Maeda's SIMPLICITY

RSS Isn't Simple

I think I used to like the idea of RSS (Really Simple Syndication) until I tried to write my own RSS output program. Being new to the blog world, and slowly gaining a better understanding of the importance of things like RSS feeds, I am a bit stymied by how complex RSS is. Given what I have read on the web, it isn't clear which specification is the true 'master' format. With the RSS output file I created, I tried three online validation systems for verifying whether my RSS file was kosher or not, and discovered that each of them gave me completely different assessments for my RSS compatibility. I felt like I was in the auto shop with my car being diagnosed by three different mechanics with three completely different answers. And just like in the case of the car, I'm losing money (= time) in all three cases of RSS diagnoses just thinking about the problems.

I know what the problem is. I see it everyday at MIT. Engineers tend to over-engineer things to the point of non-utility. I see the same thing at design schools in the opposite sense where designers over-design things to the point of non-meaning. A good historical example of this balance gone haywire is the Titanic (I love that movie). Over-engineered to the point of over-confidence, and stripped of the requisite number of lifeboats out of a sense of aesthetics, the Titanic brought a sad end to many good people.

Have you ever noticed that Einstein's, "As simple as possible, but no simpler." is just a corollary of the old adage, "Too much of anything isn't a good thing"? Both sayings reinforce the fact that "over-"anything is bad; I think that the correct simplification would be, "Avoid excess." Now I sound Buddhist.

On the point of excess, to clear the air I have nothing against Laura Ashley. Sarah Page, our Director of Development here at the Media Lab, took personal offense (we won't ask why) recently to my comment about Laura Ashley patterns as sometimes being ugly but beautiful. My point is that there is a difference between a lot versus too much, and a lot less difference between ugly and beautiful.

Now, back to my excessive frustration regarding RSS to be vented as a complex piece of computer code that will have to be over-engineered due to the fact that RSS really isn't simple ...