Must Google Reader copy Twitter and Facebook? "Features" add clutter

The new "x people like this" widget is really irritating. One of the nice things about Google Reader (and most Google apps) is the subdued interface. So why add these random screamers that give me absolutely no useful information? I really couldn't care less how many people liked this article. If they really must give me this information, keep it consistent with the rest of the UI, not popping out in an eye-catching colour.

The guy on this article insists that any user must use all of the available sharing option (like, share, share with note, email and comment) and that is, <i>obviously</i>, not the point. The idea is to allow user to share whatever they want using the way they want to.<p>* For people who don't use reader: email it;<p>* For articles no one has shared: share with note and express your thoughts;<p>* For items already shared: share and input a comment with your thoughts;<p>* For things you like but don't have much of an opinion: like it.<p>It's naïve to blame Google for trying to make one of its services more social, as this is the way people want it. I'm glad they implemented all those sharing features. Now I have access to lots of interesting news, and can also share them easily without all the "emailing" hassle.

I'm not really sure why you would <i>want</i> to share what you're reading etc. I certainly don't care what my friends are reading, why would I expect them to care what I'm reading.<p>A setting to turn off all the social features would be lovely!

I like the sharing items stuff (as long as your friends don't share like, a dozen items every day) and starring something for later is just an extension of the GMail capacity.<p>I could do without the "cool" button though.

I hate the new feature to the core. I don't really care if someone down in new mexico likes what I'm currently reading. Plus, why do they feel like promoting the new feature straight in your face (it's just downright annoying). and to add salt to the wound, i've actually spent a few minutes googling how to disable it (apparently there's no way you can disable it, easily, yet). so I'm actually glad people seem to hate it.

i haven't read the article or checked my google reader, but I have always thought that the thing RSS was missing was social capabilities. this is why sites like yc are such a big hit, there is a need for this on the internet. RSS + voting for stories is great as far as i'm concerned, just give people the ability to turn it off if they don't like it.

I switched from bloglines to google reader two years ago, greader evolved in the wrong direction imho, I was expecting a gmail like experience but every new update adds nothing to usability... is there something new to try that let's me really focus on my feeds?

It certainly is getting a little silly. But I am glad that there is some added control on the sharing front.