Category: Web work

These days, most of my work is very related to the online world. Building web sites, reviewing web applications, integrating with web services, coordinating people who are far away from each other, etc. Whenever I find a new tool or service or an innovative, interesting idea about working online, I share it in this category.

Google Reader alternative quest

After the news of Google Reader demise broke out, I, like many others, started looking for an alternative.  There are many RSS readers out there, both free and commercial, but none of them is quite like Google Reader.   So, I thought, I’d share my adventures in hopes of more suggestions.

First of all, here are the things that I am looking for in an RSS reader:

  • Web based.  This is a requirement for me.  I want to be able to access my subscriptions from any computer connected to the World Wide Web.
  • OPML import and/or Google Reader synchronization.  I have around 300 feeds in the Google Reader currently.  I am not going to resubscribe to each one by one and reorganized them again.  Ideally, I want to have a Google Reader sync, which will mark the read items, etc.  In the worst case scenario, at least the OMPL import, so I can batch add all the feeds.
  • Rich content support.  I want to see embed images and videos in the feed items.  I want the text to have style.
  • Mobile app.  This is not a requirement per se, but a much wanted option.  I read a lot of RSS on the go.
  • Free.  Again, not a requirement, but a much wanted option.

Here is a list of the ones I tried:

  • The Old Reader. It looks like the old Google Reader, but it suffers now from all the spike of new accounts.  I’m trying to import my OPML, but I’m 30,000+ down in the queue.  The number keeps going up and down for the last two days, so I’m not sure when I’ll be able to actually use the service.
  • Tiny Tiny RSS. I’ve installed it on my server and it does work somewhat well.  But the styling is very weak, and the experience is quite different from the Google Reader.  It will take me forever to get used to it, and while doing so, I’ll be constantly thinking of patching it up.  Removed, for now.
  • BazQux Reader.  I have reviewed this service a while ago.  It only got better with time.  In fact, this is the closest experience to Google Reader with a few extra bonuses, like item comments.  The service is not free, but not too pricey – choose between $9, $19, and $29 per year.  As far as the migration from Google Reader goes, this is the fastest service – two clicks, and you are already reading your feeds.  The only downside I see is mobile experience.  I couldn’t find the app for Android, and the website is not suited for smaller screens.
  • Feedly.  The best styling of all I’ve tried.  Nice mobile app.  But requires a browser extension on the desktop.  Also, the experience is a bit different from the Google Reader, so needs some getting used to.

So, as you can see, I am yet to decide.  There are also quite a few alternatives that I haven’t tried yet.  From the ones I’ve tried though, the two most likely candidates are Feedly and BazQux Reader.  Feedly looks beautiful and works well on the mobile.  BazQux Reader provides the best experience on the desktop.

Which ones have you tried and what’s your most likely alternative?  Have you made up your mind yet?

Google Reader is retiring

These are sad, sad news… Google is retiring their awesome Google Reader product.

We launched Google Reader in 2005 in an effort to make it easy for people to discover and keep tabs on their favorite websites. While the product has a loyal following, over the years usage has declined. So, on July 1, 2013, we will retire Google Reader. Users and developers interested in RSS alternatives can export their data, including their subscriptions, with Google Takeout over the course of the next four months.

Yes, I know, it’s not now, and I can get all my subscription data, but it’s still sad.  I guess it’s time to give BazQux Reader a little bit more attention.  Any other worthy alternatives?

P.S.: Slashdot discussion provides some …

The RedHat of Drupal

The RedHat of Drupal

Matt Mullenweg shares a piece of hilarious SPAM he received.  This. Is.  CLASSIC!

I apologize for the cold email. I was researching Automattic , Inc. and wanted to ask you if there was any gaps/pains within your CMS and website. I work for the “Redhat of Drupal”, (Acquia) and we have seen an explosion of Drupal use in the Media, News, and Entertainment Industry.

Some companies using Drupal/Acquia include Warner Music, Maxim, NBC Universal, and NPR.
If you are evaluating your current system or are looking into new web projects, I would love to connect and discuss Drupal as an option.

Would it make sense to connect on this? If there is someone better at Automattic , Inc. to speak with, perhaps you could point me in the right direction?

Because they know better …

Cyprus Mail reports:

THE MINISTRY of education has been forced to take action after videos of high school students doing the Harlem Shake have been uploaded onto the internet showing obscene behaviour, the ministry said yesterday.

“The videos show obscene behaviour. Some show students pulling down their trousers and pants,” sources at the ministry of education said.

“We are trying to protect these students because anything that is uploaded onto the internet can stay there forever. The students are children and are not grown-up enough to understand how this can affect their lives in the future. Some students may become doctors or lawyers and these video clips may harm their professional lives in the future,” they added.

This sickens me.  It’s one of those things that the government shouldn’t be anywhere near.  But not only they are watching it close, they are interfering.  Like they know better…

This whole Internet thing is such a huge change for the society, that even people who are leading up the change don’t really know how things are changing and affecting us, and where it is all going.  Yet, the ministry of education in Cyprus seem to have quite a good idea.  And not only that.  They seem to completely ignore parental role in this whole thing.

Oh, and the censorship worked so well with the rest of the Internet stuff …

2012 year in blogging

I said it before and I will say it again, Automattic is an amazing company and they do a lot of really cool stuff.  Today I received one more confirmation of that – an email with the link to the report of my blogging through the year.

Blog stats

 

I’ve seen plenty reports, graphs, and analysis.  In fact, I have to go through a few pretty much every week.  But I don’t remember seeing anything that awesome!  First of all, the whole page looks beautiful.  It’s an inspiring design with many elements that work nicely with each other.  Secondly, there are no boring graphs or dry numbers.  A few, carefully selected, metrics create a perspective and make it all sound cool.  I don’t know much about other reports yet, but mine said that this blog “had more visits than a small country in Europe”!

On top of that, the report is a technical masterpiece.  Probably, not many would notice the uniqueness of the fireworks at the top of the page.  But if you just spend a moment, you’ll realize that this fireworks display is unique for every report.  It’s a timeline of blog activity.  That’s why there is a month and day shown for every fireworks shoot out.  (If you are interested in the technical aspects of it, have a look at this GitHub repo).

As I said, the whole thing is pretty awesome, original, and inspirational.  I wish more companies were doing this.  It would make the world so much better…