RSS FAQ

What is RSS?

RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication." It is a format for creating web feeds used for web syndication. Web feeds provide web content or summaries of web content, as well as hyperlinks to the full versions of the content on the originating website (in this case, www.irwinlaw.com). Web feeds allow a website's frequent readers to track updates on the website by using a web feed aggregator.

What is a web feed aggregator?

An "aggregator" is a type of software that retrieves and consolidates syndicated Web content (i.e. RSS feeds). A user subscribes to different RSS feeds using the aggregator. The aggregator then receives and displays any updated news items from those feeds. It provides a consolidated view of the content in a single browser display or desktop application. Such applications are also referred to as RSS readers, feed readers, or feed aggregators.

Aggregators can be standalone software programs (e.g. FeedReader) or extensions to existing programs such as web browsers; they can also be web-based (e.g. Bloglines). Web-based feed readers and news aggregators require no software installation and make the user's "feeds" available on any computer with Web access.

What will the Irwin Law RSS feed contain?

At present, the Irwin Law feed will contain alerts when forthcoming titles are first announced and when titles are first published (i.e. when they arrive in the warehouse and the backorders start shipping). The feed will not contain Irwin Law "news" items.

Why would I want to subscribe to Irwin Law's RSS feed? If I want to know what Irwin Law's new titles are then its just as easy for me to visit www.irwinlaw.com as it is to open Bloglines or Feedreader.

I agree. The advantage is if other publishers also create their own RSS feeds. Then you can go to one place (your web feed aggregator) to view the new and forthcoming titles from all the Canadian legal publishers. Also, if you're already using an aggregator to monitor news organizations, the Slaw blog, and so on, then subscribing to Irwin Law's RSS feed would save you from having to remember to periodically check the Irwin Law website for new titles.

How do I subscribe?

First, you have to download aggregator software, such as FeedReader, or set-up an account with a web-based aggregator, such as Bloglines. Select "Add" or "Add new feed," and you will be prompted for the URL of the feed. Click on Irwin Law's RSS feed button and copy and paste the URL from your web browser. (Irwin Law's RSS feed URL is http://www.irwinlaw.com/rss) You will be prompted to assign the feed a name (the default is "Irwin Law"). Then you will have to click a button that says "Finish" or "Subscribe."