Dave writes:
I use iGoogle on a daily basis as my homepage. Today I noticed a message at the top that it is going to be discontinued in 16 months. I really like iGoogle as I can get multiple RSS feeds layed out very nicely from websites that I cannot get to at work. Are there any sites out there that do what iGoogle does as far as the gadgets and feeds?
You may recall not-so long ago that a whole bunch of “custom home page” providers allowed you to add in RSS feeds to your heart’s content, and at one point it was even in email (Yahoo! Mail used to allow you to follow feeds in the sidebar). But then, seemingly overnight, a bunch of these providers either made the feature to follow feeds like ours exceedingly difficult on purpose, or just eliminated the feature outright.
Why did this happen? Content providers realized RSS doesn’t make money because it’s next to impossible to monetize RSS links or feeds, so they gave it the old heave-ho out the door.
What Google in particular has decided to do is keep the ability to read feeds, but do it in a very specific way so they can make money in the process, or at least try to, and I’ll mention this method in a moment.
You basically have 3 options if you want to read feeds and have them organized in a way that you like.
1. Local app
Windows Live Mail (2009 or 2011 edition), Mozilla Thunderbird, FeedDemon, RSS Bandit, RSSOwl, RssReader and like apps all read feeds, but they have to be running as an app.
IE, Firefox, Opera and Chrome all have the ability to follow feeds as well.
2. “Unsocial” web method
Some people like feeds but have no interest in being social with them whatsoever. Bloglines is basically your best option here.
3. Social web method
Google Reader. This thing is all “Google-Plussed” now, and that’s something you’ll either love or hate. It will be ‘attached’ to your Google Account, and you will be force-fed the idea to SHARE! SHARE! SHARE! everything you read and also be periodically shoved “recommended items” at you whether you want them or not. This is Google’s idea of social RSS, and no, you can’t turn it off. Google wants this thing to make money and that’s why it is the way it is.
My suggestion to Dave and anyone else who follows feeds is to use a local app. RSS feeds won’t go away because it is the easiest way for sites to deliver content from other sites, but as far as giving the computer user (you) power over their own feeds, content providers don’t like that because no cash is made; this is why it’s ultimately best to use a local app to follow feeds with.
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Thanks Rich – I agree, a local app looks like the best way to go. Thanks for putting a few in there.
I tried the RSSOwl app recently and thought it was pretty good. However I went back to using Mozilla Thunderbird just because I’m used to it. Fortunately with most local apps you can easily export an OPML file (that’s what it’s called) of all your feeds so you can bounce back and forth between apps and perform an import of your “master OPML” file to see which app suits you best without having to resubscribe to feeds over and over again each time you try something different.
I use My.Yahoo as my home page. RSS feeds are displayed there and the content is customizable.
I believe MSN also offers similar capability. However I’d suggest having your feeds in a ‘backup app’ just in case the feed feature is ever pulled from My Yahoo. Usually when Google decides to drop something, other sites follow and drop it as well shortly afterward.