Demise of Reader, the Rebirth of Twitter

Google is shutting down Reader on July 1. There is no shortage of complaints, petitions to keep it and reviews of alternatives. I myself am a Reader user, and fan. I have a number of feeds I scan every day and share from them, too. While I’m not completely surprised Google is killing Reader, I am annoyed I now have to find an alternative and migrate data.

But perhaps I don’t have to, and perhaps you don’t either, because there is Twitter.

To this day, people still ask how to use Twitter, and what’s the point? Why share what I had for breakfast or where I’m meeting someone for coffee? My standard answer has been that Twitter is a tool for information gathering and sharing, and a way to network. Just follow hash tags from conferences or events, to get started.

Over the past couple of months, though, my interest in Twitter has significantly dropped. Before that, it was a part of a mindless routine. I tweeted just because that is what I have done. The value wasn’t there for me. The value has moved to Google+.

But I can’t just close my Twitter account, just as I can’t close my Facebook account. My current job requires using both. There is what distance you can create in the social space but even that is quickly eroded by people who don’t quite understand.

So I’ve been in a bit of a quandary. The only advice I’ve gotten is to find a different job. There is still more than a year left on my visa, though, so I’m not inclined to find another job. But no one seems to have any other advice. In fact, a number of people are in a similar quandary. We’re all burnt out on social media.

What to do?

Thanks to the demise of Reader, there is now an answer: think of Twitter as an RSS reader.

For me, this brings it new meaning, and usefulness. I already share what I find interesting from both Twitter and Reader. And since everything in follow in Reader is also on Twitter, I have some new sources to follow.

More importantly though, Twitter as RSS reader is an easy way to describe it to all those who haven’t been able to see past “What I had for breakfast” image. Or even those intimidated by the 140 character limit. They don’t have to try and shrink their thoughts, they can share others instead and get a feel for how it works.

Now I can even explain Twitter to my mother.