What is RSS?

I have been browsing sites today (as I do) and I keep coming across this question:

"What is RSS?".

The question is posed by sites in anticipation of new users not quite knowing what RSS is. The question is invariably linked to a page that explains what RSS is and points to a few related articles and aggregators.

Do people go around saying "I browsed some great HTML today"? No. Of course not. Because HTML is mainstream and browsers are mainstream. The technology that sits underneath the presentation of website is just as pointless to an end user as RSS is.

Instead, I would much rather sites took the time to offer RSS as an experience rather than a technology.

Instead of "What is RSS" perhaps it should read "Track this Search Result".

Taking it one step further - why not offer a branded RSS tracking experience so that the uninitiated can get into RSS without having to hear those three little letters uttered ever again.

"Track this with Touchstone"

When we start treating RSS like a solution - users will start treating it as a neccessary part of their day.