misha 🪨@pluralistic
No more likes only feeds :) Recently started a self-hosted microblog you can follow on RSS.
Recommend NewsNetWire as feed reader.
https://pluralistic.net/2026/03/07/reader-mode/#personal-disenshittification
Mikalai@mishaderidder @pluralistic
RSS doesn't have any middle agent between you and that site/org/biz/friend you wanted to hear from. No middle with monopolist directing your eyeballs: "... Dave, you must look there."
RSS doesn't have any middle agent between you and that site/org/biz/friend you wanted to hear from. No middle with monopolist directing your eyeballs: "... Dave, you must look there."
Charlie Stross@mikalai @mishaderidder @pluralistic Which is *exactly* why Google had to kill Google Reader back in the day: it was undercutting their ad monetization strategy.
Kevin McCurley@cstross @mikalai @mishaderidder @pluralistic I worked at Google back then and it was more complicated than that. Reader had serious security problems with JavaScript in RSS and it used too many Mustang machines for the number of users it had. It was also one of the many conflicting social platforms at the time they were trying to unify around Google+.
Robert Banz@tragiccommons @cstross @mikalai @mishaderidder @pluralistic +1
As much as I lamented the loss of Reader, I also understood why the decision was made. It was almost an honorable thing for it to step aside and make room for others in the market like Feedly.
@target @tragiccommons @mikalai @mishaderidder @pluralistic None of those other feed readers facilitate synchronization to other RSS clients, the main/unique value of Google Reader. (As an actual
*reader* it was pants.) Upshot: my use of RSS died (I rely on multiple platforms.) I'm convinced this move destroyed the wider viability of RSS.
*reader* it was pants.) Upshot: my use of RSS died (I rely on multiple platforms.) I'm convinced this move destroyed the wider viability of RSS.
@cstross @target @tragiccommons @mishaderidder @pluralistic
RSS reading without middle anything is a clean form of client-controlled process.
Google Reader, it seems, was created as a ... SaaS with two sides. Good side allows use on different devices. Bad side manifested in it disappearing, when provider/server decided for client.
One reader on all different devices is easier cognitively than syncing between different apps on different OS'es.
Is this correct reading of your experience?
RSS reading without middle anything is a clean form of client-controlled process.
Google Reader, it seems, was created as a ... SaaS with two sides. Good side allows use on different devices. Bad side manifested in it disappearing, when provider/server decided for client.
One reader on all different devices is easier cognitively than syncing between different apps on different OS'es.
Is this correct reading of your experience?