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Slashdot Asks: How Will You Replace Google Reader?

Posted by timothy on from the bifocals-espresso-and-page-ruffling-servants dept.

Despite a hue and cry from disappointed users, Google has not made any moves to reverse its decision to close down Google Reader on the first of July, just a few weeks away. Despite the name — and the functions it started out with in 2001 — Reader has become more than a simple interface to RSS feeds; Wikipedia gives a concise explanation of how it evolved from just a few features to a full-blown platform of its own, incorporating social-sharing features of the kind that have become expected in many online apps. Those features have morphed over the years along with Google's larger social strategies, along the way upsetting some readers who'd grown used to certain features. If you're a Google Reader user, will you be replacing it with another aggregator?

11 of 335 comments (clear)

  1. Sod google reader by Big+Hairy+Ian · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I'm going to miss igoogle :(

    --

    Build a Man a Fire, and He'll Be Warm for a Day. Set a Man on Fire, and He'll Be Warm for the Rest of His Life.

    1. Re:Sod google reader by Digicrat · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I'm going to miss igoogle :(

      +1. iGoogle is/was a great homepage.

      I've got a list of alternatives to iGoogle somewhere (there are 3-4 that look decent), but I've yet to spend the time to actually look at any of them.

    2. Re:Sod google reader by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I went from MyYahoo to iGoogle years ago. It's sad to think I might return. Getting you to use a their web site as a home page used to be the gold mine all companies strive for. I don't understand why Google would give this up. Especially without presenting a Google alternative well before the expiration.

  2. Why do I need an aggregator? by MichaelJ · · Score: 4, Insightful

    An application on my desktop, or "app" on a tablet or smartphone, is all the aggregation I need in order to read the RSS feeds to which I'm subscribed. The only functionality that Google Reader ever provided that I needed was syncing unread/read information across those applications. Of course, under the covers the applications were letting Google do all the heavy lifting, even the RSS feed checking. Going forward, though, all I need is an RSS reader application that's multiplatform with read/unread syncing.

    --

    Michael J.
    Root, God, what is difference?
  3. Yoleo Reader works for me by pls2917 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I've been using http://yoleoreader.com/ for the last few days and it works well for me. It even pulled the existing feeds directly from Google since I signed on with Google Account.

  4. Google's loss by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Really bummed that Google Reader is closing. But if Google is no longer interested in my news reading habits then it's their loss. And I'll no longer be logged-in to Google all day. So it's really their loss. But a huge gain for my privacy.

    At work using Windows RSS Owl is looking like my best choice. Akregator for Linux. Not yet sure what I'll use on Mac.

  5. Re:I've been trying feedly by dc29A · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Android client on Feedly always uses their built-in shitty browser. No thanks. I need their client to allow me to pick a default browser (FF + Adblock). Until that happens, no Feedly for you!

  6. Tiny Tiny RSS (tt-rss) and the Android app. by Domini · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I tried both Feedly and NewsBlur, and both did a lot of things I did not want or need. They were pretty, but when it came down it it I was losing control of my important feeds.

    I had to upgrade my ancient Linux server (it was overdue) before I could install it (although I think they might have relaxed some of the requirements now)

    I am very happy with it now. It is lean and light, clean and works flawlessly for me.
    The android app is written by the developer and rivals that of Google Reader. (clean and simple) Although it is paid... but I don't mind paying for it for all I got.

    I can recommend it to everyone who feels a bit of reticence and want and alternative.

  7. Re:I can't replace something I never use. by mrclisdue · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Yes, I agree wholeheartedly. Why should we be subjected to articles about stuff you know nothing about?

    Indeed, the articles should only relate to areas of your expertise, like realtime midget scat porn, and arithmetic for 'tards.

    Looking forward to your daily updates.

    cheers,

  8. Re:I've been trying feedly by slim · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Why on earth would you need a website for what ought to be a simple RSS reader?

    It feels neater architecturally. If 1000 people use a desktop RSS reader set to poll every 5 minutes, the feed gets 1000 hits every 5 minutes. If they all use a service like Reader (and it's sensibly written) then the feed gets one hit every 5 minutes.

    It has the convenience of giving you all your items, with your unread flags up-to-date, wherever you're reading (home, work, mobile, ...).

    It empowers the provider to generate good "people who liked this also liked..." recommendations -- whether you find that useful, scary or both.

  9. Re:I don't need to by interkin3tic · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Simply stunning.

    Google: "Here, let me do this free awesome thing for you. I'll be taking notes of course, but you know that."
    Gweihir: "How LONG are you going to do it for me?!?"
    Google: "Uh, probably a few years at least. And you can use someone else's service if you want when we stop, we'll make it really easy to do so. Like, one button push."
    Gweihir: "So, not forever?"
    Google: "Well, no, but it's not like we're charging you for..."
    Gweihir: "EVIL!!! OMG, YOU'RE JUST LOOKING FOR A PROFIT!!! FUCK YOU!!!"

    Yeah, you definitely dodged a bullet there.