Okay, IE7’s implimentation of RSS is basically a built in aggregator. That’s actually pretty nice. However, only dorks are going to know how to get there. So, nice try Microsoft. There is no comfortable way to ease people in to RSS. Firefox doesn’t have a built in reader, but I prefer the way they use the features of RSS to create a more dynamic web experience.
To start, IE’s setup is pretty familiar. If you are on a site with an RSS feed the little RSS icon lights up in a familiar orange. One thing I like about the set up is that the RSS icon is always present on the top bar in IE7. If there isn’t anything available it turns blue like an inactive feature. Very nice. So, you either go to that menu when it’s active or you click on a link in the page to is linked to the RSS feed. You are then presented with a page similar to Firefox. There’s an information block on top explaining what you are doing and it is followed by the contents of the feed. Great. Yes, please add this to my Favorites/Feeds list.
That’s where it goes bad. I just added to my Feeds list, but where the hell is my Feeds list? So figured out how to get the menu bar back, but then there wasn’t anything referring to my Feeds under ‘Favorites’. Wha? Where is it? So, I go back to the ‘house icon menu’ and discover that Favorites/Feeds is listed there and then a familiar favorites list including my Feeds pops up on the left of my browsing window. This is nice. A built in aggregator. Great for reading feeds without going to the sites. But I prefer Firefox’s dynamic links. That’s just me.
That’s all I’ve got to say. Chances of middle aged women using RSS within the next two years? Not very good.
Also, what’s up with the ‘no menu bar unless you request it’ stuff? Now people will never start to learn. Good thinking guys! I had to putter around through the ‘house icon’ menu to discover that I could even turn the old-style menu back on. My parents would be done.