I am finding more and more that I am considered old fashioned by not using Google Reader, or one of the top pieces of software and online applications listed on Life Hacker’s recent post on the best RSS newsreaders.

They included in their list Google Reader, NetVibes, NetNewsWire, FeedDemon, and Sage.

I am a fan of Bloglines. I have been using it since I started with reading RSS, and I have tried other software, especially desktop applications in the years since starting to read blogs in such a manner.

Why Bloglines?

Being that it was my first RSS reader, I have become accustomed to the keyboard shortcuts that Bloglines has, as well as the workflow, and user interface that it includes.

Everything is simple, includes the features I need, and seems to update with the latest posts fairly rapidly.

I really don’t think there is any other reason I use Bloglines, other than it was my first RSS reading tool, and I have become accustomed to it and it has been very stable for me. I haven’t suffered through any major changes in usability or stability.

What Would Make Me Switch?

I don’t like the “improvements” in the open beta version of Bloglines which changes a few things, mostly in design, and so if that happens to become the only version, I might switch.

Also, if I found some system that did have a better workflow for me, then I would switch.

I doubt I would ever move to a desktop client, as I work on two or three different computers every day, and each one uses a different operating system, so it would complicate things further, so my choice would probably be to move to Google’s RSS Reader, but when I would move depends on Bloglines, as I am in no rush, and it would be mistakes from them that would make me leave.

Which RSS reader do you use, and why? What are the advantages of using Google Reader over Bloglines, if you have tried both?

Originally posted on May 20, 2008 @ 6:39 pm