Google Reader Makes Me Lazy
There used to be a time when I would comment on most, if not every, blog I read. Back before I even knew what RSS was I would visit every site in my bookmarks to check for updates. Then one day I discovered how to subscribe to feeds and I started filling my iGoogle homepage with blogs. I had a long list of blogs and if a new updated came up it only showed the title-which forced me to actually visit the site in question and that usually resulted in making a comment.
Soon my iGoogle became so full of blog feeds, not even having little tabbed categories could save the loading time of that page. I had heard everyone mention Google Reader many times so I thought why not try it. At first I was confused but soon I filled it with all my blog feeds, and somehow managed to find even more blogs to subscribe to. I was reading perhaps 50-100 blogs per day but because I never had to visit the site I never commented. I just kept on scrolling through.
Now my slight addiction to google reader has been filled with over 200 subscriptions and many of those blogs post 2-10 times a day, leaving me with no time to read at all. I still have 307 unread posts to get through. I subscribe to many craft blogs and house decorating blogs (I can’t wait to own my own home) so now I just scroll through looking at pictures and skimming words until I find something worth reading. Most of the time, even if I want to comment, I can’t be bothered scrolling back up to the top of the post to click on the permalink. Maybe if every blog post in Google Reader had a comment link at the end of each post I would be more inclined to do so.
It makes me lazy too, and I only have 74 subscriptions. Generally I have 10-30 unread posts at a time, and like you, I rarely read them all.
Comment by Clem - September 22, 2008 5:00 pm
I actually hated Google Reader when I tried it for that very same reason. One long, long list of updates, and you just scroll, scroll, scroll. Yuck!
I started using Bloglines, which is still a reader and does the same thing, but you have to click on each feed in your sidebar and it loads up entries from just that site. That way if you just want to read your friend’s blogs today, that’s all you have to read. If you feel like reading all of your craft and design blogs (omg, I subscribe to the same stuff too), read them. It seems to me like I’m personally more likely to click through and comment on something interesting if I’m not overwhelmed.
I love this layout, by the way. All the little illustrations make me kinda weak in the knees :3
Comment by Meli - September 22, 2008 8:48 pm
Oh, your Google Reader is so organised! Folders and everything!
I do manage to get through all my subscriptions every day, though I do skip past much of what is tedious…I see it kind of as a motivation for the bloggers - if they’re interesting, then I’ll take the extra effort to click on the entry link and comment. If they’re not…then I won’t!
Comment by Amanda - September 23, 2008 12:23 am
I completely understand! The first time I discovered Google reader I began to obsessively make folders, add feeds, etc. I almost had 270-something at one point. Then I realized I couldn’t keep up with all of it, so I’ve cut back a lot since then. But I love Google reader<3 I don’t think I’ll ever leave it (I used to use another feed reader).
Comment by Sarai - September 24, 2008 2:05 am
Oh, I know what you mean! It’s made my blog-browsing life so much easier that now, I don’t take quite as much time going from one blog to the other and leaving comments all the time. I mean, I still try my best to comment because most people have posts I want to say something about but without Google Reader, I would be reading fewer blogs but commenting on them more.
Comment by Felisa - September 29, 2008 12:23 am
I don’t use Google Reader anymore, but instead I now use something similar on the sidebar of my desktop. There are periods when I really comment a lot on websites and times where I don’t comment (or read) at all, just because I don’t have the time.
I love visiting sites though and going to other sites from there and discovering new pages.
Comment by Chans - October 9, 2008 8:35 pm
I seem to be the only person who hasn’t bothered to use Google Reader or something to the same effect… maybe I should start, hmm… :\
Comment by Amanda - October 11, 2008 4:45 am
So, apparently I’m the only one that knows this but if you go to Settings -> Goodies you can create bookmarks for your different folders (or all your subscriptions) that you can click on to take you to the individual page of that entry. That way you can read the web site through its own layout and you’re less inclined to not comment.
But yes, Google Reader is awesome and keeps track of all those blogs and I can’t believe I lived for years without it.
Comment by Stephanie - October 13, 2008 4:13 pm