diff --git a/lib/felix.client.run.properties.rss b/lib/felix.client.run.properties.rss
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3827cd884
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/felix.client.run.properties.rss
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+#
+# Framework config properties.
+#
+org.osgi.framework.system.packages= org.osgi.framework; \
+ javax.swing; \
+ javax.swing.event; \
+ javax.swing.table; \
+ javax.swing.text; \
+ javax.swing.text.html; \
+ javax.accessibility; \
+ javax.swing.plaf; \
+ javax.swing.plaf.metal; \
+ javax.swing.plaf.basic; \
+ javax.imageio; \
+ javax.swing.tree; \
+ javax.swing.undo; \
+ javax.swing.event; \
+ javax.swing.border; \
+ javax.swing.filechooser; \
+ org.w3c.dom; \
+ org.xml.sax; \
+ javax.xml.parsers;\
+ org.apache.xml.serialize; \
+ javax.xml.transform; \
+ javax.xml.transform.dom; \
+ javax.xml.transform.stream; \
+ sun.security.action; \
+ sun.misc; \
+ javax.net; \
+ javax.net.ssl; \
+ javax.naming; \
+ javax.naming.directory; \
+ javax.sound;\
+ javax.sound.sampled; \
+ org.jdesktop.jdic.tray; \
+ org.jdesktop.jdic.desktop; \
+ com.apple.eio; \
+ org.xml.sax.helpers;
+
+felix.auto.start.10= reference:file:lib/bundle/org.apache.felix.servicebinder-0.8.0-SNAPSHOT.jar
+#reference:file:lib/bundle/org.apache.felix.bundlerepository-0.8.0-SNAPSHOT.jar
+#\
+# file:lib/bundle/shell.jar \
+#  \
+# file:lib/bundle/servicebinder.jar \
+# file:lib/bundle/tablelayout.jar
+
+felix.auto.start.20= \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/util.jar
+
+
+felix.auto.start.40= \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/configuration.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/version.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/version-impl.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/splashscreen.jar \
+
+felix.auto.start.50= \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/fileaccess.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/browserlauncher.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/protocol.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/contactlist.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/media.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/protocol-icq.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/smacklib.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/protocol-jabber.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/protocol-msn.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/protocol-yahoo.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/protocol-gibberish.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/netaddr.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/protocol-zeroconf.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/meta-cl.jar
+
+felix.auto.start.60= \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/history.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/msghistory.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/callhistory.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/audionotifier.jar
+
+
+ felix.auto.start.66= \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/swing-ui.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/systray.jar
+
+ felix.auto.start.67= \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/pluginmanager.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/icqaccregwizz.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/aimaccregwizz.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/jabberaccregwizz.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/msnaccregwizz.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/yahooaccregwizz.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/gibberishaccregwizz.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/extendedcallhistorysearch.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/zeroconfaccregwizz.jar \
+ reference:file:sc-bundles/shutdown.jar
+
+# Uncomment the following lines if you want to run the architect viewer
+# bundle.
+#oscar.auto.start.100= \
+# file:lib/bundle/architectureviewer1.1.jar
+
+#Specify the directory where oscar should deploy its bundles
+ felix.cache.profiledir=sip-communicator.bin
+#felix.cache.profiledir=${user.home}/.sip-communicator/profiledir
+
+felix.startlevel.framework=100
+felix.startlevel.bundle=100
+#
+# Bundle config properties.
+#
+#org.osgi.service.http.port=8080
+#osgi.shell.telnet=on
+#oscar.repository.url=file:/home/rickhall/projects/noscar/repository.xml
+oscar.embedded.execution=false
diff --git a/lib/installer-exclude/aclibico-2.1.jar b/lib/installer-exclude/aclibico-2.1.jar
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5f6b57673
Binary files /dev/null and b/lib/installer-exclude/aclibico-2.1.jar differ
diff --git a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/rss/ContactRssImpl.java b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/rss/ContactRssImpl.java
index a9a771a46..7b67289ce 100644
--- a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/rss/ContactRssImpl.java
+++ b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/rss/ContactRssImpl.java
@@ -12,10 +12,17 @@
 import net.java.sip.communicator.util.*;
 import java.net.*;
 
+import com.ctreber.aclib.image.ico.*;
+import java.io.*;
+import java.awt.*;
+import javax.imageio.*;
+import java.awt.image.*;
+
 /**
  * An implementation of a rss Contact.
  *
  * @author Jean-Albert Vescovo
+ * @author Mihai Balan
  */
 public class ContactRssImpl
     implements Contact
@@ -30,6 +37,11 @@ public class ContactRssImpl
     private static SimpleDateFormat DATE_FORMATTER =
         new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy.MM.dd-HH:mm:ss");
 
+    /**
+     * The path within the bundle for the default RSS 64x64 icon.
+     */
+    private String defaultIconPath = "resources/images/rss/rss64x64.png";
+
     /**
      * The source flow for this contact.
      */
@@ -200,14 +212,124 @@ private void convertStringToDate(String lastDate)
     }
 
     /**
-     * Returns a byte array containing an image (most often a photo or an
-     * avatar) that the contact uses as a representation.
+     * Returns a byte array containing an image to represent the feed. This is
+     * acquired either via the <tt>favicon.ico</tt> file on the server where the
+     * feed resides, either a default standard RSS icon is returned.
      *
-     * @return byte[] an image representing the contact.
+     * @return byte[] the binary representation of the best available image in
+     * the icon, or null in case the image is invalid or inexistent.
      */
     public byte[] getImage()
     {
-        return null;
+        Image selectedIcon;
+
+        //we use these to get the best possible icon in case our favicon is a
+        //multi-page icon.
+        int maxWidth = 0;
+        int maxColors = 0;
+        int crtDescriptor = -1;
+
+        //used for ICO to PNG translation. Uses PNG as it's the "safest" choice.
+        ByteArrayOutputStream output = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
+        byte[] result = null;
+
+        URL feedLocation = getRssURL();
+
+        //TODO: Fix aclico log4j-related errors
+
+        try
+        {
+            URL location = new URL(feedLocation.getProtocol() + "://"
+                    + feedLocation.getHost() + "/favicon.ico");
+            ICOFile favicon = new ICOFile(location);
+
+            logger.trace("Icon has " + favicon.getImageCount() + " pages");
+
+            for (int i = 0; i < favicon.getDescriptors().size(); i++)
+            {
+                BitmapDescriptor bmpDesc = favicon.getDescriptor(i);
+                if ((maxWidth < bmpDesc.getWidth()))
+                {
+                    maxWidth = bmpDesc.getWidth();
+                    maxColors = bmpDesc.getColorCount();
+                    crtDescriptor = i;
+                }
+
+                if ((maxColors < bmpDesc.getColorCount()))
+                {
+                    maxWidth = bmpDesc.getWidth();
+                    maxColors = bmpDesc.getColorCount();
+                    crtDescriptor = i;
+                }
+            }
+
+            //if icons is either invalid or contains no data, return the default
+            // RSS icon.
+            if (crtDescriptor == -1)
+            {
+                return getDefaultRssIcon();
+            }
+
+            selectedIcon = favicon.getDescriptor(crtDescriptor).getImageRGB();
+
+            //decode ICO as a PNG and return the result
+            ImageIO.write((BufferedImage)selectedIcon, "PNG", output);
+            result =  output.toByteArray();
+
+            logger.trace("Result has " + result.length + " bytes");
+            logger.trace("Icon is " + maxWidth + " px X " + maxWidth + " px @ "
+                    + maxColors + " colors");
+
+            output.close();
+            return result;
+        }
+        catch (MalformedURLException murlex)
+        {
+            //this shouldn't happen. Ever.
+            logger.error("Malformed URL " + murlex,
+                         murlex);
+        }
+        catch (IOException ioex)
+        {
+            logger.error("I/O Error on favicon retrieval. " + ioex,
+                         ioex);
+        }
+        return getDefaultRssIcon();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the default icon in case the feed has no favicon on the server.
+     * Uses the <tt>defaultIconPath</tt> to locate the default icon to be
+     * displayed.
+     *
+     * @return binary representation of the default icon
+     */
+    private byte[] getDefaultRssIcon()
+    {
+        logger.trace("Loading default icon at " + defaultIconPath);
+
+        InputStream is = ContactRssImpl.class.getClassLoader()
+                .getResourceAsStream(defaultIconPath);
+
+        byte[] result = null;
+
+        //if something happened and the resource isn't at the specified location
+        //(messed jar-s, wrong filename, etc.) just return now
+        if (is == null)
+            return result;
+        try
+        {
+            logger.trace("Icon is "+is.available() + " bytes long");
+            result = new byte[is.available()];
+            is.read(result);
+        }
+        catch (IOException ioex)
+        {
+            logger.error("Error loading default icon at" + defaultIconPath,
+                         ioex);
+        }
+        return result;
+
     }
 
     /**
@@ -234,7 +356,7 @@ public void setPresenceStatus(PresenceStatus rssPresenceStatus)
     /**
      * Returns a reference to the protocol provider that created the contact.
      *
-     * @return a refererence to an instance of the ProtocolProviderService
+     * @return a reference to an instance of the ProtocolProviderService
      */
     public ProtocolProviderService getProtocolProvider()
     {
diff --git a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/rss/OperationSetBasicInstantMessagingRssImpl.java b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/rss/OperationSetBasicInstantMessagingRssImpl.java
index 33be96bcb..2ffa56882 100644
--- a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/rss/OperationSetBasicInstantMessagingRssImpl.java
+++ b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/rss/OperationSetBasicInstantMessagingRssImpl.java
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
  * Instant messaging functionalites for the Rss protocol.
  *
  * @author Jean-Albert Vescovo
+ * @author Mihai Balan
  */
 public class OperationSetBasicInstantMessagingRssImpl
     implements OperationSetBasicInstantMessaging,
@@ -97,8 +98,10 @@ public void addMessageListener(MessageListener listener)
     public Message createMessage(byte[] content, String contentType,
                                  String contentEncoding, String subject)
     {
-        return new MessageRssImpl(new String(content), contentType
-                                       , contentEncoding, subject);
+        return new MessageRssImpl(new String(content),
+                                  contentType,
+                                  contentEncoding,
+                                  subject);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -110,9 +113,10 @@ public Message createMessage(byte[] content, String contentType,
      */
     public Message createMessage(String messageText)
     {
-
-        return new MessageRssImpl(messageText, DEFAULT_MIME_TYPE
-                                        , DEFAULT_MIME_ENCODING, null);
+        return new MessageRssImpl(messageText,
+                                  "text/html",
+                                  DEFAULT_MIME_ENCODING,
+                                  null);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -356,9 +360,9 @@ public boolean isOfflineMessagingSupported()
     {
         return false;
     }
-    
+
     /**
-     * Determines wheter the protocol supports the supplied content type
+     * Determines whether the protocol supports the supplied content type
      *
      * @param contentType the type we want to check
      * @return <tt>true</tt> if the protocol supports it and
@@ -368,6 +372,8 @@ public boolean isContentTypeSupported(String contentType)
     {
         if(contentType.equals(DEFAULT_MIME_TYPE))
             return true;
+        else if(contentType.equals("text/html"))
+            return true;
         else
            return false;
     }
diff --git a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/rss/RssFeedReader.java b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/rss/RssFeedReader.java
index ac9cab819..a684c1f62 100644
--- a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/rss/RssFeedReader.java
+++ b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/rss/RssFeedReader.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
  * The class used for using the Informa Library into the RSS protocol
  *
  * @author Jean-Albert Vescovo
+ * @author Mihai Balan
  */
 public class RssFeedReader
 {
@@ -65,7 +66,7 @@ public RssFeedReader(URL contactRssURL)
     {
         this.rssURL = contactRssURL;
 
-        /** @todo should retrieve this from a resource file.*/
+        /* TODO should retrieve this from a resource file.*/
         this.title = "No feed avalaible !";
     }
 
@@ -103,7 +104,8 @@ public void retrieveFlow()
         //chronological order
         items = (SyndEntry[]) (this.feed.getEntries()
                                .toArray(new SyndEntry[0]));
-        sortItems();
+        //sort items
+        Arrays.sort(items, syndEntryComparator);
 
         //if we don't understand the date format we don't want to handle
         //this feed
@@ -145,10 +147,13 @@ public void retrieveFlow()
      */
     public synchronized String feedToString(Date latestRetrievedItemDate)
     {
+        String newsAbstract = null;
         StringBuffer printedFeed = new StringBuffer();
 
+        /* TODO move this in a resources file.*/
         if (items.length == 0)
-            return "No items currently available for this feed !";
+            return "<b>No items currently available for this feed !</b><br>";
+
 
         //go through the items list in reverse order so that we could stop
         //as soon as we reach items that we've already shown to the user.
@@ -157,37 +162,32 @@ public synchronized String feedToString(Date latestRetrievedItemDate)
             if (items[i].getPublishedDate()
                 .compareTo(latestRetrievedItemDate) > 0)
             {
-                printedFeed.insert(
-                    0
-                    , "\nAt " + items[i].getPublishedDate()
-                    + " - " + items[i].getTitle()
-                    + "\nLink: " + items[i].getLink() + "\n\n");
+                // Get the abstract of the news.
+                newsAbstract = items[i].getDescription().getValue();
+                // Forge the news to be displayed.
+                printedFeed.insert(0, "At "
+                    + items[i].getPublishedDate()
+                    + "<br><strong>"+ items[i].getTitle() + "</strong>"
+                    + " <a href=\""+items[i].getLink()+"\">Link</a><br>");
             }
             else
             {
                 if (i == items.length - 1)
                 {
                     printedFeed
-                        .append("\n\nNo new articles in your feed since"
-                                + " last update.");
+                        .append("<strong>No new articles in your feed since"
+                                + " last update.</strong><br>");
+
                 }
                 break;
             }
         }
 
-        printedFeed.append ("\n\nSend anything to refresh this feed...");
+        printedFeed
+            .append ("<em>Send anything to refresh this feed...</em><br>\n");
         return printedFeed.toString();
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Sorts the items retrieved from the rss contact/feed associated with this
-     * reader. The method uses a bubble sort algorithm.
-     */
-    private void sortItems()
-    {
-        Arrays.sort(items, syndEntryComparator);
-    }
-
     /**
      * Returns a Date that can be used to know the most recent item in a
      * retrieved feed.
diff --git a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/rss/rss.provider.manifest.mf b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/rss/rss.provider.manifest.mf
index 09b8d2ab0..f8d7ddd1e 100644
--- a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/rss/rss.provider.manifest.mf
+++ b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/rss/rss.provider.manifest.mf
@@ -12,5 +12,7 @@ Import-Package: org.osgi.framework,
  net.java.sip.communicator.service.configuration.event,
  net.java.sip.communicator.util,
  net.java.sip.communicator.service.protocol,
- net.java.sip.communicator.service.protocol.event
+ net.java.sip.communicator.service.protocol.event,
+ org.apache.log4j,
+ javax.imageio