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[Fatalah]

RSS finally clicked with me this year. Google Reader is absolutely sick. With my smartphone, it's a match made in heaven. (Google's mobile Reader page is perfect.)

20 Yankees blogs, one click of a button.

20 tech blogs, one click of a button!

Want to share a folder with a friend? Share a bundle! So awesome.

 

[Keylime]

why? it's a minor inconvenience to read content after another click, or to use a newsreader that will retrieve it automatically through javascript.

Seems like a minor convenience (RSS reader aggregating internet headlines) with a major inconvenience (you can't read those headline articles without going to the full site).

...I don't want to visit the site if I'm using an RSS reader...and why would you? You're settling for shitty, and I want awesome.

It wouldn't be hard to have a multi-tiered approach:

First Tier:
List of all the articles.

Second Tier:
More focused view on that article you clicked

Third Tier:
Full content​

All within the RSS reader, 3rd tier has ads. Everyone wins. Seems like a no brainer.

 

[Pachael]

Google Reader + Firefox + ReadItLater applet (Chrome doesn't have the ridiculously cool Read It Later applet in the actual Google Reader headlines) - used to selectively knock off articles with headlines that interest me

Combination of Reeder + ReadItLater on the iPhone to either: read quickly through headlines of the day, or read slowly during breaks on articles with images and to cater for 'the rest' of the dumb RSS feeds that can't be arsed putting more than one sentence in the feed.

Hate it too, but I don't drop sites because their RSS tech is terrible, I drop them because their content is terrible, like this one blog that went to quite pedantic tips for saving money. Despite supporting RSS well with full text in articles.

As for snarky assholes with commentary, I go to The Register.

 

[Blackhead]

Currently using Google Reader for desktop (which I don't use, but use since it syncs with everything), and Reeder on the iPad.

Trying to get sites like:
- Engadget (gimped)
- MacRumors (gimped)
- Gizmodo (kinda gimped sometimes)
- Wired (gimped)
- TUAW (not gimped as far as I can tell)
- Macworld (GIMPED)
- Daring Fireball (not gimped as far as I can tell)
- Pittsburgh Tribune (gimped)
- PostGazette (gimped)
- WWTDD (gimped)
- The Superficial (not gimped as far as I can tell)

...and others, but pretty much all the ones I wanted don't work as I'd like.

I once used a hack to get the full text from gimped feeds. It was for NetNewsWire and that was a long time ago. You could try looking for similar services. Sorry can't help you with a straight solution because I use...

Better GReader Firefox extension. It has a feature that enables a 'preview' of full link within the GReader feed list. You may turn it on for all feeds. It looks something like this:
Before

After

Another alternative is to use the innovative NewsBlur webreader. It's just like reading a website except with a reader attached. It's a website, so you can use it on an iPad or iPhone, but it's not the best experience it could be. A native iPhone app is promised for August and I can't wait to see what it looks like.

 

[scorcho]

...I don't want to visit the site if I'm using an RSS reader...and why would you? You're settling for shitty, and I want awesome.

this argument appears to incongruously tie together unrelated points. D-

 

[Keylime]

this argument appears to incongruously tie together unrelated points. D-

Shitty = "It's OK if RSS feeds generally don't provide all or much content. It's nice to see what the headlines are and choose the articles I feel like reading by clicking the article and being sent to their full website."

Awesome = "My RSS reader can get the article previews and the full content without ever having to visit the website"

...

It's pretty clear that RSS can do "awesome", but content providers are choosing "shitty" because they want their page views. It's like DRM or something. You can get at the content, but only in the way they want you to unless you do some ass-backwards things.

Full content + ads should make everyone happy shouldn't it? Do you disagree with that?

 

[MickD]

Just dropped Engadget for Daring Fireball. Was getting sick of it and didn't know better. Thanks

 

[Blackhead]

Seems like a minor convenience (RSS reader aggregating internet headlines) with a major inconvenience (you can't read those headline articles without going to the full site).

...I don't want to visit the site if I'm using an RSS reader...and why would you? You're settling for shitty, and I want awesome.

It wouldn't be hard to have a multi-tiered approach:

First Tier:
List of all the articles.

Second Tier:
More focused view on that article you clicked

Third Tier:
Full content​

All within the RSS reader, 3rd tier has ads. Everyone wins. Seems like a no brainer.

Three tiered approach with Firefox:

Spoiler

You use Safari, don't you? :|

 

[Keylime]

Three tiered approach with Firefox:
http://imgur.com/iYqNQ.png[IMG]

[IMG]http://imgur.com/efSBP.png[IMG]

[spoiler]You use Safari, don't you? :|[/spoiler][/QUOTE]
I do, but I don't have to.

I much more interested in iPad for this topic in particular, as on my MBP I'll just refresh the websites constantly like I'm used to since it's fast enough.

Appreciate the help tho, Charred.

 

[Blackhead]

Shitty = "It's OK if RSS feeds generally don't provide all or much content. It's nice to see what the headlines are and choose the articles I feel like reading by clicking the article and being sent to their full website."

Awesome = "My RSS reader can get the article previews and the full content without ever having to visit the website"

...

It's pretty clear that RSS can do "awesome", but content providers are choosing "shitty" because they want their page views. It's like DRM or something. You can get at the content, but only in the way they want you to unless you do some ass-backwards things.

Full content + ads should make everyone happy shouldn't it? Do you disagree with that?

What's full content though? There is more to an article than simply text and pictures. You can't put some javascript, flash etc in an RSS feed. The feed can't capture how the web page is laid out which may be important for that particular article (You can't put a sidebar in an RSS feed, for example). I think that the content providers are doing the right thing (using the rss feed as a headline/summary) for the wrong reasons (ad revenue). If a website is very well designed and pleasant to use I'll still visit for every interesting article even if the rss feed already provides the full text and pictures.

 

[Future]

Mind giving me a list of your sources?

If it's just a matter of finding the right sites, I'm cool with narrowing my focus. It's just a total shame that major sites like engadget don't have full content through RSS. Pretty much none of my regular sites offer full content

...hell, put ads in the feed if they have to!

If you are complaining about engadget I don't what to say. They handle it perfectly IMO. Gist of the story is in the rss. Full reviews and breakdowns are "after the break" which I usually am not interested in anyway.

RSS is used to quickly scan all posted stories assuming you will not read all of them. If you literally read every entry, then yeah just go to the website

 

[kaching]

Full content + ads should make everyone happy shouldn't it? Do you disagree with that?

Personally, yes, I disagree with that. I've had firehose feeds in my RSS reader like Huffington Post before and I end up paring them back. Because reading full, lengthy articles isn't necessarily what I'm trying to do with an RSS Reader. I'm trying to catch up on interesting news in summary form primarily, look at things from the 1000 ft view. From there I can tag, star, share or just jump through to the full article as needed.

Seems like a minor convenience (RSS reader aggregating internet headlines) with a major inconvenience (you can't read those headline articles without going to the full site).

You have this backwards, IMO. Aggregation is a major convenience, bringing hierarchical consistency (of your own choosing) to the experience of sorting through dozens or hundreds of content feeds, rather than having to deal with the individual organization and navigation of each site. It also brings a consistent set of tools for tagging, starring, sharing, etc. By comparison, having to occasionally click through to the full article on the originating website is barely an inconvenience.

 

[Guevara]

If you are complaining about engadget I don't what to say. They handle it perfectly IMO. Gist of the story is in the rss. Full reviews and breakdowns are "after the break" which I usually am not interested in anyway.

RSS is used to quickly scan all posted stories assuming you will not read all of them. If you literally read every entry, then yeah just go to the website

Seconded.

 

[Keylime]

I guess it's just:

...definitely feel like there's a ton of squandered potential, but it seems like everyone else is cool with it.

At least I got some good perspective and recommendations from some folks, so danke.

 

[Blackhead]

If you are complaining about engadget I don't what to say. They handle it perfectly IMO. Gist of the story is in the rss. Full reviews and breakdowns are "after the break" which I usually am not interested in anyway.

RSS is used to quickly scan all posted stories assuming you will not read all of them. If you literally read every entry, then yeah just go to the website

The problem is that there aren't websites that will give you a "here are all the changes and new pages since your last visit". I see where Rub is coming from; he's only following a few websites, he can afford to read them all. If I could get websites like that, I'd use it with Safari's Top Sites a lot more often than I'd open an RSS reader...

 

[kaching]

...definitely feel like there's a ton of squandered potential, but it seems like everyone else is cool with it.

Squandered potential for what? Completely reducing the web to RSS feeds?

 

[LM4sure]

What is a good RSS feed for general news? I currently subscribe to CNN, but they are terrible. Pretty much all you get is the headline and if you want the actual story you have to go to the website. Normally I would not mind, but I typically catch up on my feeds when I'm on the train and there's no internet connection underground.

 

[Keylime]

Squandered potential for what? Completely reducing the web to RSS feeds?

News sites != the web.

 

[Vanillalite]

that may have been true early on but sites now consider feeds a way to direct people to their sites instead of bypassing them entirely. as far as I'm concerned, I just want a notice if something's changed, if i can get the info from the feed, great. if i have to go to the site for a big piece of content, i don't mind. (small news blurbs are generally small enough to read within the truncated feed itself)

This is true, but for what I consider obvious reasons. They need the website traffic especially for bigger sites to stay relevant and make up the cost of well actually running the site. Stuff like hosting isn't well free, and advertisers need them views and clicks to stay on board with a site.

 

[Baron Doggystyle von Woof]

I tried lots of RSS readers, but they do really suck. I don't wanna go to the site to read it. If I wanted that, I would have gone there in the first place. So now I just bookmark the sites I visit the most, and just go to the full site.

 

[Vanillalite]

...definitely feel like there's a ton of squandered potential, but it seems like everyone else is cool with it.

The bigger issue is how to keep it so the sites stay monetized. I think there are better ways they can handle the content and all of that jazz, but you still haven't fixed the how do we make so cash off of this to either make some money or at least try and keep the website revenue neutral.

 

[Keylime]

The bigger issue is how to keep it so the sites stay monetized. I think there are better ways they can handle the content and all of that jazz, but you still haven't fixed the how do we make so cash off of this to either make some money or at least try and keep the website revenue neutral.

That's why I said at the "full content" tier there could be ads so that everyone wins. I get my full content and they made me see an ad.

I tried lots of RSS readers, but they do really suck. I don't wanna go to the site to read it. If I wanted that, I would have gone there in the first place. So now I just bookmark the sites I visit the most, and just go to the full site.

A man after my heart.

 

[Odious Tea]

That's why I said at the "full content" tier there could be ads so that everyone wins. I get my full content and they made me see an ad.

Wait, how is that different than how Reeder works? Or what Charred posted earlier.

A man after my heart.

 

[Keylime]

Wait, how is that different than how Reeder works? Or what Charred posted earlier.

To get full content in Reeder, I have to launch the webpage (in the app, but still launch the webpage).

The whole convenience of an RSS to me is that it strips out all the nonsense (the site) and just gives me the content (the article), but in order to read the article, they make me visit the site.

 

[clav]

It depends on the website. Some websites aggregate completely where as others give out short summaries which are really annoying.

I suppose the later is to generate ad revenue, and there's not really much you can get around it aside from visiting the website directly. They need page visits for money.

It's a similar reason why some websites detect the use of adblock and don't permit access to it if you use one. I stopped using adblock all together when I read some websites would not be making money and may go down to paid subs or down under.

I hope none of you on GAF are using an adblocker.

 

[Tobor]

To get full content in Reeder, I have to launch the webpage (in the app, but still launch the webpage).

The whole convenience of an RSS to me is that it strips out all the nonsense (the site) and just gives me the content (the article), but in order to read the article, they make me visit the site.

Your expectations are out of whack, dude. An extra click in reeder isn't a big deal if you really wanted to read the article.

 

[Expendable.]

RSS is the best thing about Web 2.0. I seriously can't imagine what I would do without it and surprised at how little people actually use it.

 

[Keylime]

Your expectations are out of whack, dude. An extra click in reeder isn't a big deal if you really wanted to read the article.

It is if I have to load the entire site!

I have this really nice streamlined experience in Reeder, and then all of a sudden I'm launched into a shitty browser experience (within the app at least) where I've got all the nonsense on the screen, and I have to double tap the article to zoom in the text and ignore all the other nonsense.

Why put any content in the RSS feed if people are just going to have to read the article on your site anyways?

For some sites it's not even close to enough of the article to know if it's worth your time...but now I have to click through to the site to find out that it was a waste of time afterall. Bad user experience.

Boo...

 

[Odious Tea]

Your expectations are out of whack, dude. An extra click in reeder isn't a big deal if you really wanted to read the article.

Agreed. I started out trying to help you out Rubx. But RSS is an aggregator, from there you decide what you want to read.

Sure, it doesn't do what you want it to do, but it doesn't seem like (in most cases) it won't. So if F5'ing various sites all day does it for you, then stick to it.

 

[Pctx]

I think what's funny is we're about 100 posts in and rubi is still not satisfied with how RSS works.

 

[Vanillalite]

That's why I said at the "full content" tier there could be ads so that everyone wins. I get my full content and they made me see an ad.

A man after my heart.

Your getting to filter the content out that you want to read before you go to the "full content" tier though WIHOUT having to go to their site though which is lost monetary value.

 

[Keylime]

I think what's funny is we're about 100 posts in and rubi is still not satisfied with how RSS works.

Charred's post at least showed me a couple desktop ways to make it not crap, but I'm looking for an iPad solution if at all possible.

Bookmarks > RSS.

At least the experience is consistent throughout and I know what to expect. RSS feeds are like having a shitty Christmas everytime you load it up.

"Oh look! An article about a new Macbook Pro!"

*clicks*

"Oh...it's just rampant speculation and nonsense"

Your getting to filter the content out that you want to read before you go to the "full content" tier though WIHOUT having to go to their site though which is lost monetary value.

But I may accidently filter out content I would have wanted to read, but the "preview" text was nowhere near sufficient to let me know that...and sometimes the articles picture(s) aren't even included to help me make that decision.

I get not all RSS feeds are created equal, but some of them really really blow.

 

[kaching]

News sites != the web.

:| Exaggeration for effect. It's like you're deliberately trying not to get it.

 

[Odious Tea]

Your getting to filter the content out that you want to read before you go to the "full content" tier though WIHOUT having to go to their site though which is lost monetary value.

He doesn't care about that.

Spoiler

You're.

 

[Blackhead]

It is if I have to load the entire site!

I have this really nice streamlined experience in Reeder, and then all of a sudden I'm launched into a shitty browser experience (within the app at least)...

Boo...

Another option is to use the Instapaper mobilizer in Reeder:

Did I mention that I'm really looking forward to the NewsBlur iPhone app?

 

[Keylime]

Another option is to use the Instapaper mobilizer in Reeder

What the fuck...

...this is EXACTLY what I was looking for! :lol Charred, you're the man.

Turns shit into gold my friend! YES! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

Edit: Works beautifully in Reeder. FUCK! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

 

[kaching]

Bookmarks > RSS.

At least the experience is consistent throughout and I know what to expect. RSS feeds are like having a shitty Christmas everytime you load it up.

"Oh look! An article about a new Macbook Pro!"

*clicks*

"Oh...it's just rampant speculation and nonsense"

How is that scenario any better without RSS? You were still baited to click through on the basis of a misleading headline and weren't going to find out the truth until you read the full article, which you shouldn't have had to in the first place if the headline portrayed the content accurately.

 

[Odious Tea]

Welp. Show's over.

 

[Keylime]

Welp. Show's over.

I'm ashamed in all of you for not showing me the light sooner!

This completely changes RSS for me into almost a perfect experience minus a few oddities that some sites have...but pretty much turns my "big issue" into a super tiny one.

<--- happy guy

 

[Tobor]

I'm ashamed in all of you for not showing me the light sooner!

This completely changes RSS for me into almost a perfect experience minus a few oddities that some sites have...but pretty much turns my "big issue" into a super tiny one.

<--- happy guy

I assumed you knew about that. :lol

 

[Lorr]

What are some good feed you guys follow?

 

[Keylime]

I assumed you knew about that. :lol

I'm super new to Instapaper and RSS on the iPad I assumed I'd have to keep closing out of Reeder and opening Instapaper if I wanted to read the articles...didn't realize they had a plug-in that basically lets you view "instapaper mode" within Reeder.

...but now I'm full blown pro mode. Like holy eff, yeah!

 

[Odious Tea]

I'm ashamed in all of you for not showing me the light sooner!

This completely changes RSS for me into almost a perfect experience minus a few oddities that some sites have...but pretty much turns my "big issue" into a super tiny one.

<--- happy guy

Glad you're happy, but to be honest, it was an incredibly minuscule niggle to begin with.

 

[Keylime]

Glad you're happy, but to be honest, it was an incredibly minuscule niggle to begin with.

Not for me at least

I went from "about to stop using RSS" to "RSS is the bomb-diggity, yo!" in 2 seconds.

 

[Vanillalite]

He doesn't care about that.

Spoiler

You're.

Yeah my bad my typing has sucked lately.

Anyways I know HE doesn't care about that, but like alot of things that I don't have any personal investment in the people with the product or service DO care. I'll admit some site do RSS better than others, but I still think the biggest problem is how to make it something useful for your site without pulling away money you might need to pay for website up keep. Then again while they are totally different things I think podcasts have this same issue as well.

 

[LCfiner]

but you're still clicking a link one extra time to view the content. yeah, you get a cleaner view of the text but the mechanism required to get to the content is still about the same as just clicking the "open in browser" view. it's not built into the feed and it still requires net access.

I dunno... hardly something to warrant a southparkjizz.gif moment, is it?

 

[Keylime]

I dunno... hardly something to warrant a southparkjizz.gif moment, is it?

I can't tell you how much of a good mood I'm in now. :lol

 

[Odious Tea]

Yeah my bad my typing has sucked lately.

Anyways I know HE doesn't care about that, but like alot of things that I don't have any personal investment in the people with the product or service DO care. I'll admit some site do RSS better than others, but I still think the biggest problem is how to make it something useful for your site without pulling away money you might need to pay for website up keep. Then again while they are totally different things I think podcasts have this same issue as well.

Oh, I agree with you. I was just saying that your words would fall on deaf ears.

 

[LCfiner]

I can't tell you how much of a good mood I'm in now. :lol

I guess you gotta enjoy the little things in life, right? :lol

 

[Keylime]

Oh, I agree with you. I was just saying that your words would fall on deaf ears.

Not deaf ears, just ears that don't agree.

I really do appreciate the perspective from folks who currently enjoy using RSS and those that shared my views, and ultimately hopefully other people just found out about Instapaper Mobilizer like I did and can benefit.

...but maybe it was just me and Shaft. :lol

I guess you gotta enjoy the little things in life, right? :lol

Totally.