I have just realised a personal/social problem that could result from RSS. RSS (and the other feed types) have really changed the way people use the internet. So much of the information we are interested in comes straight to us instead of us constantly seeking it out.
I remember a couple of years ago, I checked a particular code site for updates basically each day, but it didn't get updated for around a year and a half. I was really keen (obviously) for new content. From the time at which I kicked off the browser to the time that I realised nothing had changed, I was kind of happy about the possibility that there might be something new posted. After a year and a half, I was quite certain that the site wouldn't have changed, but the possibility was a comforting thought.
Now that most places use RSS, I already know that there is nothing new. It is kind of like being disappointed even before you have a chance to get excited that there might be something new. RSS induced despair might become a new topic when training therapists.
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