Microsoft’s RSS dilemma: Not invented here

Nothing stirs the emotions in the technology community quite like Microsoft when it comes to so-called open discussions about how it should develop certain technologies.

In the case of RSS (Really Simple Syndication), Microsoft is now looking to integrate it into the forthcoming version of IE. But in reading this InfoWorld article by former CRN US journo Elizabeth Montalbano, reading between the lines you can almost hear Microsoft wrestling with its conscience.

To paraphrase and put words in Microsoft’s mouth: "RSS is great, but the trouble is we didn’t invent it. It was developed by Dave Winer and Netscape, a company we’ve all but wiped off the Internet. It’s a little distasteful. So internet users, can you help us find a way to rename this important syndication technology? We just don’t think you poor people will understand what "RSS" means. Oh, now in renaming this technology, we don’t want you to think this means we will change its technical specs. We’ll just "embrace and extend" it when you’re not looking, so that in the future there will be this more advanced version of RSS that will be credited to Microsoft."