RSS is a form of web feed documents which are used to publish frequently updated content.  This content can take the form of blog entries, news updates, news headlines, podcasts and a number of other things.  They are basically summaries of content from its associated website, forum or blog.  RSS is extremely useful for keeping up to date with content from a number of websites, as it is a lot easier than visiting each website every time you log onto the internet.  This is the best and most interesting feature of RSS feeds.  Usually a website or blog that offers RSS feeds will have a button on its page that you can click which will subscribe you to the RSS content of that website.  After you have subscribed all you need to do is check your web browsers RSS feed reader and you will find all your subscribed feeds in the column. 

Recently internet browsers have started integrating feed readers into their software, but you can still quite easily download stand alone readers that can be used in conjunction with browsers that do not have their own build in readers.  To read them you click the heading you want and a summary of that particular websites feeds will be displayed.  Simply click the one you wish to read and the page will load up the full story or content update.

RSS feeds can also come in the form of podcasts.  iTunes using a form of RSS reader for subscribing to podcasts.  When a new podcast be comes available it is automatically downloaded onto the users computer for them to listen to when they want or are able to.

RSS defines an XML grammar for sharing news.  Each RSS file contains static information about the website, plus dynamic information about new stories, which is surrounded by start and end tags.

I have only recently started to use RSS to my advantage, but I already find that it saves me a lot of time when it comes to catching up with news from the websites that I visit regularly.  Not only that, the HydraHead Records online shop supplies an RSS feed, so when some hot new vinyl comes into stock, I’m guaranteed not to miss out on it!

Anyone wishing to obtain a Creative Commons licence can do so online through the Creative Commons website.  These licences do not cost anything, and work can be licensed almost instantly through the website, where you can choose and apply a creative commons licence to your work.  The 3 licences work in different ways, and how the author/creator wants their work to be used and licensed would effect which of the creative commons licences they would apply for.  These can be used both online and offline, so should they wish to gain a licence for printed matter, they can do so.

The creative commons licences can be very useful for small bands or musicians because they can effective licence their music to be distributed and consumed for free, while retaining copyright on their works.  Other examples could be that authors could allow their books to be downloaded from the internet and used in blogs, websites or quoted in essays, other books or other such media, as long as the author is credited, or they may state that the person wishing to use their work must contact them to obtain their permission first.

I personally think that these licences are a great way for lesser known writers, musicians and other such artists to make their works more widely available, and being able to use the internet to do so makes it much, much easier for them to reach many more people that they could without these new copyright ‘laws’.  However, making material more accessible to other members of the public and easier to use could well work against its authors, as people may not abide by the works copyright rules.  Creative Commons licences still work in the same way as the copyright rules in places, I just feel that maybe they could be harder to enforce as the material is easier to use and distribute under these licences.

Online stores tend to have digital counterparts to their physical stores too.  You can access help pages on which you can usually find the answers to any questions you may have.  Consumers have the ability to listen to mp3 sound clips of many songs on the site, which is the internet equivalent of asking if you can listen to a CD in the shop.  Some online stores may offer exclusive artwork or offers on pre ordered releases, or special offers and sales with prices that are only valid online and not in high street stores.  Digital downloads are also being increasingly popular, and many high street names are beginning to include the ability to download digital copies of music that they offer through their websites.  Digital downloads are usually cheaper than buying a physical copy of the same album too.  HMV’s online store also offers a gift wrapping service for customers who are buying music or other items that they wish to send to others as gifts.

One big difference is that you cannot obviously pay cash on these websites.  They tend to accept every form of major debit and credit card, and many smaller websites accept web based payment sites and schemes such as PayPal and NoChex.  These are useful for people who are not too keen on inputting their card details over the internet, as they take the funds from their bank account and then send them via PayPal, where the company can then deposit the ‘money’ into its bank accounts.

I think the main advantages of using online retailers is that they offer cheaper prices, and that it is very convenient to be able to order music, films or items of clothing from your own home, which is ideal for people with a busy and hectic lifestyle.  However, there are such disadvantages, such as there being the (very small, realistically) possibility of the consumers card details being obtained by hackers, and also the fact that items can be lost in the post too.