RSS is a family of Web feed formats used to publish frequently updated content such as blog entries, news headlines, and podcasts. An RSS document (which is called a “feed” or “web feed” or “channel”) contains either a summary of content from an associated web site or the full text. RSS makes it possible for people to keep up with web sites in an automated manner that can be piped into special programs or filtered displays. The initials “RSS” are used to refer to the following formats:

• Really Simple Syndication (RSS 2.0)
• RDF Site Summary (RSS 1.0 and RSS 0.90)
• Rich Site Summary (RSS 0.91)

“RSS formats are specified using XML, a generic specification for the creation of data formats. Although RSS formats have evolved since March 1999,the RSS icon (”") first gained widespread use in 2005/2006,” so writes Sharon Housley .

She continues,

“Blogs vaulted RSS into the limelight but are unlikely to be the force that sustains RSS as a communication medium. The biggest opportunities for RSS are not in the blogosphere but as a corporate communication channel.”

The big consumer benefit to RSS is that consumers opt-in to content of interest, totally controlling the flow of information they receive. If the quality of the content in the feed declines, users simply remove the feed from their RSS reader and they will not receive any additional updates from that source. The RSS reader acts as an aggregator, allowing users to view and scan multiple content streams in a timely fashion.

Consumer expectation will drive businesses that are slow to adopt. Ultimately, RSS will be a standard, like email addresses and websites are now a “must” for businesses. RSS feeds will join their ranks”

“Dustin MacDonald who – not content with the status quo – cooks up a little application called, simply enough, “Times” that takes a whole new approach to syndication perusal.

Times has set three specific goals

1. It wants to make RSS scanning feel more like reading a newspaper or magazine through distinctive and visually appealing layout and typography

2. Second, it highly encourages you to choose your feeds carefully, thus eliminating what has become the inevitable backlog.

3. Third. change the way in which you highlight and save individual posts thus making Times a solid research tool or blogging aid.

Sounds like the future of RSS is promising and RSS feeds are here to stay.

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 1st, 2008 at 8:42 am and is filed under Associations, Communication, Technology, social media. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.