Microsoft floats new extensions to RSS

By Steve Malone

Posted on 23 Nov 2005 at 10:53

Software giant Microsoft is working on an extension to the popular RSS feed, it has been revealed. The new format, which the company dubs 'Simple Sharing Extensions', is intended to extend the standard to enable the sharing of such things as calendaring and contact lists between individuals.

The idea has been floated by Microsoft Chief Technology Officer Ray Ozzie in his blog. In it, Ozzie explains that the industry has not really come to grips with the shared calendaring applications.

Although naturally the plan starts around the Microsoft products of Outlook, Messenger etc, according to Ozzie, the idea is that the technology will encompass data from a wide range of competing applications.

The idea is to use OPML (Outline Processor Markup Language), which is used to allow exchange of outline-structured information between applications and RSS, to create a new format to allow exchange of data.

Ozzie explains that RSS on its own is not sufficient as it is essentially a 'one way' transfer mechanism aimed a broadcasting from a central point rather than his vision of a 'mesh' of feeds between many different people.

SSE has already been discussed among various interested groups within Microsoft. Now the company has published a draft specification for SSE on its website for discussion.