Re: [Fsuk-manchester] RSS Readers

[Simon Ward]

On Wed, Apr 29, 2009 at 02:25:09PM +0100, Robert Gough wrote:
> I have thought about my freedom in this case...
>
> I don't care if google know what RSS feeds I'm reading - it's all  
> publicly available content anyway, and the service really isn't costing 
> me anything to use.

I think you’re missing the point about freedom here:  We’re talking free
software, and you can’t deploy your own Google Reader, and you can’t
modify it to suit your needs.  You have to rely on the vendor, Google,
for that, and you’re in all of the standard proprietary traps.

At the same time, you have a point:  Because ATOM, the various forms
of RSS, and OPML are open formats, in widespread use, and there are so many
alternative feed readers out there, you can mostly avoid the proprietary
traps.  You actually have a choice, which is one of the most important
freedoms there is.

Simon
-- 
A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a
simple system that works.—John Gall

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