DISQUS

I don't want to get flamed · 1 month ago

I have great respect for Robert and other social media evangelists, but seriously please leave my Google Reader alone. I don't care what one liners people have to spout off when they read the same articles that I do. If I wanted to read comments, I would click through to the full page. If I wanted to know what Robert is reading right now I would scroll through his Twitter stream. Google Reader in its current form is a great information source. Please don't turn my Google Reader into Facebook status updates or FriendFeed. If I feel like sharing or discussing, there are a lot better mediums to do that in. Thanks :)

Rob · 1 month ago

I think you hit it on the head there.

Roberts partly annoyed his reach doesn't happen in G reader. Therefore his ego can't get stroked either ;o)

I think he biggest asset is he gets people talking, just as you said here.

I agree with your points though, G reader should be more open.

Rob

Scobleizer · 1 month ago

Huh? I have more followers in Google Reader than you might think. My readership there is pretty damn good.

Jesse Stay · 1 month ago

Odd - my e-mail responses through Disqus aren't showing up here. I defended you - hopefully it will show up soon.

Rob · 1 month ago

So what you moaning about then... seems funny you can dish it out but not take it Robert... thing is you say crap like "you have no friends" and that sounds so arrogant.

Hugh Briss · 1 month ago

As usual he has to overdo everything and since no one from Google has stroked his ego he has to whine. Google reader may not be perfect but it's the best way I've found to follow a lot of RSS feeds and keep up with many many blogs and websites in a quick and efficient way.

Scobleizer · 1 month ago

Actually the Google Reader team talked with me a few days ago and they did stroke my ego. Still didn't stop me. It's funny the stuff you guys make up when someone says something you don't agree with.

Rob · 1 month ago

Funny the stuff you come out with just because someone doesn't agree with you. ;o)

crutis · 1 month ago

Google Reader does excel at aggregating _a lot_ of information in a compact layout. Twitter, FriendFeed and FaceBook are a mess by comparison. Lists are making them better, but still not great. It also has great keyboard shortcuts; TweetDeck and Brizzly are still behind in usability for me since they only have minimal keyboard shortcuts, FaceBook's got nothing. If I'm going to read a lot of serious articles, I'm not doing it anywhere else.

Louis Gray · 1 month ago

Google Reader is not replaceable by any other tool today. Their social features are growing and improving. It's all we can really ask. And they are listening to all feedback, constructive or not.

Jesse Stay · 1 month ago

Louis, I agree wholeheartedly there. This criticism is intended
constructively. I hope they can take it as such. Regardless there is still
no better solution at ensuring I get the news than Google Reader.

Hugh Briss · 1 month ago

To follow up. Google Reader is not and never was intended to be a social network.

Scobleizer · 1 month ago

That is TOTALLY WRONG according to the Google Reader team. It most definitely IS a social network now.

Hugh Briss · 1 month ago

Funny. And all this time I thought it was an RSS reader.

Chris Myles · 1 month ago

They REALLY think that? hmm .. IF interaction and comments are the keys to a social network, they've got a LONG way to go. The only way my friends can see MY comment on someone's share is IF they are "allowed" to by the person who shared the item (who must also follow my friend AND add them to the correct list). I'm not saying it can't/won't change, but it sure seems like a very "walled" beginning for a social network. The fragmentation of items via the bookmarklet and share with Note verses the source feed makes the likes less valuable too!

Jesse Stay · 1 month ago

Hugh, that is why I'm confused why they're trying to make it such. If
they're going to, my hope is that they do it openly. If they don't, then
focus on what they actually are.

Chris Myles · 1 month ago

Google is a walled garden WRT comments, in Reader, Friend Connect and I haven't heard anything about them in Social Search. Most of my non-geek social circle only consumes content (and occasionally comments) so they are the most important part (for me). The salmon protocol seems like right direction, but how will this be implemented in tools with tighter constraints? Right now Google's social strategy seems all over the place .. as new functionality gets added to the core tools (lists, likes etc), how will these integrate into the social search functionality?

Reader could use a couple of things that _might_ make Robert happier.. pubsubhubbub on the front end (for speed) and an API so it could be better integrated into other systems.

Lauren Fisher · 1 month ago

I've only just started using the social elements of Google Reader. So far I like them, but I have to say the biggest problem is finding new people to follow. Other than tweeting about it and asking who wants to follow me, it's hard to find new people. I don't see why Google Reader doesn't make it so that you can see a list of who people are following, or who else has starred or shared the same post as you, so you can find other people based on relevant content. Maybe developments like this are being considered, to make it a more open platform.

Jesse Stay · 1 month ago

Lauren, agreed - the UI is simply too complicated right now. It's too hard
to comment on anyone's post.

duzyaada · 1 month ago

Well Rob and the man before me have it right both ways...i guess this is where google reader will chalk out for itself or thru its benefactors , the next 10 year AWOL plan while it integrates with social media..I would just like to acknowledge that
a. no one person can rule the social media trends for forever
b. no one business like twitter or facebook, is ever going to do it alone
c. it seems like a really aggressive social world, where we are social only as long as we have been kicked :)

so, @scobie, hang in there..it's early days yet..after all @GOOG is with Hu! :)

@zyakaira
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