"Rectangular orange turd"

Dave Walker has a very funny and insightful post about the orange Xml icons we use for RSS feeds.  (Via Scoble)

You know, I think Dave's right.  Use an autodiscoverable feed.  I do like having something though where I can right-click and subscribe with whatever aggregator I'm using.  Besides, right now how do we *know* which pages have a feed?  I'm sure we're all dreaming of a day when all pages (at least the interesting ones) have an auto feed, but for now we need some kind of visual indicator that the page is “subscribable“.

--Marcie

Published Tuesday, May 25, 2004 5:21 AM by datagridgirl

Comments

# re: "Rectangular orange turd"

I'm far more in favour of the nice little rss icon (e.g. http://www.carpeaqua.com/mt-static/images/buttons/rss20.gif) not as brash, more descriptive and just as useful. Allegedly (as in I have no proof of this statement), Dave Winer thinks we should all use the ugly orange turd - have to say, I disagree. In terms of usability, many more people know what RSS is than XML in terms of syndication formats (ever seen a BBC news story on "XML feed in the RSS syntax"). I totally go with using a different icon, prominently positioned - keep the same icon style (the RSS one in preference), users are sophisticated enough to read the icon to know that you can be syndicated as long as it's in a similar position each time - keeping a common metaphor.

Tuesday, May 25, 2004 9:29 AM by Scott Galloway

# re: "Rectangular orange turd"

Amen to that...RSS on every page...:)

Tuesday, May 25, 2004 1:02 PM by Nobius Black

#

Friday, May 28, 2004 1:21 AM by TrackBack

#

Friday, May 28, 2004 1:22 AM by TrackBack

#

Friday, May 28, 2004 1:26 AM by TrackBack

# re: "Rectangular orange turd"

There's some great buttons at http://gtmcknight.com/buttons/feeds.php

My personal favorite: http://gtmcknight.com/buttons/up/rss_whocares.png

Sunday, May 30, 2004 5:14 AM by Jim Duncan

# Work from home lead.

Typing work from home http. Bilingual work from home jobs. Work from home lead.

Saturday, November 01, 2008 9:35 AM by Work from home fort lauderdale florida.

Leave a Comment

(required) 
(required) 
(optional)
(required)