The story of how RSS beat Microsoft
The story of how RSS beat Microsoft
This article details the historical 'syndication war' between RSS and Microsoft's Information and Content Exchange (ICE) standard. It draws parallels to the VHS vs. Betamax format battle, explaining how the open, simple, and grassroots-driven RSS ultimately prevailed over the complex, commercial, and top-down ICE. The piece highlights how RSS's ease of use and community adoption led to its success, even as major tech companies like Microsoft initially pushed for proprietary solutions for content monetization.
Note
simplicity has its advantages. it won't make you a billion dollars but it helps the snails pace advancement despite many proclamations of death
Published
2025
Summary
This article details the historical 'syndication war' between RSS and Microsoft's Information and Content Exchange (ICE) standard. It draws parallels to the VHS vs. Betamax format battle, explaining how the open, simple, and grassroots-driven RSS ultimately prevailed over the complex, commercial, and top-down ICE. The piece highlights how RSS's ease of use and community adoption led to its success, even as major tech companies like Microsoft initially pushed for proprietary solutions for content monetization.
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