Using a reader

Do you check many of the same websites every day? Looking for a better, quicker way to find out if they have anything new — or anything you’re even interested in? You need a reader.

Most websites that update often (such as blogs and news outlets) publish a striped-down version of their content in a form known as RSS. A “reader” uses this “RSS feed” to keep up with changes in content.

The best way is to show you. The images below were taken from my computer screen while using the free web-based Google Reader (web-based means I can access my personal content from any computer just by logging in, as with web-based email).

In the first image (click to enlarge) the left column lists those sites I have subscribed to (three in this example) and indicates how many items are current (unread) for each. In the larger, right window each post from the subscribed sites is listed, one line per post.

In the second image, or expanded view, you are able to see just the first few posts. (Some websites, such as NewMexiKen, publish the full content, others abbreviate their feed so that you need to access the site to read the whole item.) With the Google Reader you scroll down (the spacebar will move you between items) and quickly skim (or read in full) all the current posts.

There are many, many readers, web-based and application software, free and not free ($30±). Here I am simply suggesting you give readers a try. Long-time NewMexiKen visitor Annette did so this week and she told me: “I am now set up with Google Reader. It’s awesome! I should have set up something like this a long time ago.”

Google Reader – Tour. (You will need a free Google account to set up your own Google Reader.)

[FYI Google is not my usual reader. I am simply experimenting with it. My reader is NetNewsWire, application software for the Mac. I subscribe to about 200 feeds.]