Internet $ World wide web

Flash (via Flex or AIR) allows developers to open connections to servers (binary sockets), much like XHR in Web applications. And, just as frameworks like DWR and JSON RPC allow for remoting objects via XHR, a number of frameworks allow for remoting objects in Flex. One of the most popular has been Flex LiveCycle Data Services, but it’s also a commercial product with a big enough price tag to cause many developers to steer clear.

Not anymore.

Adobe just announced that they are open-sourcing the remoting and HTTP messaging features of Flex LiveCycle Data Sources in a new product called Blaze DS, which will be LGPL licensed. In addition, they are taking a page from Comet and making it easy to create a persistent connection for “server push” functionality for the HTTP messaging. The “data management” features (i.e., keeping a client and server model in sync) remain payware.

In addition, they are publishing the spec to their object remoting protocol (AMF), making it easy for others in the community to create remoting servers (previously, folks had to reverse-engineer the protocol). This opens the door for other non-Java platforms to provide middle tiers in the Flex stack (i.e., Flex doesn’t include any public database drivers, so you have to write a middle-tier to transfer data to Flex apps, and right now Java is the only first-class option).

Many folks wonder why Ajax developers don’t just use Flash; as Adobe open-sources more and more of their stack, it’s going to be very interesting to see the reaction of the community. We at Ajaxian aren’t in the “Open Web or Else” crowd, but a fully open Flash stack would sure make the world a touch more interesting.

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Web 2.0 websites allow users to do more than just retrieve information. They can build on the interactive facilities of "Web 1.0" to provide "Network as platform" computing, allowing users to run software-applications entirely through a browser.[10] Users can own the data on a Web 2.0 site and exercise control over that data.[11][10] These sites may have an "Architecture of participation" that encourages users to add value to the application as they use it.[10][2] This stands in contrast to very old traditional websites, the sort which limited visitors to viewing and whose content only the site's owner could modify. Web 2.0 sites often feature a rich, user-friendly interface based on Ajax[10][2], Flex or similar rich media. The sites may also have social-networking aspects.[11][10]

The concept of Web-as-participation-platform captures many of these characteristics. Bart Decrem, a founder and former CEO of Flock, calls Web 2.0 the "participatory Web"[12] and regards the Web-as-information-source as Web 1.0.

The impossibility of excluding group-members who don’t contribute to the provision of goods from sharing profits gives rise to the possibility that rational members will prefer to withhold their contribution of effort and free-ride on the contribution of others.[13]

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What Is RSS? RSS Explained
RSS Primer: One Page Quick Introduction to RSS
What is RSS?
RSS (Rich Site Summary) is a format for delivering regularly changing web content. Many news-related sites, weblogs and other online publishers syndicate their content as an RSS Feed to whoever wants it.
Why RSS? Benefits and Reasons for using RSS
RSS solves a problem for people who regularly use the web. It allows you to easily stay informed by retrieving the latest content from the sites you are interested in. You save time by not needing to visit each site individually. You ensure your privacy, by not needing to join each site's email newsletter. The number of sites offering RSS feeds is growing rapidly and includes big names like Yahoo News.
What do I need to do to read an RSS Feed? RSS Feed Readers and News Aggregators
Feed Reader or News Aggregator software allow you to grab the RSS feeds from various sites and display them for you to read and use.

A variety of RSS Readers are available for different platforms. Some popular feed readers include Amphetadesk (Windows, Linux, Mac), FeedReader (Windows), and NewsGator (Windows - integrates with Outlook). There are also a number of web-based feed readers available. My Yahoo, Bloglines, and Google Reader are popular web-based feed readers.

Once you have your Feed Reader, it is a matter of finding sites that syndicate content and adding their RSS feed to the list of feeds your Feed Reader checks. Many sites display a small icon with the acronyms RSS, XML, or RDF to let you know a feed is available.
WhatIsRSS.com now has a blog ...
We have always wanted to keep this resource brief and to the point, but we realise there is alot more that can be communicated about using RSS. Our RSS Blog was launched 26 July 2007 to extend and complement the information provided here. If you are interested in learning more about RSS go there now and subscribe! It will be updated over time with information on using RSS and will feature tools to help you use RSS in new and better ways.
RSS Links: More information on RSS
RSS Info Comprehensive Overview and Links
Syndic8 - Directory of RSS Feeds
What is RSS, and Why Should You Care?
XML.com: What is RSS?
Introduction to RSS - WebReference.com
RSS Blog Our very own weblog on RSS
Sites with RSS Feeds More RSS Examples. Sites with RSS feeds linking to WhatIsRSS.com

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