Why should you be using an RSS feed aggregator? The discussion following Tyler Cowen’s question about RSS going mainstream highlights many of the benefits of using one, such as Bloglines (my personal choice). Cowen has a number of somewhat curmudgeonly reasons to not use one but the comments are overwhelmingly in favor of using one. Still need to be convinced of the benefits? Here are just a few:
- For sites that aren’t updated regularly, subscribing to its feed means your aggregator "remembers" to check that site periodically for you. So when new content is posted, you are notified.
- No spam – unlike a newsletter or email, you, not the content publisher, are in total control of you subscription. Plus, you don’t have to fret about your email address being passed around.
- If its up to you and your mood to decide what blogs to check up on, you will invariably miss something interesting.
- Instead of subscribing to individual logs, many sites such as Bloglines, Yahoo!, and Google News let you subscribe to search results for keywords you’re interested in.
Another response: The Merits of Site Feeds