Robert Scoble, the microsoft techno-blogger, says that full-text RSS feeds are good for everyone, publishers and subscribers alike. Nick at Performancing agrees with him, while Duncan at Blog Herald doesn't. Darren at ProBlogger, probably one of the best known professional bloggers in the world, doesn't take sides. Dave Winer, credited with creating the RSS format (at least its early form, scripting news), comments why he thinks RSS 2.0 works. [All links below.]

Well, for what it's worth, I have to disagree with Scoble on pretty much every point he raised in his long article slamming Duncan and others. But as with every technolgy, there are always going to be people who claim to have proof of which way is best to use it, and the one that shouts the loudest often wins, even when both ways are equally valid. I've already done my shouting, but Scoble has a louder voice. So I want to present two challenges.

1. Challenge 1 - It's more of a request, really, but whether you are a publisher or reader, I'd like to hear what you think, in terms of concrete experience, and why you prefer one form or the other. Concrete, please. There are enough opinions.
2. Challenge 2 - I don't claim to know about every RSS reader, but here's what I'd really love to see... I want an RSS reader that creates feedmarks, my temporary term for bookmarks that save webfeed URLs. Scoble states that he will only subscribe to full-text feeds. I am the absolute opposite, for many reasons, both as a publisher and a reader. Bottom line, I like to browse lots of feeds. Suppose I scan 300+ headlines and summaries/ excerpts daily, but only 50 of them ever catch my attention, do I really want to download a full-text feed - with images no less - several times a day, times dozens of feeds? What if I was on a mobile device? Scoble, do you know how much bandwidth costs on a PDA or cellphone? You may be wealthy working for Microsoft, but I'm a freelancer.

Generally speaking, I want to be able to quickly browse numerous short excerpts, feedmark the ones that interest me, then come back later and view the full-text of my temporary feedlist. If I've created this feedlist on a mobile device, I'd likely want to upload it to my laptop/ desktop first. I have not yet come across an RSS reader that can do these things. And if someone comes up with such a piece of software, I think that this could really boost acceptance of RSS/ Atom web feeds this year or next.

Personally, I think that this is a much more efficient and productive way to view feeds, and it doesn't waste bandwidth on both the publisher and subscriber ends. Your comments are most welcome. Feel free to blast me, but back up your claims.

Links/ Sources: Robert Scoble/ Scobelizer - Blog Herald Doesn't Understand Why Full-Text Feeds Work; Nick Wilson/ Performancing - Scoble Nails It: Why Full Text Feeds Are Good; Duncan/ Blog Herald - Steve Rubel Doesn't Get It: RSS Advertising Sucks; Darren Rowse/ Performancing - The Latest Full vs Partial Feed Debate; Dave Winer - Why Formats Like RSS 2.0 Work.

(c) Copyright: 2006-present, Raj Kumar Dash, http://www.chameleonintegration.com/

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