RSS Beat Microsoft
2 days ago
- #open-standards
- #technology-history
- #content-syndication
- VHS beat Betamax due to being cheaper, offering longer recordings, and being more open, not because of adult film studios.
- RSS won over ICE (Information and Content Exchange) because it was simpler, open, and embraced by grassroots bloggers.
- ICE was a corporate-backed, complex standard focused on monetization, while RSS was DIY-friendly and free.
- Publishers initially favored syndication models like ICE for monetization, but RSS's simplicity and openness prevailed.
- Microsoft and other big names abandoned ICE, while RSS continued to thrive due to its grassroots adoption.
- RSS's success is attributed to its simplicity, open-source nature, and adaptability, unlike ICE's bloated requirements.
- Despite internal conflicts, RSS outlasted ICE and remains relevant today, unlike the forgotten ICE standard.