I’m excited about how RSS has changed my reading habits, but the growing fervor hasn’t yet convinced me there is a new business opportunity here. Maybe if you’re an independent software developer (think Ranchero.com or Bradsoft.com), and you can move faster than Microsoft’s Outlook team. But… really something large here? We’ll see.
I’m wondering whether I’m ready for my newsreader to be more than a reader? Seeing as I’m still using NetNewsWire Lite instead of the real thing, maybe not. Also, I like thinking/working in my email client, but I’m happy to think of email and RSS differently for now. They are different, of course, but lots of people are writing that the email interface will be the key to broader understanding/acceptance. That may be true, but if RSS is only another form of email, it’s not what everyone is so excited about. (Although email is nothing to be ashamed of, since it’s (still) bigger than the web in its impact.) Will standards matter? A big push is starting now, and I’m not sure why.