I discovered Google Reader a couple of weeks ago. Around the same time as I started this blog. For I don't know how long, I've had a long list of blogs among my Favourites that I have checked for new posts every morning. It took me quite some time and I always felt a bit dissapointed when I saw that there hadn't been any new postings since my last visit. The inactive blogs felt very inactive when I checked them every day...
But then a couple of weeks ago I started using Google Reader. I'm far from a technical genius when it comes to computers and I can't explain how it all actually works, but my blog reading routines have definately changed since starting to keep track of people's blogs through Google reader... Now, it takes me less time to see the updates and I don't have to feel "sad" about visiting the same blog post over and over again as I did before. I feel like I can keep up with more blogs now as I quickly can see if there's something new or not.
I do, however, notice that I might not read other's comments as thoroughly as I did before as I don't always visit the actual blog but read the post from my Google Reader. I make an effort to actually visit the blog but sometimes that just doesn't happen. Thinking about it, I can't really see anything else negative about using a feed reader to keep of my blogs...
How do you keep track of the blogs you read? Do you check them all by visiting once a week, or do you use a feed reader that tells you when there's something new? What feed reader do you use and why?
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Google Reader
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5 comments:
I use Google Reader too....it makes it so much easier because I can skip everything that isn't active. I, like you, wish that we could read comments and such, but at least now I have a tool to help me keep in touch better!
I started using Google Reader a couple of weeks ago, too. The notification aspect is great, only one place to look to see if there are updates.
I wish, however, that I could read all of each post. About half of them are truncated and I have to visit the actual blog to read the whole thing. I also wish there was a way to view comments from within the reader.
I guess we can't have everything! :kram:
I started using Google reader recently too. And I have noticed the same thing you did about the comments... But it's soo much easier reading blogs now :-D
I use google reader. For people with livejournals, I read them on my livejournal friends page. I have to admit I rarely read comments, so I'm not "missing' that. I do generally open the blog from Google Reader, though. Lots of RSS feeds don't pick up everything 100%, and I'd rather click the link than miss something.
I've been in love with Google Reader ever since finding out about the handy little "next" option.
When you're in google reader's front page, go to Settings and then Goodies. There will be a little Next bookmark thing that you can drag to your bookmark bar in Firefox (if you're using IE make sure you have your Favorites list showing and you can add it in there.)
If you're using something other than FF or IE, I can't help, cuz those are the only two I've used it with.
It's so great though! You click on "Next" and it takes you to the next updated blog. To the full, actual blog. No more snippets or partial posts or anything. It's wonderful!
Ok, I got a little over excited there, but it really is great. :D
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