---
title: "Feeds as a platform + future of aggregators"
date: 2006-03-14
author: "Richard MacManus"
categories:
  - name: "ReadWriteWeb"
    url: "/category/readwriteweb.md"
tags:
  - name: "2006"
    url: "/tag/2006.md"
---

# Feeds as a platform + future of aggregators

![rss platform](https://web.archive.org/web/20110813004831im_/http://static.flickr.com/31/44500301_5581efa920_m.jpg)[Niall Kennedy](https://web.archive.org/web/20110813004831/http://www.niallkennedy.com/blog/) is on a roll, having this week published an informative series of posts on the RSS platform and the ‘state of the aggregator’:

1. [NewsGator API](https://web.archive.org/web/20110813004831/http://www.niallkennedy.com/blog/archives/2006/03/newsgator-api.html)
2. [Google Reader platform](https://web.archive.org/web/20110813004831/http://www.niallkennedy.com/blog/archives/2006/03/google-reader-platform.html)
3. [Windows RSS Platform](https://web.archive.org/web/20110813004831/http://www.niallkennedy.com/blog/archives/2006/03/windows-rss-platform.html)
4. [Feeds as a platform](https://web.archive.org/web/20110813004831/http://www.niallkennedy.com/blog/archives/2006/03/feeds-as-a-plat.html)
5. [State of the aggregator](https://web.archive.org/web/20110813004831/http://www.niallkennedy.com/blog/archives/2006/03/state-of-the-fe.html)

 I don’t really have anything to add, being busy in the middle of other work right now. But I wanted to at least point to Niall’s posts, because it’s ‘must read’ material for anybody interested in RSS and microcontent aggregation. As he summarized in the [State of the aggregator](https://web.archive.org/web/20110813004831/http://www.niallkennedy.com/blog/archives/2006/03/state-of-the-fe.html) post:

> “We have only just begun to explore the full possibilities of current feed technologies. Rich media enclosures, related content definitions, and well-defined author data open up new possibilities for user interaction and content discoverability. I believe most future uses of syndication technology will occur behind the scenes as a transport layer opening up a common XML parsing format to multiple applications and specialized uses. We’ve only just begun to change the world of publishing, customization, and personal empowerment.”

Go check it out… also [Dare Obasanjo summarized](https://web.archive.org/web/20110813004831/http://www.25hoursaday.com/weblog/PermaLink.aspx?guid=bb9e10e9-c1b3-4700-9470-4363e2160b1f) a recent ETech presentation on the same themes.

Flickr pic [by JoshB](https://web.archive.org/web/20110813004831/http://www.flickr.com/photos/joshb/44500301/)

*Originally published on ReadWriteWeb ([archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20020204040018/http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/feeds_as_a_plat.php))*