May 15, 2008

Are You a Google Reader-er?


I'm a little dim.

(Yes, I know I also claim to be a genius. Which I am. But I'm also alternately quite dim.)

I heard about Google Reader--like um--a year ago. And I went in and set it up, (I believe you have to have a "gmail" account. Which you should have anyway. Get with 00's!) and then I never finished setting it up, and I never looked at it again. Until recently.

Here's the poop: Google Reader lets you enter all the blogs (or websites) you read, then it shows you when thoses sites have been updated. Automatically. So you no longer have to click through your endless list of friend and family blogs, looking for new posts. They're automatically posted in one place and all you have to do is keep Reader open. (Not that I ever wasted time in such a fashion.)

Here's what to do:

  • Sign up for a gmail account. If you want, I'll send you an invitation. Don't panic! You don't have to close your Yahoo or Hotmail account! You can just have TWO accounts. Your Gmail will just be a BONUS account!!! (Di!) :)

  • Sign up for Google Reader. (Type "Google Reader" into your Google search box and it'll take you where you need to go. I believe it's www.google.com/reader)

  • Copy and paste the addresses of all the blogs you read into the "Add Subscription" box. This is the most time consuming part. It took me, um, about three weeks. (Well not quite that long.) But it's saving years of my life now.

  • Make Google Reader one of the Tabs on your Desktop. Or add it to your Google Homepage. (You have a Google Homepage, RIGHT????)

That's it. If you have it as a tab, a little number will show up in parentheses when you have a new blog post (or 12) to read.

Now, I am NOT the best person to be dispensing geeky advice like this since I do NOT have mad computer skillz and this took me a year to figure out. But if you need help, I'll try. (Though I recommend you ask your computer geek brother for help. That's what I always do.)

One last plug: You know those people (Jen Ross) who only blog periodically and with no rhyme or reason? (Until you find out they had Bells Palsy?!) Well, with Google Reader, you don't have to keep checking their blog only to be annoyed by lack of updates. You'll know when they post because Google Reader will tell you. Just like an e-mail showing up in your in-box.

Brilliant, eh? Even stupid geniuses like me can be smart sometimes!

Just thought I'd share the love! Go forth and READ!

P.S. Do you already use Reader and love it? Or is there another feed stream you subscribe to? Inquiring minds want to know!

15 comments:

FOX said...

OK so I check google reader everyday. It is how I knew you updated today.

While google reader is great for me, I am not sure I find it totally prefect for you. (reverse plug!)

See I miss all of your witty and inappropriate comments!!!!!! Let's start a campaign to have google reader allow commenting!!!

Mrs. Dub said...

i've been GR'ing for about 2 years now and wouldn't have it any other way. as for comments, i just ctrl+click to open up the window and make my comments that way - pretty simple.

Kylie said...

I looooooove Google Reader. It's the best! The only thing I don't love is that it can't view private blogs even though you're logged in as your gmail? So I always forget to check my friend's private blogs.

FOX said...

Mrs. Dub,
I tried the ctr+click and it didn't work for me. I might be dense though!!!!

Is there anyone else out there on a mac, maybe that is it!!!

I am going to keep messing around with it though.

Thanks for the tip!!!! It is good to know there is a way to do comments!!!

DID YOU READ THAT EMILY!!!!! (hey my spell check just tried to change your name to email!!!)

Naomi said...

I'm a devoted GR'er. It completely transformed my life.

Marni said...

I use Bloglines - same idea. LOVE it! :) (www.bloglines.com)

Sarah Walton said...

I've heard about it for a while now, but haven't done it yet. I think you've convinced me! Thanks for the directions . . . part of it was I didn't want to take the time to figure it out, althouh I've probably wasted more time clicking through blogs just to find no new updates:)

acte gratuit said...

Well, next to the title, isn't there a little arrow looking button? 'Cause I just click that and it takes me to the actual site so I can comment and read comments. I just don't always comment because I'm lazy. But I always read!!!

acte gratuit said...

Oh, and Kylie,
Yes, I agree with the private blog thing. My cousin Wendy has a private blog and I forget to check it. Sometimes because I've forgotten the login name and password she gave me...
Oh well.
Better do it now before I forget again...

acte gratuit said...

Last thing: Mrs. Dub,
If people are checking your blog using reader do they show up at all in Google Analytics as hits?
Just curious.
Since my self-esteem depends solely on blog hits and comments, I need to know these things.

FOX said...

AH HAH!

You ADMIT that self-esteem depends on comments, yet you DENY me, citing laziness!!!!

DianeM said...

You have changed my life EM!!

The Valentine Fam said...

My computer came with a feed thingy that sits in the corner of my desktop and tells me when someone has updated...love it!

Bartimaeus said...

I tried it once and wasn't into it. Maybe I'll try again...maybe I won't.

Anonymous said...

I use GR. You are on my GR. You should add me to your GR, if you like my blog.

Oh BTW way... HI! I'm new.
Came from Hollywood Flakes.