“Add comments to items in Google Reader “
This is not real news.
There are many online RSS readers, such as Google Reader, Bloglines. As a Google fan, I specially like Google Reader for its clean layout and simple operation. I had subscribed more than 100 feeds, and read more than 150 new items everyday. I used categories and tags to organize these feeds, and I marked some good posts as shared items.
Now Google Reader shows the shared items from Gtalk friends. Many Google fans disputed the new function. Some think the new shared items give them much stress. Because the number behind the items means more other items they need to read. They have subscribed many feeds and even had difficulty to finish the unread items. Now their friends give them more information, so they feel tired and hate to see the shared items. This maybe calls information fatigue.
Google Reader has gone a further step to its social network by adding friends’ shared items. But I think Google could achieve more if they add the function of commenting in Google Reader. We can add both tags and comments to items, and then share the comment with blogger and friends. Or maybe we can search the same item’s comments in Google Reader to learn about other’s ideas on the item. We can get in touch with bloggers, readers and friends through Google Reader.
As a reader, I hope Google would develop the function and perfect its service. As a blogger, I want to get more visitors and comments to my blog, so I will oppose the service.
Let me list the exist functions in Google Reader.
- Organize items by categories
- Share items with friends or on blog
- Add star to items
- Top Recommendations
- Add tags to items
- Reading trends
The function I want to use is adding comments to items.
Besides these functions, many bloggers think Google will place ads in Google Reader in some future day. The ads will display according to readers’ reading habits and the content, just like ads in Gmail. Then these ads will compete with bloggers’ ads. Who will win in the ads competition? I think you know the answer.
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I tried Google Reader. Its English version is good. But I thnk the Chinese version is needed to optimize. Especially the translation and interface.