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Blog Readers - Bloglines vs. Google Reader vs. NewGator vs Whatever else

Friday, July 13, 2007

Okay. Like I mentioned on my last post, I wanted to ask this question, but I wanted the discussion for this question to be separate from the discussion from the question about what type of list of recommended blogs for Pastors.

So, here it is:

I am intending on putting some type of comment on the list regarding subscribing to RSS feeds of blogs.

Which reader do you recommend and why?

Also, if you were recommending a RSS Reader (is that the right term?) to people who are most likely relatively inexperienced at this whole blog thing, would that a make a difference in which reader you recommended and why? (For instance, I am assuming that most who use the list are going to be using IE and will not be that interested in switching to Firefox, etc.)

Thanks again for your input.

Looking for your thoughts,

Frank

14 comments:

Unknown said...

I use bloglines but have never tried anything else.

Jason Button said...

It's Bloglines for me, too!

Unknown said...

I use Google Reader. It's web based, so I don't have to worry about any software, and I can get to my feeds from any computer. Pretty nifty.

Anonymous said...

I'm also a Bloglines fan. I used to use an add-on firefox, but I made the switch to Bloglines to start up my blogroll (you can make your acct. public and list feeds as public or private) and have come to enjoy it for it's mobility as an online service (my computer is a desktop computer, so it doesn't travel unless I move).

Frank Sansone said...

Thank you, guys.

Any of you have experience with any readers besides the one you use?

For instance, have any of you Bloglines guys used Google Reader and switched to Bloglines because of something you liked better about Bloglines?

I am in the same situation as Andy. I use Bloglines, but I have never used anything else so I can't really say, "I like Bloglines because it does X and Google Reader does not" or "Bloglines does X better than GR, but GR does Y better than Bloglines."

Thank you for your input so far.

Frank

Don Johnson said...

Frank,

I tried several standalone readers but found them all kind of deficient in one way or another. I like bloglines because it is easy to use and I can immediately see who has and hasn't posted something new.

I haven't tried google reader...

Also, I think it is possible to export subscriptions from Bloglines. You could compile your list of recommendations as a bloglines profile, save the export, and hand it out to the men (or make it downloadable in some way) so they could get started with it.

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

Don Johnson said...

Frank, it just occurred to me that you might need to note that Bloglines has a feature called the "Image Wall" that displays pictures posted on its blogs. The content is not always appropriate. (Often!)

This may be a factor in your recommendations.

Regards,
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3

Mark Perry said...

I use bloglines when on the road. Very convenient.

I use an Outlook plug-in "intravnews" at my desktop. It drops all the feeds into folders like emails in my outlook and I can immediately see what has been updated and what hasn't. It also stores them locally so I can sift through past posts (even if they get deleted!).

If you've never considered switching to firefox, let me kindly suggest it. :-) I used to get so tired of hearing people rave about firefox and rail on IE. I finally made the switch and I would never go back. :-)

Mark Perry said...

Oh, and you should be able to us OPML to export or import your feed list. Most viewers have both the export and import feature so you can try other readers out easily.

Greg Linscott said...

I use the iGoogle custom homepage.

Unknown said...

I previously used NetNewsWire, but switched to Google I use several different computers. A web based solution works better in that situation.

Bob Hayton said...

Coming in way late here, but...

Google Reader far surpasses Bloglines, in my boat. I tried Bloglines but it didn't seem right, so I didn't do the RSS Reader thing.

Google Reader changed all that. It's really easy to use, it doesn't ask you to select which feed of a blog to use or anything technical like that. It also lets you easily add a star to posts, so you can come back to them later. Plus if you have a blog, it is great because you can share posts. Posts you like, you can just click "share", and they go to a static page of your shared posts, and they have their own RSS feed which can be put into a blog easily. And if you have a Blogger blog, they give you code for a nice widget with all your latest shared posts.

Its easy to organize and subscribe, and you can see everything pretty much at once. It's also web-based and portable.

Google Reader is great, and turned me into a RSS Reader. I now track more blogs than I did before, and use less time.

Frank Sansone said...

Bob,

Nothing like chiming in after I had already submitted the paper :).

Actually, I had read a good review of Google Reader, but I have not used it yet. I am hoping to try it out some time (it is on my someday/maybe list) as it sounds like it may have some features I like.

You mention that using Bloglines "did not seem right." Would you care to elaborate on that?

Thanks,

Frank

Bob Hayton said...

Hey, I have always had the worst sense of timing!

To elaborate, then:

It didn't convince me to move away from blog hopping/surfing. I didn't get hooked into using it as a RSS Reader.

I probably didn't give it too much of a try.

So maybe I don't have the best perspective to compare and contrast. I just know Google Reader has turned me into an RSS guy. I read more blogs than before in quicker time. And I love the features of adding a star to a post or sharing posts.

Thanks