RSS — for when you can’t miss news
Two bloggers comment on RSS feeds:
RSS is no longer a key content distribution channel.
He’s right in that RSS never became a mainstream means of consumption (indeed, I’d argue that it never really was a key content distribution channel), but wrong in that, for those of us who live or die by the information we find, consume and process in various ways, it’s still a vital tool.
RSS is not dead, it may be niche
When Google closed Google Reader there was discussion that said RSS was dead and no longer needed now that people get their feeds from social media. As Tinworth points out, there are still 15 million die-hard feed-reading users out there.
I’m one.
RSS cuts through the noise. More importantly, it helps you find information.
Social media has its uses, but with services like Twitter or Facebook, new stories go whooshing by in among all those cat pictures and other distractions. Not only that, but a third party gets to decide what you see. In the case of most social media, that means algorithms designed to maximise the revenue earned from your attention.
A single place for finding news
If you want to check this morning’s technology news from New Zealand publishers, RSS is the only easy way to capture everything in one single spot. The alternative is to spend hours ploughing through multiple sites.
One of the disturbing aspects of Google's decision is that it means some publishers may, stupidly, decide maintaining an RSS feed is no longer worth the both. That's ridiculous, it is a set and forget technology. There are some publishers, or there were some in the past, who don't appear to value the technology.
Long may the practice of creating feeds live. It’s essential for anyone who needs a comprehensive list of relevant information.
And, while I have your attention, this site has an RSS feed. You are welcome to use it.
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