Once setup is complete, Internet Explorer loads with the new Pluck component. Some IE users may object to Pluck's usurpation of browser window space -- Pluck's RSS Reader column eats up nearly a third of the left-hand IE screen -- but you can easily shrink this column by dragging its borders with your mouse. The excellent Getting Started page explains the main components of Pluck's multi-pane interface. In addition to the RSS Reader column, the UI includes a headline pane that displays story summaries from a particular site or blog, and a browser window that allows you to read individual stories.
Pluck comes complete with dozens of ready-to-read RSS feeds, ranging from mainstream news sites such as Yahoo News to tech-oriented material such as CNET's News.com. But adding more feeds is easy: Go to a site that lists RSS feeds, such as CompleteRSS.com, click the orange XML icon beside the feed you wish to subscribe to, and drag it into the RSS Reader column. Pluck allows you to sort or filter stories by topic but not by author. The number of channels allowed appears to be unlimited.
Also, you can't beat Pluck's price -- it's free -- and the program offers configuration options that some competitors charge extra for. For instance, Pluck can update RSS feeds as often as every 15 minutes, whereas the free version of Awasu limits updates to once an hour.
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