Google Reader adds comments, risks wrath of web publishers
Google Reader has added a new feature that makes reading RSS feeds a more social experience: You can leave comments on other users' shared items. In other words, if your friend clicks the share button next to a blog post or news item in Google Reader, it will show up in your Friends' shared items section along with any comment they've left. Now you can also comment on their comment. If multiple friends have shared the same item, you'll see multiple conversations.
All told, the feature looks and feels a lot like FriendFeed. But there's one major difference: Google Reader displays the full text of any articles that make their full length items available via RSS. So if your'e someone who only clicks through to articles you've read in your RSS reader to see what comments other people have left, this new feature could keep you from ever clicking through to the original web site. And that might be fine for you, the reader. But web publishers who rely on advertising might not be nearly as happy about this development.
Right now Google doesn't import comments from blogs, so there's still original content on the original web site. But there's also currently no way for blogs or other web sites to import comments from Google Reader, as they can from FriendFeed. That may change in the future.
What do you think? Are you likely to use the new commenting system? Would you rather use FriendFeed? Or do you just visit web sites when you want to read and participate in the comments?
[via The Inquisitr]
All told, the feature looks and feels a lot like FriendFeed. But there's one major difference: Google Reader displays the full text of any articles that make their full length items available via RSS. So if your'e someone who only clicks through to articles you've read in your RSS reader to see what comments other people have left, this new feature could keep you from ever clicking through to the original web site. And that might be fine for you, the reader. But web publishers who rely on advertising might not be nearly as happy about this development.
Right now Google doesn't import comments from blogs, so there's still original content on the original web site. But there's also currently no way for blogs or other web sites to import comments from Google Reader, as they can from FriendFeed. That may change in the future.
What do you think? Are you likely to use the new commenting system? Would you rather use FriendFeed? Or do you just visit web sites when you want to read and participate in the comments?
[via The Inquisitr]













Comments
7
Subscribe to commentsrobotrockMar 12th 2009 11:20AM
I've been asking for this for a while and finally when I gave up and just started sharing everything in Facebook it comes...
Ads can be inserted into the feed-shortened version of the article so I don't see it as a big deal.
jeadlyMar 12th 2009 1:31PM
Its not the same as commenting on the post itself because its useful for when I want to have a private discussion with only my friends. You are not my friend and I use a different method to interact with you. A separate and welcome addition to Reader.
ZavenMar 12th 2009 1:31PM
I suppose it's useful but non of my friends use google reader(no clue why). I'll stick to commenting on the site. It's my way of contributing to the great content you guys post every day.
darkkosmosMar 12th 2009 1:31PM
What wrath do you speak of? If google deleted your site off the search listings you wouldn't be able to do much. Just be glad google didn't make those comments publicly viewable.
SeomanMar 12th 2009 1:52PM
I think the above comments hit the nail on the head. 1) Not everyone has Google Reader 2) It doesn't sound like the comments are available publicly, but only to people you've friended. If that's the case, then this is no different than holding an email conversation about an article that you copy and pasted into an email. Doesn't sound so threatening if you phrase it that way. Also, I for one don't tend to look at the comments so much except in rare, so if you're posting full articles, it's relatively rare that I'll click through anyway. If you really want to make sure I see ads, stick them in the feeds.
In short, they're not doing anything illegal and frankly, I don't think it's even immoral. Non-story.
eye-shuhMar 12th 2009 5:25PM
+1 to Seoman's comment. This article completely and rather embarrassingly misses the point of commenting on Google Reader stories. Not even close to the same as commenting on the actual story or blog.
forexlinksMar 23rd 2009 6:56PM
I don't think that this will keep us from visiting websites. It's just another way to stay connected and stay together even though we on different systems.