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Is Anybody Abusing RSS? Should We Care?
RSS is a neat concept that allows you to "subscribe" to content all over the web. If you haven't "got it" yet about RSS, I would suggest you bone up a bit. It's going to be the NBT (next big thing) over the coming couple of years. Microsoft is even going to integrate it into the Longhorn operating system, although it has some concerns about security. The technology allows users to keep track of web page updates as they happen (RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication") So What To Fix? Nothing, according to me. But Microsoft has different ideas.
For a good overview of RSS, try (what else) WhatIsRSS.com RSS allows web sites to publish any changes. The readers come by and pick up a synopsis of what's new. You go to your reader (in my case, all the new information comes into a folder in Outlook) From there, you can browse hundreds of sites as quickly as scanning your email. Heck, you can even set up the Outlook rules engine to categorize all the new news you are interested in.
Add to RSS the ability to send attachments (called "enclosures" in RSS-speak) and you've got something that is like a radio station for computer stuff. For instance, I could have a web site called "Songs I sing in the shower" and once or twice a day I could post my singing on my web site (heaven forbid!). All you guys who have subscribed to my site (you do that by clicking on the little "RSS" button on the main page) would automatically get my singing delivered to you as it was uploaded.
As attractive as having "O Sole Mio" and various works of Elvis delivered to you could be, some see problems. Bill Gates said that RSS security needed to be addressed, as it was possible to send songs that were designed to compromise another's computer. (Hey. They're bad, I'll grant you. But breaking the computer? E-gads!)
To me, this is not a WTF for RSS. This is a WTF for Microsoft. I don't think it is unreasonable to be able to play songs on my computer without having it crash, don't you? For instance, just because Microsoft has found a new bug that causes IE to crash when exposed to certain kinds of HTML doesn't mean we have to change the HTML standard, does it? So it's not the format, it's the stuff running on windows that needs to be secured, in my opinion.
Of course, what really may be going on is that Microsoft is planning to distribute programs over RSS. In this scenario, I could have a web site that had a program to compute your taxes. Once I update my site with a new version of my program, all of my subscribers would automatically get copies.
This is a whole different bunch of bananas. If we're going to start distributing programs over RSS (and not just songs, movies, or pictures) then I agree that something must change.
Perhaps I do not understand the discussion. If so, I'd welcome any help from the readers. In return, I have a 3-CD set of "Beach Boys from the Tub" that's yours for the asking. But act quickly! Supplies are limited.
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