![]() ![]() We donât know what the value of Google Reader is to Google. But it didnât read that way, at least to some developers. This may not have been the authorâs intention: itâs possible the author was being careful and doing the right thing by mentioning data exporting. That characterization is mine, yes, but itâs shared by other developers (not just RSS reader developers) that have read that announcement. While thatâs a good thing â being able to move oneâs data is important â the emphasis made it seem like a request or a warning. The wording of the recent Google Reader announcement emphasized how users could export their data. At this writing, a couple days after the recent announcement, the question remains unanswered.ĭespite all the #googlereader and traffic on Twitter since the announcement, the Twitter account has been silent. And Google has cut apps before, even high-profile apps like Google Wave.įeedDemon author Nick Bradbury asked on the unofficial API support list if Google Reader is being retired. Though Google Reader is a mature app, its lack of an official, documented, supported API sends a message, intended or not, about its importance to Google. While I remain optimistic about the future of Google Reader and apps that sync via Google Reader, there are a few reasons for concern: (The situation is similar to Twitter clients: users are not stuck with one client from one particular developer.) Itâs been an especially good thing for RSS reader users, who can mix-and-match clients on different platforms, who can move with relative ease between one client and another. The gamble has paid off so far, with the exception of the features about to be replaced. With syncing part of the definition of a minimum viable RSS reader, and with Google Reader the only option for syncing, the choice to use Google Reader is more necessity than choice. Smart developers are rightly uncomfortable relying on undocumented, unofficial, unsupported APIs.īut, because syncing is so important for so many RSS reader users, developers have had to gamble. Though RSS reader developers have received much-appreciated unofficial support from Google, thatâs not the same as building a feature on solid ground. This is unlike Google Maps and others which do have documented and official APIs.īecause the API is not official, there is no commitment to keeping it working. The Google Reader API is undocumented, unsupported, and unofficial. ![]() There are a couple things that RSS reader developers know, that the average RSS reader user probably doesnât know, which will make this more apparent: ![]() I mean that using it as a syncing system for other apps is fragile. When I say that the system is fragile, I donât mean that Google Reader itself is fragile. (See What the Upcoming Google Reader Changes Mean for FeedDemon for an example of how one RSS reader will have to change.) Nevertheless, there are users who will miss the current, about-to-disappear features. This makes sense from Googleâs point of view â a single, Google-wide social network should be better than a separate network for each Google app. Google Readerâs social and sharing features are going away in favor of integration with Google+. This announcement isnât just a reminder of the fragility of the system: it removes some features that people use. Though I donât use Google Reader directly, I â like many iPhone, iPad, and Mac users â use RSS readers that sync via Google Reader. The recent announcement of changes coming for Google Reader worries me some. ![]()
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