The Rise and Demise of RSS

2 days ago

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RSS (Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary) was a popular web standard for content syndication but has become obscure for most users.
The history of RSS involves two stories: a vision for a syndicated web that didn't materialize and a contentious fork in open-source software development.
Netscape initially developed RSS in 1998 as 'RDF Site Summary' for its My Netscape portal, but later simplified it to 'Rich Site Summary' by removing RDF.
Dave Winer, a key figure in RSS development, created the Scripting News format, which influenced RSS 0.91 by incorporating more flexible content structures.
A major fork occurred in 2000 when the RSS-DEV Working Group proposed RSS 1.0, reintroducing RDF, while Winer continued with RSS 0.92, leading to fragmentation.
The rise of social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook contributed to RSS's decline, as they offered more user-friendly and centralized content aggregation.
Google Reader's shutdown in 2013 marked a turning point, with many declaring RSS 'dead,' though it remains in use by niche communities like podcasters and tech bloggers.
The failure to unify RSS standards and the difficulty of achieving consensus among developers hindered its evolution and adoption.
Despite its decline, RSS's legacy lives on in modern content syndication through social media, though centralized platforms now dominate.

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