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Using Google Reader
October 19, 2006
I've been using Google Reader for a few weeks now. I decided to switch from Bloglines because I was having a problem with Blogline's new interface. Whatever it was that it was doing behind the scenes, it interfered with my tab browsing by stopping everything every now and then for a few seconds.
Yes, I know, that's not a good way to describe it. But basically, I'd be in a tab, entering something in or about to click something, and I wouldn't be able to. It never lasted a very long time - maybe just seconds - but it was just enough to make me slightly annoyed.
When I uploaded my OPML file to Google Reader, I was thrilled to see that it kept all my folders intact. A huge plus, since I'm working with close to 800 feeds.
One feature I really like is the way Google Reader will display the latest updated feeds on your home page. With all the feeds I have, needless to say I actually don't dip into all of them in a day, and usually I don't dip into all the folders either (my most used folder being the one where I keep all my camera phone feeds). Having a peek at a random selection of updated feeds has been great - I've been finding lots of items that I end up posting about at one or other of my blogs.
The feature I want the most? (I'm pretty sure I'm going to get this, because I was scouting around the help group and saw several requests for this exact thing.)
When I add a feed, I can't select a folder. So adding a feed is a two-step process - add the feed, and then go to "manage subscriptions", find the feed and add it to a folder.
Often this ends up being a four step process for me, because with so many feeds, I need to know the actual name of the feed so I can type it into the search box. And half the time, I forget, or I get it wrong (because the blog might be called "whatever x" but its feed name might be "thoughts on whatever x" ... or whatever). So then I have to go back to my main reader page, scroll down to the bottom where all "single" (as in, not in a folder) feeds are housed, and find the name. And then go back, enter the name in the search box, and then add it to a folder.
I'm really used to Bloglines - I've been using them for more than a year now - so I have to admit that if my tabs didn't freeze up for those few seconds every now and then, I'd probably go back. The whole adding a feed to a folder thing with Google Reader can get a little annoying at times. But I don't add feeds all the time - I usually do when I'm hot on the track of a new idea for a site, so there are times when I'm adding a ton of feeds, and then sometimes I go days without adding any at all.
And anyway, apart from this one little quibble, I'm liking Google Reader a lot.
Update: Oh my goodness! That was FAST. I just went to add a feed - it's October 27 - and now after you add a feed, the little "Add to folder" drop box is right next to the name of the feed! This is wonderful.
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Posted by BJ at 07:54 PM in On Blogging, Web Publisher's Life | Permalink
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