"Follow" is indeed clearer language -- clearer than "subscribe" I think -- especially as we move beyond desktop-based RSS readers to just having friends or contacts online... it's also less weighty to "unfollow" someone, rather than "unfriend them". And, it abates the whole overloading of the "friend" terminology. +1 from me. This should definitely be something we use in DiSo. - Chris Messina via FriendFeed MT Plugin

I like it. It makes more sense. Hope it makes it easier to explain to people. And interesting that the nomenclature for these actions seems to be spreading from Twitter, FriendFeed, and their ilk. - Josh Bancroft

There are two simple ways to address the problem... (And I second Mark's concern): 1. use rel-follow (not a great convention, but something along those lines) to suggest a "followable" link... it could add the blog to Google Reader if you're a GR user (I imagine this would be the default for Blogger members) or you could change it to launch a local application or your own external blog aggregator. 2. In the case of DiSo endpoints, I believe we'll have some kind of callback mechanism that is advertised on your identity provider/data broker that expresses where you maintain your followed sites/contacts/friends. For example, when sign in to Blogger with your OpenID, your follower list would be advertised as a service in your XRDS-Simple (Discovery) profile... If you click a "follow" link, Blogger would send and OAuth request back to your identity provider requesting permission to add the feed to your followed list; should you grant the OAuth token, you'll now be subscribed to updates from that person/blog. I - Chris Messina via FriendFeed MT Plugin

Excellent analysis, Chris. For years I've railed against the implied obligations of the "Friend" terminology and then when it switched to "follow" I didn't even notice that I'd finally gotten my wish. We are free at last! - Daniel J. Pritchett

I like it! I am sure Google has done a lot of UI tests and found it to be more effective, or they wouldn't roll it out. Does this mean YouTube is going to change from "Subscribe" to "Follow"??? At Mefeedia, we have received lots of feedback from "mainstream users" that "Subscribe" is confusing. It makes people think that they have to pay for subscribing to a video feed - believe me, it is one of the most common emails we receive (asking if the subscribe service is free)! May "follow" Google's lead...:) - Frank Sinton via FriendFeed MT Plugin

I thought Facebook would do something like this to mainstream RSS...still can't believe they haven't integrated "real news" into profiles - Ethan Bauley

Creating a non-tech savvy RSS reader should be their first step... - xavier vespa via FriendFeed MT Plugin

Next step is to connect Orkut (+OpenSocial +Lively) with Blogger such as Wordpress is going social with its plugins. Don't you think? - krisalis78 via FriendFeed MT Plugin

This is very good news! Any name with a potential to proliferate must be self-explanatory and obvious. RSS had three words all of them ambiguous and in need of explanation. - Hayk H.

Great. No more feeling uncomfortable about friending, unfriending and - Just Do Not Follow! - Marcus Schroefel