Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community
Written mostly from the point of view of the content provider, this column argues that as email dies (and it is, without a doubt, very ill indeed), providers should look at RSS as an alternative distribution channel. The problem, for distributors, is not merely spam, "but also in what opt-in e-mail publishers are having to do to circumvent the problems. A good example is the practice by an increasing number of e-mail publishers of disguising some words that spam filters might catch and block." Quite right. I can tell I used a 'bad' word when the number of returns in my inbox jumps (I average about 50 a day), and this doesn't include the more annoying intercepts without notice. This will have an impact on online learning as well: instructors that last year used email without a problem to communicate with their students will find they have much less confidence in the technology this year.

Today: 0 Total: 373 [Direct link] [Share]

Image from the website


Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
stephen@downes.ca

Copyright 2025
Last Updated: Aug 28, 2025 7:54 p.m.

Canadian Flag Creative Commons License.