Thread: Love feeds? Read this
View Single Post
ARJWright's Avatar
ARJWright is offline ARJWright
2008-12-25 , 06:07
Posts: 861 | Thanked: 734 times | Joined on Jan 2008 @ Nomadic
#30
Originally Posted by qgil View Post
Maybe this is a stupid question but, why the dependency to a browser? I see the advantages but it also adds complexity.

With a feed reader the most important is to read the feeds.

1. Gimme the headline and link to source.
2. Perhaps some excerpt too.
3. Probably the picture(s) as well.
4. Download the downloadable media as long as there is wlan available.
5. Full content? Well, yes although I can perhaps wait or just download via data connection if it's really urgent.
6. Real HTML formatting while offline? Well, If I really want the real page I can visit it with the real browser.
My thinking is that the browser should already be stout enough to view (parse) XML so that it would just need a new chrome in order to differentiate the RSS "app" from normal browsing.

Developing new chrome takes the idea of separating content/presentation/function a bit further.
- Content being the XML
- Presentation layer being the specific browser chrome
- Function being those actions the chrome does which you numbered above

If you will, taking the "internet" of the Internet Tablet and making the browser stand as a development platform. And then the IT would have that as something to extend even more the community involvement.

I'm not so much in favor of RSS being a separate app because RSS really isn't different from web browsing - speaking funcitonally. The difference is the speed at which one gets information, and then its presentation. All of the actual tech that goes into an RSS reader is already built into a browser, its just a matter of chaning the UI so that its respected as such (IMO).
__________________

antoinerjwright.com | Mobile Ministry Magazine