS content is sources of information such as news headlines that are frequently updated.

The benefit of RSS is the aggregation of all content from multiple Web sources in one place. You no longer have to visit different Web sites to obtain the latest information on your topics of interest. With RSS, summaries of content are delivered to you, and then you decide which articles you want to read by clicking a link.RSS content is usually text-based, published by a variety of sources but primarily media outlets or personal weblogs — also known as blogs. A blog can be compared to an online journal. As the popularity of RSS increases, new types of content are appearing, including multimedia-based content. Sharing this type of content is known as blogcasting or podcasting. For example, some media outlets offer an audio copy of their individual news stories.

The delivery mechanism for RSS content is known as an RSS Feed. There are millions of RSS Feeds that consist of headlines or short summaries of content with a link provided to the original source. The feeds can also contain the complete content, and include attachments of almost any type. Other names for RSS Feeds are Web feeds, XML feeds, RSS channels, and syndicated content.

Most people take advantage of some form of client software programs to read their RSS Feeds. These programs are known as RSS aggregators or RSS readers. Popular internet browsers such as Internet Explorer and Firefox, and of late e-mail clients such as Outlook includes the functionality of an RSS aggregator.

RSS publishers such as mobiJOBS™ use their feeds as a way to customize their content for readers and to offer links back to their Web sites. For you, RSS Feeds are an easy way to keep up with Web sites, news, or blogs that you read frequently. Instead of browsing the Web to multiple Web sites, the latest news or updates from those sites comes to you automatically. Compare RSS Feeds to having your own personal assistant who clips headlines or writes brief summaries of Web content to save you time. You can quickly see which items interest you and then decide which of the full articles to read.

As RSS Feeds are optional and subscription-based, the new content delivered to you is just on the topics that you are interested in. You select which RSS Feeds to subscribe to and decide which RSS Feeds you want to cancel.

One of the advantages of subscribing to an RSS Feed versus signing up for an e-mail newsletter or mailing list is that you do not provide your name, e-mail address, or other personal information to anyone. The content publisher has no way of contacting you, except through the RSS Feeds, as they do not have your e-mail address. They also cannot pass your information to anyone else. See the Privacy concerns section later in this article for more information.

Currently, most RSS Feeds are free such as mobiJOBS™. However some content that is referenced or linked to from the RSS Feed might require an access fee. The mere act of subscribing to an RSS Feed in Internet EXplorer, Firefox and Outlook never incurs you a fee. If you were to request content that needs to be paid for, you will first be notified of the charge and then asked to submit payment information to the content publisher. Think of Outlook like your TV. You can watch some channels for free and need to pay to watch some others. Tuning to a channel that needs to be paid for does not get you a picture or cost you anything unless you call the service provider and make arrangements for payment.

Simply click the RSS Feed link next to on the right hand side of the screen, and then you will be able to view and browse the latest available mobiJOBS™ job vacancies for that specific job category. Simple isn't it?