When the web was first evolving back in the 90's, RSS (Really Simple Syndication) developed so that websites and blogs could push content to subscribers. It made things easier for the user than manually checking bookmarked websites for updates and was a big win for the content provider in building an audience.
However with the advent of Twitter and Facebook, most content providers have accounts which post to these services so that readers can click through as they see content that interests them. After all, why use an RSS reader, when you can follow someone on Twitter and get all of the same updates? With Google stepping away from a declining RSS base, what does that mean for the future of content syndication?
If you are an average web user, you likely won't notice much if RSS disappears; however, as Jonathan of whoishostingthis.com highlights, there are some challenges to an RSS-less web. One of the things about RSS is that it is an open standard. Anyone can use it whether they are readers, developers or content publishers. Relying on closed systems like Facebook and Twitter limits what users can do with their services, which can impact how bloggers, webmasters and companies interact. To futher complicate matters, Google owns Feedburner--the 'big dog' in content syndication. In October 2012, Google stopped supporting the Feedburner API for developers leaving bloggers who rely on Feedburner to create, publish, and manage their RSS feeds with an uncertain future. Leaving me to wonder about the end game. Is Google working to drive users toward using Google +?
Of course, the hopeful part of me has to ask: what if RSS isn't dying, but simply evolving? Apps like Flipboard for the iPad can pull feeds and put them in a magazine format for you to browse. You simply use the Search feature to find any RSS feed by name, or RSS URL. In fact, they just posted this morning that if you have Google Reader in Flipboard, they will save your feeds for you. Or, if you are a Google Reader user, you can get your data by using Takeout. Simply click this link and follow the steps.
One of the things about a "free" model for the internet is that when services aren't making money, they can be cut--even if some of us find them vital.
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UPDATE: In the event you are interested, I wound up switching over to Feedly . The price is right (free) and it has a minimalist interface that is more elegant than Google Reader. Ahhhh....
