The other week, I was saddened to learn that Google Reader is shutting down. While it feels like much of our industry has switched to Twitter for discovery, I still like following “voices”.
Amidst the various reactions to Reader’s demise, the most thoughtful response came from from Vin Vacanti:
Glad google reader shutting down. They weren’t improving it and now door open for someone else to build a better RSS reader
— Vinicius Vacanti (@vacanti) March 14, 2013
While I had a lot of loyalty to Reader, I agree with this sentiment. In truth, I had switched all of my “reading” to Flipboard, so I might as well manage my feeds there too.
Products have natural life cycles. Sometimes they die because the owner no longer invests in it, or because a major platform shift takes the owner by surprise. Sometimes they die because the customer base fights against change. It takes both investment and an appetite for risk to keep them alive.
The nice thing about our industry is that it continually renews. If there is value to offer a customer, someone will find a way to deliver.