How do I get all my RSS feeds updated to a second computer without the need to always export the feeds to an OPML file and import them to the other computer? Basically, feed syncing.
Some questions I asked myself were:
- What tools (Desktop Feed Readers) out in the "wild" already do this? Are they FREE?
- What Online Feed Readers can I switch too?
- What features do I like / don't like?
- Most important - Can I "leave" the current reader I use?
To this day I still think it is the best.
Anyway, back to my dilemma...
Since, I was using Snarfer daily and I loved its features I felt that nothing would compare to the usability experience that I had come accustomed too. During this past week I wanted to sync my feeds with another computer I use. After poking around in Snarfer I found that the functionality is not built-in. Using Snarfer as long as I have you would think I would know by now if it had a sync function. Well, the thought never crossed my mind until now. I was disappointed to find this out.
I then started looking around to see what I could do to accomplish this task. I found FeedDemon. FeedDemon is a popular RSS Feed Reader that is installed on the desktop of a computer and it is FREE. Before I started using Snarfer full-time I used FeedDemon for a few months. I was checking out the features of the latest version of FeedDemon and found out that it now supports feed syncing with Google Reader. This would allow me to install FeedDemon on two computers and sync the two with Google Reader. I was happy I found a solution.
I then installed FeedDemon and "synced" it with Google Reader. SUCCESS!!!
Back to my other issue though...
Could I leave behind Snarfer which has proven to me to be the best RSS reader created?
Answer: NO
Google Reader is good because of its ability to display web pages quickly inside a browser that is already loaded. It supports all kinds of multimedia that can come in RSS Feeds. And it is a FREE online service - meaning you can access it anywhere.
FeedDemon is good because it can save multimedia quickly to your computer. It has an OK interface - it seems sluggish to me when it is updating feeds or when you are trying to navigate quickly within the program. And it is updated regularly.
After trying these two readers out I decided that I still wanted to use Snarfer. I just could not bring myself to leave it - I know it sounds weird being in love with a program but, I love its features and the ability to organize feeds inside more then one folder.
Anyway, I started poking around the now closed (don't know what that's about) Snarfer support forums - here. I went to their Plug-ins thread and found something that I have apparently missed all the times I visited the support forums for various reasons. They have a Google Reader Synchronization plug-in that I somehow have missed all these years. See the post here. URL - http://www.snarfware.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=737
Well that settled my dilemma - I promptly installed the plug-in put in my Google Account details and BAM - I had Google Reader syncing with two computers running my favorite RSS Reader. AWESOME!!!!
Now all I want is Snarfer to be updated with a nice notification system, etc., etc., etc.
