RSS & Some Words of Caution

Two articles caught my attention this morning:

• Software programs called RSS readers creating a blog jam, by Kim Peterson for Seattle Times. Peterson reports about the bandwidth strain that the readers' constant checking and rechecking of the webfeeds is creating for sites like MSDN and Slashdot. The second-generation readers will need to address this issue if the whole webfeed/reader concept is to move beyond this early adopter phase. And I guess I will need to check out Blogory.
• Don't believe RSS hype, by Jim Rapoza for eWeek. After the football-as-metaphor introduction, Rapoza lays out some legitimate problems with RSS, the bandwidth being one. The other one is the issue of competing standards. As a user and teacher, I find the whole RSS/Atom debate useless and an impediment to actually getting the concepts across to others. One standard, with a name that actually means something, would be much appreciated.