Google Makes More Changes
Seems to me that Google has lost sight of its primary business of advertising and has now created a new business model of pissing people off.
Oh yes, Google does it again but this time not by changing the PageRank of several sites.
It seems as though Google has made a change to its reader.
Previously, a Google Reader user could mark items as “shared” and then proceed to share it with whomever they wished. Then Google comes in and makes a change that says your shared items are now going to be shared with everyone you’ve ever spoken with over Google Chat.
Oh yeah, this is a good idea.
As users are outraged, one comment over Google’s official statement on the matter puts the entire thing into prospective:
“This is going to sound like hyperbole, but this new feature has actually RUINED CHRISTMAS for my family! I sent a share a few days ago that I thought would only go to a few politically-like-minded friends. I didn’t realize that because I had chatted with him in GChat, it would also go to my brother, who is of a different political persuasion. When he received it, he sent a snide, angry email about it to a large group of our family members….He called me a nasty name and told me that if I can’t take a little ribbing, maybe we shouldn’t talk anymore at all, including at Christmas Eve dinner. My whole family has taken sides over this divisive political issue, and several of them are not speaking. I kid you not, this is threatening to break up my family at Christmas. [more]“
Google basically says the fact that items were shared with everyone is the fault of the users because they marked items as shared.
But the truth of the matter is that people originally marked items as shared so that they could select who they shared them with… not Google.
So, here’s a really simple solution. As the internet has already taken up arms to boycott Google, why not just change who you’re using to pick up feeds?
Personally, I prefer using JetBrains Omea Reader. I’ve never had so much flexibility with my reader and finding this one was the perfect fit for me.
Oh yeah… and for the love of it Google, quit making changes before the boycott really does reach everyone on the net. Billions of dollars in profit will not seem so feasible when users get sick of you pissing them off.
Read more on this subject by visiting The Consumerist.
| 2.5 |
December 27th, 2007 at 11:03 am
I’ve considered switching my RSS reader, and now I’m glad I haven’t, and definitely won’t. I’m gonna stick with Bloglines. Yeah, it keeps saying I’ve updated my own posts when I haven’t, but I can deal with that, over supporting Google, when they’re pulling crap like this o.O
December 27th, 2007 at 11:19 am
I haven’t used Bloglines simply because I don’t want a web-based reader. I like programs, organization, and complete control. With Omea I get that and much more than I ever expected.
Google was never a consideration for me to use and now even more so I won’t be. Sharing something with anyone I’ve ever spoken to on chat or in gmail isn’t something that makes me particularly anxious to use their service.
December 27th, 2007 at 11:26 am
I’ve never used a non-web-based, unless the one that comes with Thunderbird counts. I’ll have to check out the one you suggested when I get the new PC, just so that I have one less page I have to open every time I open Firefox.
December 27th, 2007 at 11:35 am
Yeah, I have to say I never understood the concept of opening many pages when your browser loads. My brother does this, loading 4 or 5 pages. Regards of the speed of a computer I’m not just not waiting for that many pages to load when I can only read one at a time. :D
December 27th, 2007 at 11:40 am
I currently have 5 opening, XD. I’m going to be shortening it soon, though, and most likely just go back to one, just because I hate how slow everything loads, and like you said, I can only read one page at a time, :lol:.
December 27th, 2007 at 11:57 am
If you move to only having one page open, use your bookmarks toolbar for quick access to the others. That way you still have them handy but don’t have to wait for everything to load at the same time.
December 27th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
I fully expect the Attorney General’s office to bring an anti-trust suit against Google. This time, they’ve monopolized the “pissing people off” industry!
December 27th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
While I don’t necessarily expect that to happen, it wouldn’t be out of reach. They have, in most cases, gone too far. And while that’s the name of the game when it comes to business they’re going to start losing the very people that pay them if they don’t watch their step. It won’t be tomorrow, it won’t be next week but the fall of most big businesses starts with pissing off the very people that help to feed your families.