A few people have been asking me to try out Bloglines (which just got a nice update) and NewsGator (which also just got a nice update).
Both of these are very capable news readers. Both of them arguably have some things that are a lot better than Google Reader. So what do I say when people want me to switch my reader away from Google Reader?
I answer “it’s too late.”
Why?
I have about 7,200 reasons. All in my link blog. (UPDATE: earlier I said I had 300,000 readsons, but I’ve gone through about 300,000 items to find about 7,200 items).
Oh, and a few more rumored to be on the way.
Anyway, for the past year now I’ve been reading tons of feeds (I’m up to 832 now) and I’ve been putting about 600 posts a month into my link blog.
That is turning into an awesome database for doing research on. Especially now that I have search. Here’s some tips on how to use search for my link blog.
It has almost no noise, just much of the best blogging that’s been done over the past year in the technology field. But, whenever I think about moving feeds to a new reader I start thinking of that database and start thinking about the value it has to me as a way to search back on what caught my eye over the past year.
I’m locked into Google. Big time.
What keeps you locked into your feed reader?
Oh, here’s some other interesting numbers about Google Reader.
It’s too bad Google has your database of knowledge and doesn’t let you take that with you, Robert
Sure you can take the export of the feed URLs themselves, but the database stays with Google.
That’s the #1 reason I don’t use Google Reader (nor the other online readers) as a primary reader and instead prefer to use an RSS reader on one of our own servers with a database that I can mine for data and research without any limits — offline or online
[...] 7,200 Google Reader lockins [...]
Robert doesn’t Google not allowing you to export all your historical feed items go against your “Open Social Web” ideals?
Robert doesn’t Google not allowing you to export all your historical feed items go against your “Open Social Web” ideals?
Andy, yes. So does my use of the iPhone.
Andy, yes. So does my use of the iPhone.
I’d like to point out that all your “actions” in Reader (reading, starring, sharing, tagging) are available as Atom feeds that you can save and do as you choose with. I elaborated on this earlier this year when our Trends feature was released:
http://nick.typepad.com/blog/2007/01/will_google_rea.html#comment-27302841
Mihai Parparita
Google Reader Engineer
I’d like to point out that all your “actions” in Reader (reading, starring, sharing, tagging) are available as Atom feeds that you can save and do as you choose with. I elaborated on this earlier this year when our Trends feature was released:
http://nick.typepad.com/blog/2007/01/will_google_rea.html#comment-27302841
Mihai Parparita
Google Reader Engineer
I am so locked in to Google. Gmail, calendar, reader & search.
I am so locked in to Google. Gmail, calendar, reader & search.
[...] read. The trouble has been getting my Google Reader’s “Inbox” to empty. So, I borrowed a tactic from the esteemed Scobleizer, and started using the Reader’s sharing feature. Any article that looks interesting after a [...]
I read this post when you wrote it, but just now, after a google search on syncing NetNessWire with Google Reader and reading comment #22, decided to comment.
ive been using GR ever since it first came out and I love it! But having given a look into Nnw ive found great usefulness in a lot of its features… But Id like to be able to sync it with GR as it still is my fav web interface.. although an iPhone version is DESPERATELY needed IMO!!
Cheers
I read this post when you wrote it, but just now, after a google search on syncing NetNessWire with Google Reader and reading comment #22, decided to comment.
ive been using GR ever since it first came out and I love it! But having given a look into Nnw ive found great usefulness in a lot of its features… But Id like to be able to sync it with GR as it still is my fav web interface.. although an iPhone version is DESPERATELY needed IMO!!
Cheers
Sorry for the typos!! The iPhone borked the textbox (the left half of it was blank although the words were being written under it… and it’s happening again… ARGH :/
I know I’ve been “power using” the iPhone these last few days (no laptop right now, so no computer outside the office) but I’ve found sooo many bugs and crashes… grrr
Sorry for the typos!! The iPhone borked the textbox (the left half of it was blank although the words were being written under it… and it’s happening again… ARGH :/
I know I’ve been “power using” the iPhone these last few days (no laptop right now, so no computer outside the office) but I’ve found sooo many bugs and crashes… grrr
You should really take a look into NewsGator’s new iPhone interface… it might be what will get me to buy NetNewsWire so I can sync them both…
Check it here for screenshots: http://appsafari.com/utilities/92/google-reader/
On a regular computer, GR is still miles ahead of competition for me… but on the iPhone, the “regular” GR is too big (and I have no “j/k’s”)
Darn it… :/
You should really take a look into NewsGator’s new iPhone interface… it might be what will get me to buy NetNewsWire so I can sync them both…
Check it here for screenshots: http://appsafari.com/utilities/92/google-reader/
On a regular computer, GR is still miles ahead of competition for me… but on the iPhone, the “regular” GR is too big (and I have no “j/k’s”)
Darn it… :/