If you’re reading this on an RSS reader-you’re a loser !
All of us provide feeds and all of us subscribe - We are networked. But if you are reading all those blogs from the reader, you are isolated(like an island) and you are a loser.
I’m trying to discuss the topic - The benefits of reading blogs outside the reader.
I have 76 feeds in my reader,and i know this isn’t any great number - JohnTP reads almost 100 everyday. Darren(actually his kid) has admitted that he reads more than he writes.
So - How does this affect you? If it affects anyone(be it you or me) in a negative way, then it should affect all of us, cos we are in the interlinked mesh of what’s called the blogosphere. And here, there are two sides - one the subscriber’s side and the other the blogger’s(one who offers the feed) side.
For the subscriber, there are both positives and negatives. But if I’m to weigh both, i think the negatives outweigh the positives.
When you are using a RSS reader to read multiple blogs, then you have the freedom to read what you are interested in.You select the blogs that interests you and you can read them anytime - in one damn window!
It’s easy for you to manage the contents of various blogs. You can tag and categorize the feeds according to your reading habits.Again, it’s a totally personalized approach.
You decide what to read - not the blogger.You know exactly what you want to read and you allow no distractions from it.To the point - precise!
Why did i call you a loser?
One - to get your attention. 
Two - there is more than one reasons for it.
When you read all the blogs in the same window - Where is the fun? It’s all in the same format, same boring colors,same text - too boring!
Let me ask you one question - how many templates did you preview before picking one for YOUR blog? Many? Why??…..
To deliver that perfect looking theme - that’ll get the attention your blog needs.
Other bloggers also would have gone through the same preview/tweak procedures right? All for you to read their articles on a stupid RSS reader?
The point is - you are missing the variety - and variety is the spice of life.If you don’t believe me, listen to the psychologists and Feng Shui gurus, who insist that you paint your reading room walls in bright colors - not boring white - damn it! On the internet, your reading room can be compared to your RSS reader, and if it does not allow bright colors - then it can’t provoke the thinking channels in you.
Well, I’m thinking that this might be the reason why - I find it easy to get “inspirational” posts(that prompt me to write) reading the articles on the blog rather than on the reader.
Let me illustrate an example, I’ve been reading John’s blog everyday on RSS reader and one fine day something made me to visit the blog and i was surprised to see all those cool ads and stuff there. I had missed the “buy me beer” option and that day itself, i bought him a beer. I wouldn’t have got that opportunity had i stuck to my RSS reader without visiting the blog.
I was ashamed - when i got to know that I’ve not been participating in the long comments posted on John’s blog for every article.How would i know about them in the RSS reader? Yes it showed the number of comments but that did not push me to respond, but when i saw the long list of avatars posting comments on articles, i automatically posted my views too. And this was one of the coolest ways to indulge in conversation with other bloggers which I’ve missed all this time. All because of one mistake i did - depend entirely on my RSS reader.
Every blogger have a blog roll link on their sidebar and not many of us click on all those links but trust me, there are relevant ones there(if you are able to scan the needed out of spam)On the blogosphere you discover new blogs everyday, and you ought to - but how else would you find other blogs if you are not following the blogroll links posted on each blog you visit? My RSS reader does not give access to those and i miss that - does your’s?
Having said all these, i agree that reading blogs on the sites always is not always possible. We need to strike a balance some where. I think a better idea is to read the interesting posts at the blog itself, while surfing the others from your RSS reader. But if there are any next generation RSS readers being developed, they would want to take up the above points into consideration.
You are still reading this on the reader?? Shame on you. 
Andrea | July 25th, 2007 at 2:03 am #
Nope. Not reading this on an RSS reader.
I happen to love looking at different templates.
Cash Quests | July 25th, 2007 at 2:55 am #
Actually, I’m a lot more interested in the content of an article than the template and distracting plugins/ads.
Catchy title on this post, but if variety is the spice of life, doesn’t that allow for some people to like using a reader and others to not?
Matt Jones | July 25th, 2007 at 3:24 am #
I agree RSS readers take away the variety etc, but would you rather we didn’t read bloggingtips at all? because there wouldn’t be time without RSS. - PS you wrote “cos” instead of “because”
Success Online | July 25th, 2007 at 4:13 am #
The combination of doing both works for me. Catchy titles take the cake!
wesley | July 25th, 2007 at 4:53 am #
Who cares about the template, if all content has the same structure it’s easier to read and I waste less time. The only thing that’s missing is that I don’t see comments in an RSS reader, if the topic is interesting, I will click over. (Like now..)
I don’t need to see your superman bling bling logo every day
B. Durant | July 25th, 2007 at 5:33 am #
I hate RSS readers. Fortunately firefox has it built in so I don’t have to muss around with something else.
But to the topic you bring up some good points. I wonder how much people miss because they are using RSS readers.
45n5 | July 25th, 2007 at 8:49 am #
why in the world would you care where people are reading your feed as long as they are reading it?
very strange.
DerekBeau | July 25th, 2007 at 9:03 am #
I never read full articles in my RSS reader. I will scan articles in there, but when I come across one that I want to read in more detail, I always open it in a new tab.
Kevin | July 25th, 2007 at 9:25 am #
I’m in the very strange position of being in between with this ie. I use my newsreader to see the new posts from blogs but I dont read it on my newsreader, instead I right click the link and open it in a new tab
Mike Olbinski | July 25th, 2007 at 9:33 am #
I read this on a reader, but I think the key is to not give your entire post away in the feed, and make people click through, if that’s what you are really after. Because the bottom line is, you probably don’t get pageviews/ad revenue if people read it all in a reader, right? That’s the bottom line of this post.
Otherwise, you should just be happy that 76 people read your stuff daily, even if it’s in a reader.
One of my blogs just gives you the first paragraph or two, so you have to click through.
I usually figure a reader is just for seeing new articles and picking the ones you want to view more of. But if the full thing is there, why not read it all?
Mike Olbinski | July 25th, 2007 at 9:34 am #
Oh, just a reply to subscribe to the comments
cmanlong | July 25th, 2007 at 10:45 am #
I tend to agree but only to a point. I subscribe to all my favorite blogs in a reader, and also on my google desktop. I use my reader once or twice a day to get my “tag(ged) and categorize the feeds according to (my> reading habits”. I find that many times I will click through on the desktop “catchy” title more often than I will open my reader.
later all and have a profitable productive blogging day
Thom | July 25th, 2007 at 12:48 pm #
Wow, thank you very much for calling me a loser.
Look, I couldn’t care less about your peoples (yes, all of you “web 2.0″ crowd) retardedly shiny BLACK on WHITE generic bling-bling websites.
My RSS reader (akregator) allows me to read sites I would not normally in a million years visit regularily (such as this one). Perhaps more importantly, all the text is big, consistent, and uses light gray text on a dark background so that I can read without getting a headache.
I am sorry that my preference for function over form brands me a loser in your eyes, I guess I am not hip enough for your coladazippin blogosphere.
Bruce from The Bookshop Blog | July 25th, 2007 at 1:47 pm #
Like Derek said, and I think many others do this,
I use the reader to decide what to read. I may scan 30 or 40 posts and pick a few to read (on their site). Clicking through your reader is a bit of a must. As you noted you get the feel of the site + comments + related posts + the authors suggested links or other ancillary info.
pablopabla | July 25th, 2007 at 11:11 pm #
Though I subscribe to your feed, I actually visit the site to read the contents of your post together with other reader’s comments.
Thank you for calling me a loser. If it was an attempt to generate interest to click on the link, good attempt and I think you succeeded in getting the attention you needed. If you are serious enough to think that your feed subscribers are actually losers, then you have no respect at all for people who actually take an interest in your blog.
Mani Karthik (Post Author) | July 26th, 2007 at 2:05 am #
Hi pablopabla,
You seem to get my point right on target.:D No wrong ideas please.
Cheers!
Mani
pablopabla | July 26th, 2007 at 2:44 am #
I am glad your replied according to my expectation.
Ruchir | July 26th, 2007 at 7:39 am #
I disagree.
I certainly think that RSS is the way to go when you have dozens of blogs to read. Firstly, it loads quicker and secondly, it’s ad free.
Most of the times, I read blogs in RSS. But I do visit the blog if I want to comment on a particular post, for example.
If I were to manually open every blog in my browser, it would take hours for me to read it.
Matthew | July 26th, 2007 at 3:14 pm #
im not a loser
Myo Kyaw Htun | July 26th, 2007 at 9:09 pm #
Hum, what if we’re behind big brother ?
chrisblogging.com | July 27th, 2007 at 1:45 pm #
This is an interesting way of looking at RSS readers; it definitely got me thinking…
dan | July 29th, 2007 at 1:38 am #
Your reasons for viewing the blog rather than through the feed only benefit the blogger. We don’t get to see the ads? Who gives a damn. The reader takes away all those god damn affiliate-link stuffed sidebars I don’t want to see.