When I go through Google Reader each day, I tend to go feed by feed using the left-side tree-view of feeds. Sometimes (rarely) I use the “All Items” option at the top, which lumps all the feeds together chronologically. This behavior just struck me as interesting, because I used to think I would really love software that could aggregate all my e-mail, RSS feeds, news, etc., into one big list. I’d then be able to power through that list more efficiently. Now I’m thinking that wouldn’t work, that the context of each piece of software is important to usability. What do you think?
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So, Athol, I presume the FBS Blog is in the A category? 
I use Google Reader too, and have added the feed of unread items to a second tab on my Google home page. I’m not overwhelmed by the pile, and don’t need to organize it, as I typically am on that page several times a day and read the ones of interest and mark the others as read so they don’t show up on the feed anymore.
I use NetNewsWire, a standalone program on my mac. It is more robust than Google Reader (or maybe it’s firefox) with ~500 feeds. I wish I could share and see stats on what I read/how often, but I’m able to blow through feeds much faster. For me, it works.
Jim, do you (or does NetNewsWire scan new posts from all blogs together or do you go one feed at a time?
I use Google Reader as well. I have folders like, Agents, Lenders, National RE, Marketing, Tech, SEO, Politics, News, Local, Humor, etc.. For a big folder (like Agents) I drag and drop individual feeds into a rough “pecking order” similar to Athol’s. Then I slog through them one at a time. If I get too far behind, I will occasionally just mark an entire folder as read and move on.
I use the Reader “Star” feature if I want to ponder something closer or if it looks like something I may write about / link to at some point.
Currently tracking 374 feeds.
I use the reader integrated into Outlook 2007 with feeds grouped by category. Then I have a Search Folder (in my favorites) that only shows unread RSS items. I tend to read them as they come in as though they were email, then flag the ones I want to follow-up on or re-read later.
-Matt
I also use the Goog Reader. I subscribe to so many feeds that at any time I have hundreds of unread items. I really need to pair it down. LOL
Ditto Matt Levallee’s answer for me.
I use iGoogle (google.com/ig). I use the tabs at the top to catagorize my feeds. For me, it’s fast and easy.
Like Matt, I use Outlook 2007. I like having my email and RSS Feeds all together.
1:36 pm
I use Google Reader.
I used to read them all as a great pile, but went insane. Now I rank each feed as A – B – C and D importance. I read the A-List first, then B and so on.
Sometimes I just flat out delete everything in D, C and B depending on my day.
My Agent Genuis post on just this is here