RSS creator slams Apple's podcast approach

With iTunes 4.9, Apple has made receiving and subscribing to podcast really simple. My experience with it has so far been positive but there are some problems with some feeds. Although it's simple to use, you don't seem to have a lot of control over it. Still, I'm using it over iPodder Lemon, which I was formerly using. Simply because syncing to my new iPod is really simple.

Of course, Apple's approach to podcast seems to be a way to add content to their music store and get people hook onto buying iPods. There have been some comments on the way that the Cupertino company is implementing the RSS standards use in the feeds. Check out the piece on Tom's Hardware.

With the release of iTunes 4.9, Apple included the first edition of a long-anticipated XML document type definition (DTD) for RSS 2.0, that will enable access to podcasts. Apple aims to build podcast support directly into both the software and iPod, but leaders in the RSS community, including the standard's own creator, are taking Apple to task for developing an ill-advised DTD without seeking input and guidance from the community.