|
|
|
RSS Usability Problems And Solutions
SS is a family of web-feed produced in response to comments
formats that is used for and suggestions made to the
web syndication. It can existing version. It was
also be used by news websites, considered an interim measure as
weblogs and podcasting, among an RSS 1.0 like format was
others. The acronym can refer to suggested through the so-called
various standards such as Really Futures Document.
Simple Syndication (RSS 2.0),
Rich Site Summary (RSS 0.91 and The format was left without an
RSS 1.0) and the RDF Site Summary owner when Netscape lost
(RSS 0.9 and RSS 1.0) interest. Since it is becoming
widely used, a working group and
RSS Backgrounder mailing list was set by various
users and XML notables to
Several similar formats already continue its development. An RSS
existed for syndication before fork was created when two
RSS, but none was able to achieve companies claimed ownership of
widespread popularity or are the existing RSS.
still in common use today like
it. This is primarily due to the A format grouped under an RSS
fact that most were envisioned to 0.92 heading contained
work only within a single incremental changes to the
service. The RDF Site Summary existing format. Meanwhile,
which is the first version of RSS another group went on to produce
was created for use on the My RSS 1.0 which was based on RDF
Netscape portal. This eventually specifications but was more
became known as RSS 0.9. A modular. When the RSS 0.92 was
prototype that simplified the released, it contained minor and
format and incorporated parts of supposedly compatible set of
a new scripting news format was changes to RSS 0.91. A subsequent
draft was published for RSS 0.93 specification was assigned
and RSS 0.94 by the same creator. ownership to Harvard’s Berkman
RSS 0.93 was almost identical to Center for the Internet and
0.92 while the 0.94 reverted Society. The creation of the new
changes made in 0.93 and added a format and the raising of the
type attribute to the description version number were criticized
element. and were answered with the
creation of RSS 3.0, which is a
A final successor to the RSS 0.92 non-XML textual format. It was
known as RSS 2.0 was released in only intended as a parody and
September 2002 which emphasized very few implementations were
“Really Simple Syndication” as made.
the meaning of the three-letter
acronym. It removed the type A preliminary draft of RSS 1.1
attribute added in RSS 0.94 and was produced to fix 1.0 by
allowed users to add extension removing little-used features,
element using XML namespaces. simplifying the syntax and
Although several versions of it improving the specification based
were released, the version number on the more recent RDF
of the document model remained specifications. However, such
unchanged. work eventually became a mere
academic exercise. RSS 1.1 never
The adoption of the RSS format by prospered.
New York Times became the
starting point for such a format Apple Computer, Inc. released
to becoming a standard. This Safari 2.0 with built-in RSS
format enabled it to offer its Feeds capabilities. It delivered
readers the ability to subscribe the ability to read RSS feeds and
to RSS news feeds related to bookmark them while having
various topics. The RSS 2.0 built-in search features. An
independent project intended to subscribing. Some sites use the
create RSS 3 failed to gain RSS icon such as the orange XML
backing from anyone in the icon but other sites don’t have
industry. any icon but instead use words
such as subscribe, feed or
Microsoft proposed its Simple web-feed. There are even sites
Sharing Extensions to RSS, that don’t have any icon or word
informally named Real Simple with any link at all. Still there
Synchronization. Together with are sites that use different
the Outlook team, it eventually icons for RSS. One offered
announced the adoption of the solution is putting a text link
feed icon first used in the in very small type at the bottom
Mozilla Firefox browser. This of the page which may prove to be
effectively made the orange unsatisfying to say the least.
square with white radio waves the Another is sticking out with the
industry standard for both RSS orange XML icon as it tends to
and related formats such as Atom. stand-out and have a link next to
Opera followed suit when they it describing what the RSS is and
added the orange square in the how to use it.
release of Opera 9. The start of
2006 saw the re-launching of the It can be very difficult when a
RSS Advisory Board to work for browser starts spewing
the further development of the undecipherable code after
RSS format. clicking an orange button with an
unfamiliar acronym. Apple has
Usability Problems and Solutions recently come out with the Safari
to handle RSS feeds or send it
One of the major problems in RSS off to a chosen aggregator. A
usability is the absence of look into the Safari’s
consistency in the manner of preferences at the RSS pane will
reveal a dropdown menu for dozen or hundred of websites
setting which application is everyday. This technology is very
desired as default news useful but there seems to be an
aggregator. information overload prevailing
in the system.
It is important to make software
usable. Usability then was all Some suggested solutions include
about computer-human interaction visualization or collaborative
and a lot of software remain as filtering through smart search
such. However, the Internet has terms. The solution is about
given rise to new software that identifying the echoes and
centers on the interaction grouping them. When RSS readers
between humans. This has been collect updates, these results to
seen in discussion groups, social so many unread items which make
networking, on-line classified it very difficult to determine
ads and of course, the e-mail which one to read first. There
which are all softwares that are a few things to remember when
mediate between people. In this subscribing to feeds. It is
case, social interface is equally impossible to read everything
important. even if all your time is devoted
to reading. Even contents of a
RSS or news feeds in general, is limited number of feeds may
like getting a subscription to a involve a lot of reading. It is
magazine except that there is no important to know how to use the
need to regularly check for new RSS technology before it manages
issues to come out. Through RSS, to drown the user and render it
the user is informed about sites useless.
which are particularly being
watched instead of checking a
About the Author:
http://www.theinternetone.net
Read more articles by: Danny Wirken
Article Source: www.iSnare.com |
|
