From 62b142e6d0246c5b2b9e5571560c5e0c8e9249da Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Joe Thor Date: Tue, 31 Dec 2024 06:24:50 -0600 Subject: [PATCH] Create 2024-12-31-why-bother-with-rss.md --- _posts/2024-12-31-why-bother-with-rss.md | 41 ++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 41 insertions(+) create mode 100644 _posts/2024-12-31-why-bother-with-rss.md diff --git a/_posts/2024-12-31-why-bother-with-rss.md b/_posts/2024-12-31-why-bother-with-rss.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ec8c802 --- /dev/null +++ b/_posts/2024-12-31-why-bother-with-rss.md @@ -0,0 +1,41 @@ +--- +title: "Why Bother With RSS?" +date: 2024-12-31 +--- + +# Why Bother With RSS? + +## The Components + +RSS has two components: the feeds and the reader. + +The feeds are your sources. Most websites have feeds. It is the stream of content from the site. +It is an old technology at this point, dating back to the 1990s. + +The readers are what aggregate your feeds and allow you to read. It can also do any number of other things. + +## The Benefits + +1. Decentralized + +- You don't have to worry about a vendor stopping support (we already suffered through that, [thanks Google](https://www.theverge.com/23778253/google-reader-death-2013-rss-social)) +- [OPML](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OPML) allows you to export and import your feeds + +2. (Potentially) no tracking + +- Good RSS feeds post their entire or enough to decide if a click is warranted to their site +- Able to read from a centralized location that doesn't require you to jump onto their site, log cookies, log in, etc. +- Good RSS readers won't sell you out, but if they do, see point 1 above. + +3. No algorithm + +- You curate your experience, you control your experience +- [AI slop](https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/ai-generated-content-internet-online-slop-spam.html) is less present, and if it becomes an issue...you are the curator. + +## Additional References + +A smarter person was more verbose on this subject, [see this post by Cory Doctorow](https://pluralistic.net/2024/10/16/keep-it-really-simple-stupid/#read-receipts-are-you-kidding-me-seriously-fuck-that-noise). + +[Garbage Day](https://www.garbageday.email/p/4chanification-web) had some insight in the section of their newsletter, "Let’s Talk About Online Distribution!" that is worth a read too (also it is one of my favorite publications). + +Interested in [getting started with RSS, here you go](https://joethor.dev/2024/04/03/rss-quickstart.html)!