How Google helped destroy adoption of RSS feeds (2023)

Re:How Google helped destroy adoption of RSS feeds (2023) by konsalexee on Saturday August 01, 2026 @05:01PM (#49138441)

Just why bother relying on Google products for RSS?

I use for the last many years NetNewsWire and have never had any problems reading the news I want to read.

For ref: https://github.com/Ranchero-Software/NetNewsWire

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Re:How Google helped destroy adoption of RSS feeds (2023) by richie_adler on Saturday August 01, 2026 @07:20PM (#49139567)

What's the Android option?

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Re:How Google helped destroy adoption of RSS feeds (2023) by venusenvy47 on Saturday August 01, 2026 @06:06PM (#49138935)

No Android or Windows availability?

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Re:How Google helped destroy adoption of RSS feeds (2023) by glenstein on Saturday August 01, 2026 @05:25PM (#49138655)

I mean you're right, but also Google had one of the legitimately best options at the time and massive visibility and seemingly credible institutional commitment. And it was early to a scene of web based always online RSS readers when before that they were typically desktop-based. And on desktop portability was achievable but not as convenient. With reader it was nearly effortless.

While it was definitely possible to use alternatives, it effectively became king of the mountain which gave it the power to deal a punishing blow to RSS once they pulled the plug.

I will just say it was a very different time and at the time I didn't regard Google as a place that didn't make credible commitments to new products. But big picture I think you're right.

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Re:How Google helped destroy adoption of RSS feeds (2023) by carlosjobim on Saturday August 01, 2026 @05:10PM (#49138538)

And he includes a Safari plugin to get an RSS button back into the interface for easy subscribing (on Mac).

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