Google Reader is dead. Proleptically speaking that is. Google has announced that they’re going to kill it dead June 30.
No announcement has yet been made as to who will officiate at the funeral, but doubtlessly, this fine piece of software, who offered its humble services to millions without cost, will be deeply missed, and the services will surely be well attended.
The sad truth is that, although it’s been used and loved by millions, it just doesn’t turn a profit. And despite Google’s slogan “Don’t be evil,” giving away stuff for free does not enhance the bottom line. It just makes you beloved. Past tense.
Oh, well. Google Reader was simple, like a Jeep. There are competitors with all sorts of geegaws, bells, and whistles, but we Google Reader users just want an easy, quick (especially quick) way to read our RSS feeds.
For the uninitiated, an RSS feed is magic by which the Internet magically sends you articles from your favorite newspaper or magazine or blog and sticks a one-line summary in Google Reader so you don’t have to go looking for stuff.
Better yet, also by magic, it can place on your screen a link to any article or post that mentions your name or your blog or your church or your most beloved friend. This way, Google could constantly search the Internet for whatever information you find useful, saving you hours on end and making sure you don’t forget to do your daily search for articles calling you a “change agent.”
I’ll miss Google Reader more than I can say.
The ever-energetic Matt Dabbs has suggested this list of alternative readers. I am familiar with none of them. Sorry, but I’m still too deep in mourning to check out others. I’m just so afraid of, you know, picking one on the rebound and regretting it. Divorcing a reader is no simple thing — and raises all sorts of practical and, I’m sure, scriptural problems.
Here’s a list of another eight alternatives. Just be sure that the substitute you pick has these features —
* Works on both your desktop and your smartphone.
* Will automatically import your Google Reader settings (quick, before it’s dead, dead, dead).
* Won’t die when you don’t want it to.
I’m going to go have a good cry now.
