While waiting to board an elevator in the Tribune Tower, a fella was walking out and saying to the people around him, “I like to read the WHOLE paper, but y’know, you can’t get that feeling with the web.”
As an employee of Tribune Company, let me say that I don’t know who this person is walking out the elevator. For all I know he could have been a visitor. In fact, he looked a little lost upon exiting the elevator. His words are not representative for Tribune. But they do bring up an interesting point.
He makes a good point that, yes, it is nice to flip through the newspaper as a package. Yes, it is a nice feeling to have completed looking through a whole newspaper. BUT. BUT. You can get that same feeling with subscribing to a website’s RSS feed and reading that on Google Reader. You have a set package of stories you can flip through. It’s a nice feeling to have that story counter on Google Reader go down to zero and complete browsing through the stories for that moment.
I tell you. Google Reader is still an immensely under-used product with the general public.
I had a feeling you were going to post about Google Reader after talking to you on Friday 😉 On another point, I often look confused when I exit an elevator, at work or just about anywhere. I’m never exactly sure which way I am supposed to turn!
If you don’t use Google Reader, you’re practically dead to me. (Oh, you should add me to your reader! I don’t share too much in a given day)
It took me maybe 3 months to truly warm up to google reader. But I don’t think I’m your typical web user considering my complex network of bookmarking schemes. I have managed to efficiently cram in a ton of bookmarks into my Firefox Bookmark Toolbar, so making the transition to Google Reader was a bit tough, but it’s so much more efficient with Google Reader. It’s a great tool. And at first I missed the custom design of each blog that regularly visit. But now I could care less. It’s rare to find a blog that is designed very well. Most are either kinda ugly-looking or just come from a homogonized template.
I’m a Bloglines girl, myself, but I’m with you on your sentiment. I also allow myself to “Mark All Read” every once in a while when there is just TOO MUCH to go through…
i LOVE google reader.
We need to start a fan club or something!
OK, I’ve started adding subscriptions to my Google Reader and spud, you were the first one!
Your first subscription!? Sweet. Now I need to start making some posts.
This blog post didn’t land in my email til Sept. 27, 5 days after you posted it! Weird. I was going to add that I like to read the WHOLE paper sometimes too, if I find one at work. I just like to feel it and see it, make sense of the structure of it. I miss touching real things sometimes, in this web-age. Also I’m amused that you used the word “fella” 🙂
“This blog post didn’t land in my email til Sept. 27, 5 days after you posted it! Weird.” Sounds like you need to use Google Reader! 😉