Microsoft, RSS, and Web Feeds

Microsoft, RSS, and Web Feeds

Microsoft created a sort of controversy with their implementation of the RSS feed module in their Internet Explorer 7 Beta with their naming convention. They called the feature ‘Web feeds’ rather than the more popular format. This led to assumptions in the media that the company was back to their usual tactics and planned to rename the RSS feed phenomena into Web Feeds.

A Blogger on the IE Blogs said in a post: “We’re still actively exploring what is the right name to use for RSS feeds.” Weblogs all over the world are using the technology as RSS feeds instead of a generalized name and the steps taken by the company are somewhat disappointing them. Some of these experts claim that the company would lead this technology to something of their own proprietary stuff generating incompatible substandard.

Microsoft has already been criticized for generating their own standard for Bittorrent technology when they released Microsoft Avalanche based on the same fundamentals. Bloggers around the world fear the same for RSS feeds. In fact, the father of the RSS technology Dave Winer claims that the step taken by the company is practically screwing with RSS.

Interestingly, some of the Microsoft’s Blogger think so as well. Microsoft Blogger Robert Scoble said on his Blog: “Like it or not Microsoft, the technology is called RSS. If you try to change that, for whatever reason, you will get routed around.” Microsoft executive Mike Torres defends the decision by claiming that Windows Vista will offer functionalities that go beyond the classical use of the technology and hence it is justified not to use the term RSS Feeds.