Google Reader hidden feature

[Jura]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VduSHma--E

I don't know if this really serves any useful purpose, but it can be briefly entertaining those of use who use Google Reader more than daily.

 

[JosephLeo]

Meh, I don't really use any Google products. They aren't an e-mail provider, or an instant messaging platform, or a search engine, or anything else for that matter. They are a data mining company and that is it.

I don't want to start a flame war, so I will cut the spark here. I personally don't like Google, but that should not stop anyone else from using it. I just simply have a bad case of Google-Paranoia. I use the search engine and AdWords/AdSense and that's it.

Anyway, +1 for Konami code. That game was impossible without it.

 

[Bloogen]

Meh, I don't really use any Google products. They aren't an e-mail provider, or an instant messaging platform, or a search engine, or anything else for that matter. They are a data mining company and that is it.

I don't want to start a flame war, so I will cut the spark here. I personally don't like Google, but that should not stop anyone else from using it. I just simply have a bad case of Google-Paranoia. I use the search engine and AdWords/AdSense and that's it.

Anyway, +1 for Konami code. That game was impossible without it.

Out of curiosity what do you use instead of tyhe Google products you mentioned?

As for the easter egg, its pretty funny.

 

[JosephLeo]

Out of curiosity what do you use instead of tyhe Google products you mentioned?

As for the easter egg, its pretty funny.

Currently I'm using my own private email address hosted on my own server for family, friends and even my fathers business. And for things like forums and other websites I use AOL since I've had that email since I was but 10 years old.

For IM, well I don't...haven't in the longest time.

Videos I use Metacafe, Vimeo, and of course OVGuide.com for most other stuff.

I will always use Firefox, Opera or even IE- but never Chrome.

I'm afraid to get an Android enabled phone so I go Palm Pre and before that it was the iPhone.

I also have Bing set as my default search engine, but use google search when I have to. I know Bing/Yahoo/any other search engine is a data mining service for ads- so I can ignore this fact. But I rarely use the internet for actual "factoids". That's what libraries are for, internet can not and will never be a reputable source for information with the exeption of private websites dedicated for information. Wikipedia? Pointless, too untrusty. Yahoo Answers? 99% all misinformed people...more than often wrong as well.

Calendar? I use my personal planner. Nothing better than an actual pen and paper.


P.S. I feel I might of lost any reputation I had on this website now. Please don't flame me, I just have a sickening fear of Google. I don't know why, but I just do.

 

[Bloogen]

Currently I'm using my own private email address hosted on my own server for family, friends and even my fathers business. And for things like forums and other websites I use AOL since I've had that email since I was but 10 years old.

For IM, well I don't...haven't in the longest time.

Videos I use Metacafe, Vimeo, and of course OVGuide.com for most other stuff.

I will always use Firefox, Opera or even IE- but never Chrome.

I'm afraid to get an Android enabled phone so I go Palm Pre and before that it was the iPhone.

I also have Bing set as my default search engine, but use google search when I have to. I know Bing/Yahoo/any other search engine is a data mining service for ads- so I can ignore this fact. But I rarely use the internet for actual "factoids". That's what libraries are for, internet can not and will never be a reputable source for information with the exeption of private websites dedicated for information. Wikipedia? Pointless, too untrusty. Yahoo Answers? 99% all misinformed people...more than often wrong as well.

Calendar? I use my personal planner. Nothing better than an actual pen and paper.


P.S. I feel I might of lost any reputation I had on this website now. Please don't flame me, I just have a sickening fear of Google. I don't know why, but I just do.

Well I'm not going to lose respect or flame you but I will say your paranoia may leave you behind in an increasingly technology reliant society. I have a question that may be a bit of a conflict for you? Would you or do you use Google Books?

 

[JosephLeo]

Well I'm not going to lose respect or flame you but I will say your paranoia may leave you behind in an increasingly technology reliant society. I have a question that may be a bit of a conflict for you? Would you or do you use Google Books?

Truth be told, I'd be willing to give in to my fear of Google if they promise the following.

• I never have to go to the library ever again
• I never have to pay for anything unless I want to OWN/RENT (Library style)
• I never have to sign up
• I don't have to supply any more data other than my IP address and other browser/os data
• I can buy said books with a credit card (Or in my case, prepaid giftcard sent to a PO box) and put them in my Kindle, or save as a PDF.

 

[Bloogen]

Truth be told, I'd be willing to give in to my fear of Google if...

What is the fear? Is it sharing your personal information? The personal information hat is shared is either used for customizing content which is a win win. Relevant ads and content that we may enjoy and better CTR for advertisers. Data sent to third parties is done anonymously and put into a large database of information belonging to no one person. I'm sure you probably know this I am just sincerely interested as I know you are not alone in your attitude towards data mining etc. I guess my Facebook is your Google. It's not really Facebook that gets me as much as it is those "add ons" oh those just make me angry. Those I feel are shameless translucent methods to mine data directly from thrid parties.

sorry to hijack the thread. I still believe the easter egg is cool. On the note of Google Reader, I have loaded mine up with everything I could want but I always seem to let it fill up so much that I just hit read all and only read some recent ones and repeat the cycle every few weeks.

 

[JosephLeo]

What is the fear? Is it sharing your personal information? The personal information hat is shared is either used for customizing content which is a win win. Relevant ads and content that we may enjoy and better CTR for advertisers. Data sent to third parties is done anonymously and put into a large database of information belonging to no one person. I'm sure you probably know this I am just sincerely interested as I know you are not alone in your attitude towards data mining etc. I guess my Facebook is your Google. It's not really Facebook that gets me as much as it is those "add ons" oh those just make me angry. Those I feel are shameless translucent methods to mine data directly from thrid parties.

sorry to hijack the thread. I still believe the easter egg is cool. On the note of Google Reader, I have loaded mine up with everything I could want but I always seem to let it fill up so much that I just hit read all and only read some recent ones and repeat the cycle every few weeks.

Well, it's dehumanizing. To Google's servers I'm just "User JL-929" or something else like that. I don't want to be identified as a number, and I certainly don't want to be reduced to an algorithm. I am human, I am unique, I am unpredictable. That is my view on data mining :S

PS. Lets go back on topic now D:

There are many sites that use the Konami code for special features. In fact, there is a website dedicated to these websites. (Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Enter)

 

[MrUnknown]

you do realise you are only user 11009 on this website? Your posts are linked to this ID, not your nickname. etc.

Not to play doctor, but I think you have a little too much paranoia. I fully agree that you shouldn't use all of Google's services if you really do want your privacy, but to replace it with a bunch of other sites that do the exact same thing, you aren't getting too far.

It's a sad reality of the internet.

 

[JosephLeo]

you do realise you are only user 11009 on this website? Your posts are linked to this ID, not your nickname. etc.

Not to play doctor, but I think you have a little too much paranoia. I fully agree that you shouldn't use all of Google's services if you really do want your privacy, but to replace it with a bunch of other sites that do the exact same thing, you aren't getting too far.

It's a sad reality of the internet.

The thing is, this forum doesn't have the ability to make generalizations of me plus, I am not "User 11009" but "Joseph Leo". It doesn't track my email, web surfing habits, time scheduel, etc. Nor does it want to. Google themselves advertise that "They want to catalog the world's information". Also, I already said I barely use the web for information since in my opinion the information on the internet is never enough and almost never more accurate than a book.

The internet does very few things for me. I ask questions (i.e. Forums & Live Chat). I find media that interest me (Music, Movies, Games, Etc.) and I use it RARELY for email (on my own personal email server).

Shopping is much more fun in real life than on the internet, so I only use it when I can't find something in real stores. Besides, after shipping the "sale" prices of the internet are useless and sometimes over the cost of the item in a brick & mortar store. In fact, I don't even use NewEgg because I have a CompUSA literally a walks distance away from me and their prices are almost as good as NewEgg's minus the shipping.

And what do I really replace? Vimeo, Metacafe & OVGuide for Youtube...and Bing & Yahoo for Google Search. I'm only replacing 2 websites that do the same thing. Everything else is analog, manual or private...


Will a mod please close this post, I don't want this post to go on like this. This thread was completely thread-jacked by me and I apologize for that.