The Echo Project seeks to build a standard for "a common syntax for syndication, archiving and an publishing API." Tim Bray discusses some good reasons for doing so, including the control that specific vendors have over current RSS standards.

In protest, earlier this week, Dave Winer shut down Scripting News. I read the page and wish I had saved it (Scripting News is now back up). I can't help but feel that Winer's decision to block access to his site, just because another group threatens his hold (through Userland) on RSS standards, is exactly why a non-vendor controlled standard might be necessary.