Microsoft makes yet another announcement about it’s future version of Windows. This time, Microsoft said it will feature a built-in internet data feed which include RSS feed.
The reader will be integrated within Internet Explorer Web browser in Longhorn to make it easy for people to find, much like Apple Computer Inc. has done with its Safari browser.
Among the feature of Microsoft RSS Feed are, Common RSS Feed List, Common RSS Data Store and RSS Platform Sync Engine.To enhance user experience, Microsoft borrowed some of the idea from popular browser to include list extension to it’s RSS Reader.
According to Microsoft, the use of Simple List Extensions can enhance RSS to capture information critical to representing lists such as ordering of items. By using these extensions, applications can become aware of changes in a list, such as when an item has changed position or has been removed from the list altogether.
The Simple List Extensions also can allows publishers to embed useful information about the list itself. For example, an online retailer can supply additional information about each item in a list such as price, sales rank, average customer rating and type of merchandise. The extensions enable richer flexibility and capability for sorting and ordering. This enables users to sort their friends? wish lists by sales rank or popularity.
Microsft however, make a strategic move to put those list extensions technology into “creative commons” license. This will let the company retain some intellectual property rights while encouraging broader use of the technology.
A rather lengthy demo about Longhorn and IE7 (which feature the RSS Reader)can be viewed here
p/s : Seems Microsoft is playing it’s “Embrace and Extends” game again, this time by hiding behind Creative Commons License.
References :
1. Microsoft.com
2. Future Windows Will Include RSS Support
Yay. Microsoft finally catches up with Open Source. Hooray for “innovation”!