Google Reader's Social Features Merging With Google+

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Google Reader's Social Features Merging With Google+

Posted by samzenpus on Thursday October 20, 2011 @12:27PM from the we-fear-change dept.

MrSeb writes "Moments ago, Google announced that Reader, as soon as next week, will be moving closer to Google+. Many of its social features (friending, following, sharing) are being buried in favor of Google+ equivalents. Fortunately, Reader has always had the ability to export your RSS subscriptions and feed groups in the widely-accepted OPML format, and over the next few days this will be expanded to include your shared items, friends, likes, and starred items as well." Update: 10/21 01:15 GMT by S : Updated headline and summary to reflect that Reader will be sticking around as a standalone product. According to Google, only its social features are being merged.

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ummm... by jaymz666 · 2011-10-20 12:33 · Score: 0

I am not sure that's a good or a bad thing!
1. Re:ummm... by AmberBlackCat · 2011-10-20 13:00 · Score: 0
  
  Good if you like Google+. Bad if you like people trying to shove Google+ down your throat by taking something you depended on and making it not work without Google+. It's like saying you can't use Windows without installing Internet Explorer.
2. Re:ummm... by TechLA · 2011-10-20 13:07 · Score: 0
  
  Bad if you like people trying to shove Google+ down your throat by taking something you depended on and making it not work without Google+.
  
  It's like saying you can't use Windows without installing Internet Explorer.
  And all this bullshit is why FTC and EU are already investigating Google for exploiting monopoly status unfair competition practices. They don't seem to get it though, they just throw more gasoline into fire.
  
  And yes, unfair competition practices can be applied to new technology too. It happened with Microsoft. It will happen with Google. That's why it's called precedent.
3. Re:ummm... by Tharsman · 2011-10-20 13:08 · Score: 1, Interesting
  
  Well for me its all bad.
  For one, i refuse to get a Google+ account, so if I'm forced to do this, I wont use reader anymore.
  Second, my job blocks all social networking sites. Even if I wanted to make a concession in the sake of Reader, I wont be able to use it at work since it will be blocked. This also means every single employee of my company (huge international company) wont be using Reader during work hours anymore.
  Guess it's time for me to find RSS software that can cross-platform sync via Dropbox. Heck, I may find a new hobby writing one myself.
4. Re:ummm... by icebike · 2011-10-20 13:24 · Score: 2
  
  Well for me its all bad. For one, i refuse to get a Google+ account, so if I'm forced to do this, I wont use reader anymore.
  
  I'm of the Same opinion. I never used the social aspects of Google Reader anyway, but I use the Reader part all the time.
  If that breaks, I'm off to any one of dozen other feed aggregators.
  But the revised summary indicates Reader will stay around, and without that social layer on top it will actually serve its intended purpose better.
  
  --
  Sig Battery depleted. Reverting to safe mode.
5. Re:ummm... by jaymz666 · 2011-10-20 13:26 · Score: 1
  
  quite a valid point, however, do they state whether the URLs are going to change, or if the only real difference is the addition of sharing to Google+ instead of the weird mini social network that you currently share items to. Same with likes. And a redesign.
6. Re:ummm... by jaymz666 · 2011-10-20 13:28 · Score: 1
  
  Not sure how it's anti competitive when they already had share to facebook and twitter years ago and this just seems to replace the weird mini network with google+
7. Re:ummm... by 93+Escort+Wagon · 2011-10-20 14:28 · Score: 2
  
  Still trolling for Microsoft hey?
  I know it's a fairly common ploy here on Slashdot - but replying to an intelligently written post with a mindless "you're a troll" or "you're a shill" response doesn't sway anyone towards your opinion.
  Actually, I am not sure you put enough thought into this to even qualify as having an opinion.
  
  --
  #DeleteChrome
8. Re:ummm... by savuporo · 2011-10-20 16:06 · Score: 1
  
  Back to bloglines ? I migrated away when they were closing down, and after their reopening never went back.
  
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9. Re:ummm... by emarkp · 2011-10-20 16:10 · Score: 1
  
  Yep, same for me. This will end reader for me as well. I guess I'll have to start moving over to a different aggregator. Sigh.
10. Re:ummm... by mwvdlee · 2011-10-20 18:31 · Score: 1
  
  How exactly was GP trolling for Microsoft?
  
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  Slashdot social media options: AIM, ICQ, Yahoo, Jabber and Mobile Text. Why no MySpace?
11. Re:ummm... by CubicleView · 2011-10-21 00:29 · Score: 1
  
  I don't believe he was, the AC was probably just trolling for you and anyone else that would bite.
12. Re:ummm... by Anonymous Coward · 2011-10-21 02:11 · Score: 0
  
  Same here... Except Dropbox is blocked at work too...
13. Re:ummm... by ericcavanaugh · 2011-11-01 02:28 · Score: 1
  
  just bad altogether. Even if you are ok w/ G+ the reader is now useless. I'm usually not one of those folks that cries out loud everytime Facebook changes something. But I really use Reader all the time everyday and they've F'd up the navigation and usability so much. At first glance it looked like an improvement. But after trying to use it I have to just find another product.
Wrong summary by Anonymous Coward · 2011-10-20 12:33 · Score: 5, Informative

From the first comment in the linked article:
"To clarify, Google Reader remains a stand-alone product. What is being announced is threefold: 1) Addition of sharing to Google+. 2) A new modern design. 3) Retiring of the dedicated sharing model.
This statement ( It will be impossible to use Google Reader as a standalone product) is incorrect. You can continue reading your feeds in Reader independent of Google+."
1. Re:Wrong summary by Anonymous Coward · 2011-10-20 12:47 · Score: 0
  
  PHEW! Thanks for supplying correct information! Don't have any plans of signing up with Google+.
  Amusing that I read about the supposed demise of Reader using Reader.
2. Re:Wrong summary by SomePgmr · 2011-10-20 12:55 · Score: 1
  
  So... the whole summary was a bust.
  
  Cause otherwise it's an article about google swapping out the old buzz buttons for +1's. Oh, and the theme change they've done everywhere else.
3. Re:Wrong summary by lofoforabr · 2011-10-20 12:57 · Score: 2
  
  That's good. When Google migrated my email address to a google account, I lost access to some services, including Orkut (who cares?) and Google+, because Google Apps (for domains) doesn't support Google Profiles yet.
  So, there's no way for me to retrieve or access my Google+ account (I created the account there before Google migrated my email).
  It would be a shame if Reader couldn't be accessed without Google+.
4. Re:Wrong summary by Anonymous Coward · 2011-10-20 13:14 · Score: 0, Offtopic
  
  Jeez, that's the third or fourth inflammatory, misleading, or outright WRONG title/summary since yesterday. I'm seriously thinking of deleting Slashdot from my live bookmarks.
5. Re:Wrong summary by Nerdfest · 2011-10-20 13:46 · Score: 0
  
  I think 3 of them relate to Google as well. Surely a coincidence ...
6. Re:Wrong summary by BitZtream · 2011-10-20 19:59 · Score: 1
  
  Sigh, is using the Internet REALLY that freaking hard?
  Google informed you of your account conflict the first time you signed in to the website after the change, but you were in too big of a hurry to bother reading the message.
  You also seem to be too lazy to search for yourself which indicates that you don't deserve help in the first place, but ...
  http://www.lmgtfy.com/?q=conflicting+accounts
  Your old account is still there and 100% usable, it just requires that the user have half a clue, so you're probably SOL.
  
  --
  Persistent Volume manager for Kubernetes - https://github.com/dwimsey/openshift-pvmanager
7. Re:Wrong summary by Anonymous Coward · 2011-10-20 21:37 · Score: 0
  
  How do I read my feeds in the new Reader when half of those feeds are shared entries from the people I follow in reader if I can no longer follow people in reader? I don't look at Google+ very often, it's too spammy.
8. Re:Wrong summary by lofoforabr · 2011-10-20 22:28 · Score: 1
  
  No need to offend me. I migrated as soon as I received the first email, but I didn't know some services wouldn't be available after the migration.
  For instance, when I try to access http://plus.google.com/, I get the following message:
  
  "Google+ is not yet available for Google Apps. Learn More.
  Thanks for your patience!"
  
  And the "Learn More" links here: http://www.google.com/support/plus/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1407609
  
  So, it's not a problem about me knowing how to use the Internet... it just doesn't support Google Apps... yet.
  Of course, I could create a new Gmail address just for it, but it's just lame that I can't use my 12 year old email address for it anymore.
9. Re:Wrong summary by Anonymous Coward · 2011-10-20 23:43 · Score: 0
  
  From the first comment in the linked article:
  "To clarify, Google Reader remains a stand-alone product. What is being announced is threefold: 1) Addition of sharing to Google+. 2) A new modern design. 3) Retiring of the dedicated sharing model.
  This statement ( It will be impossible to use Google Reader as a standalone product) is incorrect. You can continue reading your feeds in Reader independent of Google+."
  not really, as you will lose almost all features if you use as a standalone product:
  * Your subscriptions
  * Your shared items
  * Your friends
  * Your likes
  * Your starred items
  This is NOT good in any way.
10. Re:Wrong summary by Anonymous Coward · 2011-10-23 02:57 · Score: 0
  
  May I suggest you try to get google chrome - then look at the black-bar under the address bar - to see it with a plus sign maybe it will work properly for you when you do.
  J
Non-social uses not affected by icebraining · 2011-10-20 12:35 · Score: 5, Informative

Louis Gray (G+ evangelist, hired by Google) said:

To clarify, Google Reader remains a stand-alone product. What is being announced is threefold: 1) Addition of sharing to Google+. 2) A new modern design. 3) Retiring of the dedicated sharing model.
This statement ( It will be impossible to use Google Reader as a standalone product) is incorrect. You can continue reading your feeds in Reader independent of Google+.
http://www.extremetech.com/computing/101011-6-google-reader-replacements#dsq-comment-23863

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Dilbert RSS feed
1. Re:Non-social uses not affected by MagicM · 2011-10-20 12:47 · Score: 2
  
  Exactly. And from here:
  
  And in addition to Google+, you'll still be able to share to almost any service using Send To.
  It sounds like they may give you ways to share to Twitter and Facebook.
2. Re:Non-social uses not affected by jaymz666 · 2011-10-20 12:55 · Score: 1
  
  reader already does this...
3. Re:Non-social uses not affected by whoop · 2011-10-20 13:04 · Score: 2
  
  Man, who are you gonna believe. Some joker on Blogspot, where anyone can make an account, or a place named ExtremeTech.com. My underpants moved a little just typing that domain.
  And for everyone with Google Apps accounts that are in panic mode, see this from Dave Girouard from Google Apps. It's just "days" away.
4. Re:Non-social uses not affected by MagicM · 2011-10-20 13:05 · Score: 1
  
  I didn't know that. Finally found it buried in the settings. Thanks!
5. Re:Non-social uses not affected by Pausanias · 2011-10-20 13:16 · Score: 0, Offtopic
  
  WTF is up with slashdot. Usually the stories border on sensational, but lately the fraction of blatant lies masquarading as stories has skyrocket. Cmdrtaco, where art thou?
6. Re:Non-social uses not affected by Anonymous Coward · 2011-10-20 15:27 · Score: 1
  
  Thanks so much for pointing this out. This is the last straw for me. After reading /. for almost a decade I'm sick and tired of all the false news and amateurish errors. I could read supermarket tabloids and get as much tech news as I do here.
  Bye /.
  They all say that.
  They all say "goodbye" to Slashdot.
  They say a lot of things like that. Every single one of them does. Talk is cheap.
  Then, in about a week, maybe a month, maybe a year, but sometime, sometime in the not-too-distant future, when they just NEED that hit of their own bile building up in the back of their throats, when they miss what it tastes like, when their twitching arms need that adrenaline spike of inarticulate rage, they come back, posting to the idiots again. And again. And again. They come back.
  They ALL come back.
  Every single one comes back.
  And every single one says this time it's different. This time Slashdot's done it, Slashdot's gone too far, Slashdot's crossed a line, Slashdot is dead, Slashdot is over. Was it because the editors didn't read the article? Made a completely bogus summary? A headline so inaccurate that borders on libel? Another dupe? Getting the news out a week late?
  Doesn't matter. This time it counts. This time Slashdot is different.
  This time you're different.
  You're no different. You'll be back.
  You know right where Slashdot is.
  You'll be back.
  They all come back...
A cry for help? by fidget42 · 2011-10-20 12:36 · Score: 0

I suppose this is one way to try and increase the user count of Google+.

--
The dogcow says "Moof!"
1. Re:A cry for help? by NoobixCube · 2011-10-20 13:17 · Score: 2
  
  Summary is blatantly incorrect. Google Reader will still function standalone. This is about incorporating Google Reader into G+ for people who're already using it (So Google employees, Will Wheaton, Felicia Day, and me). What will change on Google Reader is it will lose whatever social bullshit it had before that I wasn't using anyway; which were actually added after Google Reader's inception in response to social hives of bickering and misinformation like Reddit. In other words, those who liked bickering over politics and science with their degrees and diplomas from Google U and Wikipedia Community College can still do that, over on Google+; those who just want to read their damn news can still do that, without Google+
  
  --
  Admit it. You post strawman arguments as AC so you get modded Insightful for refuting them, rather than Troll
Opera Support by SJHillman · 2011-10-20 12:37 · Score: 1

If this means I can no longer read my RSS feeds in Opera, then I'm off to find another RSS reader. I'd use G+ a lot more if it would work in Opera without having to tell G+ it's Fx or IE
1. Re:Opera Support by Deltaspectre · 2011-10-20 12:49 · Score: 1
  
  What part of G+ doesn't work in Opera? I ask because I've been using Opera this whole time and haven't noticed anything, unless it's something like hangouts that isn't working.
  
  --
  My UID is prime... is yours?
2. Re:Opera Support by SJHillman · 2011-10-20 13:39 · Score: 1
  
  I'm running the latest version of Opera on 3 different PCs and get the same thing each time. When I log in, I get "Your browser is no longer supported. Please upgrade your browser" and then links to Chrome, IE, Firefox and Safari. You may have it set to identify as a different browser.
3. Re:Opera Support by DrunkBishop · 2011-10-20 13:42 · Score: 1
  
  I never had to tell Google+ that Opera is another browser in order to make it work! What problems did you have with it?
4. Re:Opera Support by Deltaspectre · 2011-10-24 03:11 · Score: 1
  
  Strange, I got that on my Nook, but it hasn't stopped working on Opera.
  Opera/9.80 (X11; Linux x86_64; U; en) Presto/2.9.168 Version/11.51
  
  --
  My UID is prime... is yours?
output to a circle... by arunce · 2011-10-20 12:37 · Score: 1

Great news. I'm a google reader user and that will increase g+ use.
1. Re:output to a circle... by TechLA · 2011-10-20 13:04 · Score: 1
  
  And also useless spam to your circles. I still use Facebook, but I've long time noticed it's not a good place to just put your random stuff. What happens with your life and you personally, yes, but if you want to post random stuff then reddit, forums or even chans are much better for that. You won't frustrate your friends then, either.
It's like they want me to work at my job. by Anonymous Coward · 2011-10-20 12:37 · Score: 0

What the heck, Google? All social media sites are blocked at my job. Can't a man procrastinate reading Slashdot anymore?
Looks like they're just moving the social features by Sarusa · 2011-10-20 12:37 · Score: 1

Which is fine. Those are natural for Google+.
http://googlereader.blogspot.com/2011/10/upcoming-changes-to-reader-new-look-new.html
Meh by spinkham · 2011-10-20 12:38 · Score: 2

As long as it still works as a sync agent for Reeder on Mac and iOS, I could care less. Reeder is so much better than the Reader interface anyway.

--
Blessed are the pessimists, for they have made backups.
1. Re:Meh by Anonymous Coward · 2011-10-20 19:26 · Score: 0
  
  If you could care less, then you must care a bit. Do you care or don't you?
2. Re:Meh by spinkham · 2011-10-21 12:53 · Score: 1
  
  Yes grammer nazi, I care a very little bit, such that I could in fact care less, but not very much less.
  
  --
  Blessed are the pessimists, for they have made backups.
Maybe this will finally mean... by Seumas · 2011-10-20 12:38 · Score: 1

Maybe this means that I will finally be able to remove that one article in my feed that I haven't been able to get to delete for the past three years, no matter what I do.
Alternatives? by Anonymous Coward · 2011-10-20 12:39 · Score: 0

Fuck that. Google can kiss my ass.
OPML exported and search for replacement started. Any suggestions.
1. Re:Alternatives? by icebraining · 2011-10-20 13:00 · Score: 1
  
  First, make sure you understanding the issue - you won't need a G+ account to use Reader!
  As for suggestions, try NewsBlur.
  
  --
  Dilbert RSS feed
Reader had social features? by blair1q · 2011-10-20 12:43 · Score: 0

I thought it was just a little box with another copy of the Internet in it...
Google Apps by Anonymous Coward · 2011-10-20 12:45 · Score: 0

So if you currently use google apps, which google apps accounts are not supported by google+... does that mean you will no longer be able to use it? Well it looks like I'm looking for an alternative.
1. Re:Google Apps by whoop · 2011-10-20 12:58 · Score: 2
  
  They also said yesterday or today that Apps support for Plus is coming real soon. So perhaps this will be it. I know we've been waiting for a very long time for our Apps accounts to become full Google accounts. Moving Reader would be far too foolish if the merge wasn't ready on day one.
2. Re:Google Apps by icebraining · 2011-10-20 13:07 · Score: 1
  
  (...) does that mean you will no longer be able to use it?
  No. According to a comment by a Google employee and G+ evangelist, Reader will still be standalone and current users don't need to do anything to keep using it as is. It just changes the sharing features.
  
  --
  Dilbert RSS feed
This sucks! by Mike · 2011-10-20 12:46 · Score: 1

Since Google+ is blocked at work, I will no longer be able to use Google Reader on my lunch hour!
1. Re:This sucks! by Mike · 2011-10-20 12:52 · Score: 2
  
  Sorry to reply to my own message, but I just found out the synopsis of the article may be wrong. "To clarify, Google Reader remains a stand-alone product."
  Well, at least this is assuming the first commenter "Louis Gray" is correct with his clarification....
2. Re:This sucks! by icebraining · 2011-10-20 13:03 · Score: 1
  
  Well, Louis Gray is a Google employee and G+ evangelist, so he should be!
  
  --
  Dilbert RSS feed
3. Re:This sucks! by Mike · 2011-10-20 13:20 · Score: 1
  
  Whew!
Forced use of + by fred911 · 2011-10-20 12:48 · Score: 1

Reader isn't the only app now forcing G+. I use Latitude to track my travel time and time spent at job sites. In order to save a new location, I am now being forced to use G+. I don't do social net sites, no face, no space. What's up Google? What happened to do no evil? Facebook have too much market cap?

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09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B - D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0 45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
1. Re:Forced use of + by Anonymous Coward · 2011-10-20 13:20 · Score: 0
  
  I think it's about reducing complexity. Google webapps are streamlined as poorly as the Adobe CS collection. Imagine if Docs had entirely separate interfaces for spreadsheets and forms -- that's kind of how Google's legacy webapps are organized: they're standalone, with duplicated functionality... and are non-intuitive for the Facebook generation.
2. Re:Forced use of + by Anonymous Coward · 2011-10-20 13:33 · Score: 1
  
  Fuck yeah! Google is the most evil company in technology because they changed a feature of one of their free programs!
about time by alen · 2011-10-20 12:49 · Score: 1

it's a cool service that google hasn't upgraded in years and the sharing is next to worthless unless you know the person you're sharing with
RTFA by Anonymous Coward · 2011-10-20 12:51 · Score: 0

Not the one linked, but the Google Reader Blog Post. Unless I read that wrong, they are just removing the Reader social stuff in favor of G+'s, and they aren't disabling it as a separate product.
What do Google Apps users do!? by Anonymous Coward · 2011-10-20 12:54 · Score: 0

Sigh I use Google Apps... am I just fcuked now since Google Apps users can't use Google+?
Fail GOOGLE FAIL.
Subscribers by beej · 2011-10-20 13:00 · Score: 1

I post things to my Reader feed. I don't have *that* many subscribers, but I'd like to replicate the experience in G+. Namely:
1. Third parties should be able to subscribe/unsubscribe to my feed
2. My feed should not be shown to non-subscribers in my G+ circles
3. I should be able to add stories to my feed with a bookmarklet
4. People should be able to subscribe to my feed with an RSS reader
AFAIK, all of this is currently impossible in G+. So... it's a downgrade for the moment.
1. Re:Subscribers by Tigris666 · 2011-10-20 13:34 · Score: 1
  
  4. People should be able to subscribe to my feed with an RSS reader
  AFAIK, all of this is currently impossible in G+. So... it's a downgrade for the moment.
  This part is an issue with G+ as a whole, more so than just the reader part. Circles allow me to "push" content out to certain users. They don't allow others to "pull" content. I may post many things to G+, some tech things, some just personal photos and stuff. If you add me to a circle in G+ you get everything I push out to you.
  If they solve that problem, then they can solve your RSS problem above, since yours RSS subscribers can just follow your "RSS" tagged stuff on G+ and put it in their "RSS" circle I guess.
  I guess you /could/ do it if you are OCD about maintaining your circles. You could maintain your own "RSS" circle and make sure to only post stuff to that circle that you would normally share in your reader. Would be a nightmare to maintain that circle though. Simply tagging a post with some categories should enough other people to only follow certain categories from you.
  
  --
  Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try. -- Homer J. Simpson
2. Re:Subscribers by Orffen · 2011-10-20 16:39 · Score: 1
  
  Presumably you want anyone to have access to your RSS feed, so surely just using "Public" would meet the requirement. All people have to do is add you to their circles.
3. Re:Subscribers by beej · 2011-10-20 17:36 · Score: 1
  
  Dumping tech links in Public just spams the 90% of my followers who don't want to see them, so that's not really going to work, I don't think.
What the hell is Google Reader? by Anonymous Coward · 2011-10-20 13:04 · Score: 0

Can somebody tell me what the hell this Google Reader is? Sure, I could just Google it, but I'm not going to.
1. Re:What the hell is Google Reader? by RebrandSoftware · 2011-10-20 13:08 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  http://lmgtfy.com/?q=google+reader
2. Re:What the hell is Google Reader? by Kleen13 · 2011-10-20 13:23 · Score: 0
  
  Fucking awesome reply. What??? It was!
  
  --
  That sinking feeling deep in your gut when you KNOW you screwed up bad summed up with: {head desk} {head desk}
3. Re:What the hell is Google Reader? by Kleen13 · 2011-10-21 15:45 · Score: 1
  
  Seriously.... best reply I've read here yet. Offtopic.. pffft!
  
  --
  That sinking feeling deep in your gut when you KNOW you screwed up bad summed up with: {head desk} {head desk}
I just read this on google reader by Anonymous Coward · 2011-10-20 13:09 · Score: 0

and i am sad
A bit off-topic... by Anonymous Coward · 2011-10-20 13:46 · Score: 0

I have been looking for alternatives to Google Reader, but it seems that Google Reader is the only web-based RSS reader which (1) automatically fetch and store RSS entries for you to read later, (2) let you mark RSS entries as read so that you know which items are new when you load the reader, (3) let you search old entries (although I think that Google limits the search range) and (4) provides mobile phone optimized version of reader.
I find the first feature to be most important; I cannot switch on my computer 24*7 just to fetch and store new entries.
what by macshit · 2011-10-20 14:15 · Score: 2

Google reader has social features?!
I use it daily—it's a great RSS reader, and being on the web makes it much handier than standalone apps—but I never even realized it had "social features"... hmm now that I think about it, I guess it does have "like" buttons and that sorta thing...
But if it does, switching to the Google+ equivalents seems a pretty reasonable move; duplicating this sort of functionality just seems silly. They should probably try to keep them optional though (using the reader without a G+ login would just disable the like buttons etc), to avoid pissing off all the Google+ haters.

--
We live, as we dream -- alone....
1. Re:what by garcia · 2011-10-21 00:55 · Score: 1
  
  It only makes sense to Google and those who use G+. For those of us who have a G+ account but use it for nothing and want to use it for nothing it makes absolutely no sense.
  Especially to those of us who see G+ as yet another passing fad from Google. I've been using Reader for YEARS. I've had a G+ account for a couple months. Guess which one I haven't visited in a couple months vs the one I haven't visited in the last couple of seconds?
Not convinced they have a plan by 93+Escort+Wagon · 2011-10-20 14:24 · Score: 1

To me, this seems to be more of a reaction than anything strategic. It's like Google's high poobahs were sitting around discussing why Google+ is failing, and they all agreed the solution is to force people to use Google+ if at all possible.
I'm beginning to wonder if they're trying to figure out how to force Gmail users to go through Google+.

--
#DeleteChrome
Department of Plenty by antifoidulus · 2011-10-20 14:41 · Score: 0

All I can say is Orwell would be so proud of the language the Chinese used to describe their censorship.

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Monstar L
Reader? by flyingfsck · 2011-10-20 16:00 · Score: 1

Google has many products that no-one has ever heard of. So whether they merge one unheard of app with another unheard of app, isn't really 'stuff that matters' is it?

--
Excuse me, but please get off my Pennisetum Clandestinum, eh!
1. Re:Reader? by H0p313ss · 2011-10-20 18:14 · Score: 1
  
  Google has many products that no-one has ever heard of. So whether they merge one unheard of app with another unheard of app, isn't really 'stuff that matters' is it?
  You're saying you have not heard of Google Reader or Google+?
  And you thought that it would be wise to point this out in public? On Slashdot?
  Honestly?
  
  --
  XML is a known as a key material required to create SMD: Software of Mass Destruction
Removed Reader link from Gmail by AikonMGB · 2011-10-20 16:35 · Score: 1

This would certainly explain why the Reader link recently disappeared from the Gmail navigation bar. I find it really unfortunate that Google decided to string us along for so long, offering alternatives like "use a bookmark." Google has yet to sell me on +, and I am far from convinced that merging Reader into the fold will do much to change that. The time is fast approaching to move to a new RSS reader.
Aikon-
1. Re:Removed Reader link from Gmail by RivenAleem · 2011-10-20 21:59 · Score: 1
  
  They only moved it to the 'more' as, through watching all it's users, they determined that the other links were more widely used. No problem for me as I have gmail and reader as pinned tabs.
Google customers by tero · 2011-10-20 16:55 · Score: 1

So, great that everyone with free account will get these synergies from G+. Google's own customers (Domain Apps) still don't have Google+.
So, either create a free GMail account (and deal with the crap of having two Google accounts) or move your stuff somewhere else.
1. Re:Google customers by Anonymous Coward · 2011-10-20 17:35 · Score: 0
  
  What about the third option of having a little bit of patience until they roll out g+ to google apps users? It should be released in less than a week. Is it really so hard to wait for that?
2. Re:Google customers by tero · 2011-10-21 02:37 · Score: 1
  
  Yeah, I know, they've been saying that since March.
  http://googleenterprise.blogspot.com/2011/03/coming-soon-to-google-apps-1-button-and.html?utm_source=entblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+OfficialGoogleEnterpriseBlog+(Official+Google+Enterprise+Blog)
Unbelievable by Anonymous Coward · 2011-10-20 19:25 · Score: 0

They are going to ruin Reader with this. There is no way to replicate what Reader is in Google+. How are they going to have all my friends shared items there for me to look at? What is the point of Reader if I can't see my friends shared items? I hate Twitter and I hate Facebook, it's impossible to share and sort through items the way you can in Reader. This is a dark day.
Reader censors by Anonymous Coward · 2011-10-20 20:45 · Score: 0

After Google Reader censored Wired Magazine's feed linking to the article when the full uncensored chat logs between Adrian Lamo and Bradley Manning were released, I exported my OPML file and went to Netvibes and have never returned.
other merging... by renegade600 · 2011-10-20 21:23 · Score: 1

I wonder how long it will be before the announcement that they are merging blogger and blogspot into google+
Sharing Reader items on Google+ by RivenAleem · 2011-10-20 22:06 · Score: 1

This is copied from elsewhere. You can already great a custom 'send to' using the following:
Gear > Reader settings > Send to > Create custom link
Name: Google+
URL: https://plusone.google.com/_/+1/confirm?url=${url}
Icon URL :https://ssl.gstatic.com/s2/oz/images/favicon.ico
It enables you to send things from reader to your stream easily. All this announcement really is, is a formalization of the above 'hack'. This is because buzz is dead and instead of sharing there by default, you will now share to plus.
1. Re:Sharing Reader items on Google+ by Anonymous Coward · 2011-10-21 06:39 · Score: 0
  
  But how will I share to Reader, or, in the alternative, view Reader RSS in Google+ next to +1s specifically from Reader, with duplicates from different people merged?
2. Re:Sharing Reader items on Google+ by HotBBQ · 2011-10-21 09:09 · Score: 1
  
  For Chrome users there is an extension that adds a 'Share to Google+' button at the bottom of each post in Reader.
What took it so long? by fragfoo · 2011-10-20 22:43 · Score: 1

As long as Reader is still Readable (usable). They could also merge Buzz and Youtube with G+. For me Youtube is Google's main social network not G+, and would benefit from G+ features.

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Sig? Heil
Google App Account by kwerle · 2011-10-21 02:41 · Score: 1

Hmm. I can use Reader from my app account, but still can't use plus, there. I wonder if that's gonna change.
1. Re:Google App Account by TheGreatGraySkwid · 2011-10-21 09:18 · Score: 1
  
  According to a recent comment by Google execs, Apps support should be coming "in days."
  
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  The Humblest Mollusk on the Net
Re:Looks like they're just moving the social featu by ThePhilips · 2011-10-21 11:29 · Score: 1

Not really. For once I did not have to share any personal information with the people who "followed" me - or Google itself for the matter.
To me, Google Reader's Shared Items was the perfect "social network." This was as much of a "social" interaction as I need: stories and news few close to me people are interested in, probably with their comments. Not between me, my friends, Google and whole shebang of random strangers - but just between me and my friends.

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All hope abandon ye who enter here.
Google Reader Play by Anonymous Coward · 2011-10-22 14:53 · Score: 0

I still want GRP, I use Play ALL THE TIME to share, like, log articles I like, even THIS article I found using it.