Info Bleg: Computerheads please help me!

Okay, everyone who reads here with any regularity knows that I am a pathetic technophobe who understands nothing about computers or the internet beyond…you know…I type on keyboard and it makes words on my monitor, and if I use the magic formula, I can link to other people’s blogs.

That’s it, that is ALL I know, and I don’t know if I even want to know more! I get so confused!

But…

Can someone explain to me what an RSS feed is? What does it do? Do I have one? Should I get one? I notice that my stuff sometimes appears at Memeorandum, which is a news aggregator, so does that mean I’m already doing the RSS-feed thing? What does it all mean?

PS: If you are a brave enough soul to try to explain this to me, please use baby words. Very small words of one syllable, accompanied by analogies, similies or parables, if you feel they will help…explain it to me as you would a 4 year old…because I am THAT pathetic when it comes to this stuff. You know how you taught your kids to tie shoelaces by making bunnies and holes? That’s about how you’ll have to explain it!

PPS: No, No, No…I am sorry March Hare, but I must disqualify your answer! We cannot have any of these “I think” sorts of answers, because all you will do is send me wailing off into the night in confusion – they will find me curled in a fetal position, with a bottle of Prozac between my knees muttering…”aggregator…email…RSS…what does it all mean? I’m scared! Mommeee!”

No, no, I must insist. Only answer the bleg if you know what it means.

And don’t all get cute now and start telling me all sorts of different things. For example, if you write that RSS means The Right Side Sucks, I will suspect that this is probably incorrect. If you tell me RSS feeds broadcast my blog to all the Royal Ships at Sea…well, the sad truth is, I might very well believe you! So be nice! Be kind! Please! :-)