Push v. Pull

April 1st, 2004

The Globe and Mail is running a story on RSS and compares it to a product called Pointcast (which I never used). An interesting article though, with one memorable quote:

“Ultimately, the only real difference between the two is that the very concept behind Pointcast was offensive. “Push technology” suggested someone else was controlling the news feed, while RSS tends to be more of a “pull technology” that gives users a greater sense of control, allowing them to delve more deeply as their fancy dictates.”

“And that’s ultimately what personal computers are for, aren’t they? They give users more control over their lives. It’s a lesson Pointcast never learned.”

Anyone have any experience with Pointcast?

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