Is the RSS Icon a Failure?

Mozilla is removing the orange RSS icon from the Address bar in Firefox and=
 replacing it with a Bookmarks menu item called "Subscribe," as described i=
n this blog post:

http://camendesign.com/blog/rss_is_dying

Here's Mozilla developer Asa Dotzler's take on why this is good:

"The UI, as it was =97 a tiny orange button in the addressbar wasn't helpin=
g users use the feature so it was removed. Better UI, a menu item with a re=
al description of what RSS does, 'subscribe' replaced it. That's a positive=
 step, not a negative one. Though it may be encountered by fewer users, it =
will make much more sense to those who do encounter it."

Although I like the RSS icon and look for it all the time on sites, I'm won=
dering whether it's too wonky to further broader mainstream usage of feeds.=
 It's a good visual identifier for RSS but may not help convey what feeds a=
re or why users should subscribe to them.

Do you think the icon has been a failure?



------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rss-public/

<*> Your email settings:
    Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rss-public/join
    (Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
    [email protected]=20
    [email protected]

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    [email protected]

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/