From: Frédérique et Hervé Sainct To: DrunkenBatman Subject: RSS for Mac OS X, a list of apps I see, in the follow-up of the (excellent) RSS roundtable, from which indeed I started my own walk in RSSland, you raise the question of which app to use. I recently assembled a quick list of what I found available (on mac), and I posted it on comp.sys.mac.apps. I expected more comments than what I got (specially, I'd have appreciated comments on my criteria, I think quite a couple are missing or poorly expressed)... FWIW, I paste my list hereunder. You certainly will have wiser comments than csma :-) Hervé Sainct ---------- The list: ---------- I very roughly separate them in three categories: A. Specific Applications B. Browsers with RSS-handling capabilities, and extensions/plugins specific to browsers C. "docklings, menus and tickers" ---------- A. Specific Applications: ---------- Newsmac http://www.thinkmac.co.uk/newsmac/download/NewsMac313Int.dmg.sit v. 3.1.3 (oct04) price: free developer pedigree: apparently no other soft formats: RSS + atom apparently can save posts: no also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: yes user interface specificities: dock, bookmarks, favicons, nav. bar interfaces w/ other hardwares: uploads news to iPod (not tested) filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no searches (a given word): no import/export: no ? available in other languages : yes Pulp Fiction http://freshlysqueezedsoftware.com/products/pulpfiction/ v. 1.1.1 (oct04) price: 25$, version lite free developer pedigree: a variety of other utilities among which the mass-mailer MailDrop formats: RSS + atom + RDF... can save posts: yes, SQL database also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: yes user interface specificities: original interface paradigm, the only one of its kind, handles RSS news as if they were mails (indeed all the app interface looks like a mail application). All news items are saved by default (a behavior inverse to the others), filters can be applied to sort them in various folders, color them, etc. interfaces w/ other hardwares: - filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): reasonable html parameters (e. g., can refuse popup windows or animated images) /yes searches (a given word): yes import/export: yes, from/to OPML available in other languages : yes Shrook http://www.fondantfancies.com/shrook/ v. 2.2 (oct04) 25$ developer pedigree: none? formats: "all RSS" + atom ; also allows https can save posts: yes also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: yes user interface specificities: bookmarks, favicons interfaces w/ other hardwares: uploads news to iPod (not tested) filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): announces PithHelmet-compatibility for html (testing doesn't work apparently) / yes searches (a given word): yes, easy and fast interface import/export: no ? additional option to check feed updates from centralized shrook site (not saturating RSS sites); this site can also record an user feedlist for them to be read from other places available in other languages : no ? NetNewsWire http://ranchero.com/netnewswire/ v. 2 (beta - many new features) (oct04) 25$ - there is also a free "lite" version (that doesn't save posts...) developer pedigree: some minor utilities, but is THE oldest RSS soft on macintoshes (excluding multiplatform apps like RadioUserland), started 2 years before others formats: all apparently can save posts: yes also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: yes user interface specificities: bookmarks, favicons, very efficient window handling with thumbnails (would almost replace Safari for simple uses !), supports passwords (but not in keychain) interfaces w/ other hardwares: - filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): efficient html parameters (e. g., can refuse popup windows or animated images) / no (?) searches (a given word): yes import/export: no ? available in other languages : no ? NewsFan http://www.makienterprise.com/newsfan/index.html 1.5.1 (oct04) free (suggests donation on quit) developer pedigree: mature, many other full apps among others Kids GoGoGo, Magellan Pro... formats: all incl. atom 0.3 but doesn't accept some feeds can save posts: no? also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: yes; supports (internet-based thus rather poor) instant multilingual translations, announce parental filtering (not tested) user interface specificities: bookmarks, favicons interfaces w/ other hardwares: iPod incl. Speech and other PDAs ; can send flagged news by email (not tested) filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no / yes searches (a given word): yes, easy and fast interface import/export: no ? available in other languages : no ? NewsFire http://www.newsfirerss.com/ v. 0.27 (oct04) price: free developer pedigree: apparently no other app formats: RSS + atom, no https can save posts: no also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: yes user interface specificities: dock minimum (rebounds when updated but clicking it doesnt give direct access to feeds) ; very simple and easy use, iTunes look, "the app to learn RSS" with no geek specs for now interfaces w/ other hardwares: - filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no searches (a given word): yes, simple and fast interface import/export: no ? available in other languages : no Another Reader v. ?? download address unreachable (oct04) price: free ? developer pedigree: many other utilities formats: RSS? can save posts: no also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: no user interface specificities: description sounds minimal interfaces w/ other hardwares: - filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no searches (a given word): no? import/export: no ? available in other languages : no ? Blagg http://www.oreillynet.com/~rael/lang/perl/blagg/ v. ? (oct04) price: free ? developer pedigree: formats: Blosxom, RSS? can save posts: ? also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: no user interface specificities: only works from terminal? interfaces w/ other hardwares: - filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no searches (a given word): no? import/export: no ? available in other languages : no ? BottomFeeder http://www.cincomsmalltalk.com/BottomFeeder/ v. 3.7 (oct04) price: free developer pedigree: many other cross-platform utilities, based on SmallTalk formats: all RSS + atom, support CSS, https, authentification can save posts: yes also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: no user interface specificities: slow (Smalltalk interpreter) and not very mac-like (app menus are attached to window...), otherwise looks very powerful interfaces w/ other hardwares: - filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): ? searches (a given word):? import/export: yes, OPML standard available in other languages : no ? Cherry Red RSS http://homepages.tig.com.au/~cthulhu/modern/cherry_red_rss/app.html version : ?(oct04) price: free developer pedigree: ? formats: RSS can save posts: no also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: no user interface specificities: minimalist - announces a download capacit, incl via BitTorrent interfaces w/ other hardwares: - filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no searches (a given word): no import/export: no available in other languages : no Newscrollet http://seamusphan.com/downloads/custominstall.htm version : ?( (oct04) price: free developer pedigree: ? formats: RSS can save posts: no also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: no user interface specificities: interfaces w/ other hardwares: - filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no searches (a given word): no import/export: no available in other languages : no ? Amphetadesk http://www.disobey.com/amphetadesk/ v.0.93.1(jan04) price: free developer pedigree: ? formats: RSS can save posts: no also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: no user interface specificities: Like RadioUserland, Amphetadesk builds locak html pages (on your mac) and then uses your default browser to show them (e. g. the browser will show you http://127.0.0.1:8888/index.html); this way of doing is no the most flexible one IMHO (but historically that's the way everything started) interfaces w/ other hardwares: - filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no searches (a given word): no import/export: no available in other languages : no ? FeedMe (was "Relatively Simple Syndication") http://homepage.mac.com/nowhereman77/hacks/products.html version: 0.5 price: free developer pedigree: formats: RSS can save posts: no also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: no user interface specificities: er, in the end appears as a RSS creator... interfaces w/ other hardwares: - filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no searches (a given word): no import/export: no available in other languages : no ? RSSOwl http://www.rssowl.org/ v. 0.9b (oct2004) price: free (accepte contributions) developer pedigree: many developers, on SourceForge, / Open Source formats: all versions RSS + RDF et atom ; handles passwords (but not keychain) can save posts: yes, in XML format also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: yes user interface specificities: cross-plateform (Java 1.4.2) with clear mac look and feel incl. Tabs to get more compact windows. Java use means slow startup (but good reactivity afterwards incl. on e. g. a G4/400). Adding a new feed seems long and complicated interfaces w/ other hardwares: - filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no / yes, very elaborate (using e. g. Bayesian filtering to score new items based on previous judgement...) searches (a given word): yes import/export: yes, imports from OPML and exports to OPML, html, pdf... available in other languages: yes Radio Userland http://radio.userland.com/newsagg v. 8.08 (oct2004) price: 40$ (includes the "blogger" in addition, plus 40 M storage space on RadioU. Site) developer pedigree: probably *THE* oldest RSS soft on internet, since 1988 I think formats: RSS (+?) can save posts: no also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: no user interface specificities: builds locak html pages (on your mac) and then uses your default browser to show them (e. g. the browser will show you http://127.0.0.1:8888/index.html); this way of doing is no the most flexible one IMHO (but historically that's the way everything started) interfaces w/ other hardwares: - filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no / no searches (a given word): no import/export: no available in other languages: yes (search FAQ) DesktopRSS http://angeman.perso.cegetel.net/DesktopRSS/fr/ v. 1.1 (oct04) price: free (accepts donations) developer pedigree: seems the only app from this author formats: RSS (+?) can save posts: no? also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: no? user interface specificities: very specific "aqua" look (see screenshots on website) that strongly reminds iChat bubble-based windows interfaces w/ other hardwares: - filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no / no searches (a given word): no import/export: no available in other languages: yes Strider http://nemesys2.dyndns.org:8080/Strider_EN.html v. 1.0b1 (oct04) price: 12$ developer pedigree: two other simple utilities (file synch., character counting) formats: RSS (+?) can save posts: no? also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: yes user interface specificities: look is "as mac as can be" (one window, two panes, one drawer, reconfigurable toolbar), open ambition is simplicity ; dock icon with quite detailed menu. Another "perfect app to learn RSS" interfaces w/ other hardwares: - filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no / no searches (a given word): no import/export: no available in other languages: no MacFreePOPs http://www.e-link.it/macfreepops/ ; see also the freePOPs project http://freepops.sourceforge.net/en/ v. 1.5 (oct2004) price: free (accepts donations) developer pedigree: formats: all RSS versions + RDF et atom; handles passwords (no link to keychain) can save posts: yes? also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: no user interface specificities: MacFreePOPs is quite a specific app, with initialy no relation to RSS : its aim is to "bring webmails back to POP format" (allowing your mailer to e. g. connect to Googlemail...). A very large number of webmailers is supported, via dedicated plugins (one per server, list is impressive). It happens one plugin has been developped to import RSS feeds into a mailbox. You then get a series of RSS-link-specific mailboxes, that of course you can archive etc. interfaces w/ other hardwares: - filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no / no (but your mail application could do this) searches (a given word): no import/export: no/yes, to mailbox available in other languages: no (not really needed once set) Pluckit http://geoffreygrosenbach.com/plucky.html#about v. 1.03 price: 15$ developer pedigree: ? formats: RSS + RDS, atom not mentioned can save posts: no also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: no user interface specificities: classical RSS app, also features an OS9 version, the only one for now interfaces w/ other hardwares: - filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no / no searches (a given word): no import/export : no ? available in other languages: no iBlog http://www.lifli.com/Products/iBlog/main.htm v.: ? price: 20$ iBlog is both a blogger and an aggregator (starts in blog mode by default). Nice features, pretty decent interface, and you view the content of the RSS articles in an embedded window, HTML and all, if they have any. Don't have to click on a headline to open a browser. Powerful blog publisher as well. SafariMenu http://www.edot-studios.com/index.php?category=5&item=15 v. 2.0 (oct2004) price: free developer pedigree: many other utilities, among which Grid Zone, HeadBreaker, IdleWeb, DrDJ Free, iBeatTime formats: RSS + Atom can save posts: no also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: n/a user interface specificities: simple menu that triggers Safari (not tested) ; RSS handling is just one feature aside system-wise bookmark capability interfaces w/ other hardwares: - filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no / no searches (a given word): no import/export : no available in other languages: there is a "localization pack" but I don't know what it does ---------- B. Browsers with RSS-handling capabilities, and extensions/plugins specific to browsers ---------- That's not my preferred area. Don't hesitate to comment, update etc. Here, generally the RSS feeds newslists will be shown like bookmark lists (e. g. in the preferred bookmarks/folders pane), allowing to directly jump to the selected news. A fast way of doing, that on the other hand lacks flexibility (e. g. one cannot define when the RSS checkout is performed, nor see which titles have already been read...); also, one can hardly handle more than a dozen RSS feeds at a time... Firefox version: 1.0RC1 (oct04) developer pedigree: Mozilla team price: free RSS feed contents can be shown as bookmark lists : long-clicking a bookmark shows the entire list and you jump to the related piece of news by just selecting it. Efficient when one has only some feeds to handle -this is generally valid for all browsers. Opera version: 7.54 (oct04) price: free with ads or 34euros (upgrade: 17) The most "all-in-one" in the browser category, Opera (that also includes an email client, IRC chat functions...) now also handles RSS Safari: RSS functions planned in the next release (1Q05) price: free Thunderbird v. 0.8 price: free developer pedigree: Mozilla team formats: RSS + atom can save posts: no also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: in Thunderbird user interface specificities: interfaces w/ other hardwares: - filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): = as Thunderbird does searches (a given word): no? import/export: no? available in other languages: no (?) Feedbot http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/23236 (authors site http://www.feedbot.org/ looks unusable) v. 1.0 (oct2004) price: free developer pedigree: company appearently has many activities other than software formats: RSS (+?) can save posts: no also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: no user interface specificities: java utility turns your browser RSS-compatible (Safari and Firefox tested, says site). Advertises as " RSS toolbar items give Safari Tiger-like newsfeed" interfaces w/ other hardwares: - filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no / no searches (a given word): no import/export: no available in other languages: no (?) Forumzilla, extension for Mozilla http://forumzilla.mozdev.org/ Version : 0.5.2 price: free developer pedigree: développement collaboratif associé à Mozilla formats: all RSS + atom can save posts: no ? ou en tant que courrier ? also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: in Thunderbird user interface specificities: very simple interface, allows to download feeds in a mail folder interfaces w/ other hardwares: - filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no / no? searches (a given word): no? import/export: no / thunderbird mail format ? available in other languages: no (?) building your own federating page in php: (will show your RSS feeds, the way you design, in your browser) ---------- C. "docklings, menus and tickers" ---------- I am *even less* competent here, please do comment / update... Maybe some description criteria should be added here; for instance "capacity to identify new titles wrt already visited ones" -in fact in these "utilities", which are generally expected simpler than full-blown applications, some are really "bare minimum" while others appear extremely witty... MacReporter http://www.inferiis.com/products/macreporter/ version: 1.1.5 (oct03, seems not active but alive since then) price: 15$, can be used without registering "with less channels" developer pedigree: many mature and original utilities, of which "keepaneye", that can check/survey many other info sources (and RSS) formats: apparently all can save posts: no also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: no (no window, runs from dock) user interface specificities: dockling ; dock menu allows to clearly identify not-yet-read items from read ones ; adding a feed imposes asking for it on the author's site to obtain a dedicated plugin interfaces w/ other hardwares: - filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no / no searches (a given word): no import/export: no ? available in other languages: yes NewsYouCanUse http://autostylus.com/newsyoucanuse/ v. 2.7 (oct2004) price: free (?) developer pedigree: two other utilities, ImageHound, CoverStar formats: RSS (+?) can save posts: no also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: no user interface specificities: mainly a menu-only application (with an option to also be in the dock) ; packs as many features as can given the menu-based limits (icons for feeds, all news listed per feed submenu, last update time...) interfaces w/ other hardwares: - filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no / no searches (a given word): no import/export: no available in other languages: no (?) SlashDock version: 2.4 en oct04 price: free, proposes donation developer pedigree: WebPhotos 1.3, Terminal Services 1.0, DVolume 1.2 formats: RSS can save posts: no also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: no user interface specificities: dockling only, not a window-based app. Can specifically track eBay interfaces w/ other hardwares: - filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no searches (a given word): no import/export: no available in other languages: no Pardelle version: 2.5 en oct04 price: free developer pedigree: software for 4D and utilities ; it seems (?) Pardelle is no more maintained since it has been turned free formats: RSS can save posts: no also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: no user interface specificities: dockling only, not a window-based app. Extensive Dock menu, easy setup interfaces w/ other hardwares: - filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no searches (a given word): no import/export: no available in other languages: yes ? Feedticker 1.0 (oct04) 7$ NewsTicker http://www.nullriver.com/index/products 2.15 (oct04) 5$ (and repeated alerts in the waiting) Stickler! 1.0 (oct04) 10$ accepts new feed addresses by drag & drop option to open "last ten news" in browser Tickershock 1.0.4 (oct04) http://www.mesadynamics.com/tickershock.htm version: 1.0.4 (oct04) price: 20$, can be used without registering with "ads" developer pedigree: data and image mining applications formats: RSS + RDF + atom can save posts: no also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: yes user interface specificities: user-defined themes and channels (RSS subscriptions list); supports multibytes languages nterfaces w/ other hardwares: - filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no searches (a given word): no import/export: import from OPML available in other languages: no IpodderX http://ipodderx.com/ version: 2.2.1 nov 04 price: 19,95 $ developer pedigree: formats: RSS 2 can save posts: no also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: no user interface specificities: dedicated to download "podcasts" to an iPod (Podcasts being news-related soundfiles diffused via RSS); also handles photos interfaces w/ other hardwares: iPod filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no searches (a given word): no import/export: no available in other languages: no icalToRSS http://toxicsoftware.com/blog/index.php/weblog/icaltorss/ iCalToRSS is a set of Python scripts written for retrieving iCal events and TODO items and displaying them as RSS newsfeeds inside NetNewsWire 2. wCal http://www.subsume.com/cgi-bin/go.pl?k=wCal v. 1.2.0 (nov04) price: free developer pedigree: long time Mac OS X developer offering numerous software and services formats: RSS (limited site selection) can save posts: as supported by iCal also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: no user interface specificities: wCal is a service that provides a bridge between RSS and iCal; all news is listed as iCal events filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no searches (a given word): as supported by iCal import/export: as supported by iCal available in other languages: as supported by iCal YouControl http://www.yousoftware.com/control/ version: price: 50$ developer pedigree: various other utilities formats: RSS can save posts: no also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: no user interface specificities: resides mainly in menubar (either menu or ticker)- RSS is only a part out of really many other functions filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no searches (a given word): no? import/export: no available in other languages: no MulleNewz.dock http://www.mulle-kybernetik.com/software/MulleNewz/ version: 1.9 (2003) price: free developer pedigree: various other utilities, applications, screensavers... formats: RSS can save posts: no also shows html e. g. with safari toolbox: no user interface specificities: resides mainly in dock filters (ads blocking / keywords matching): no searches (a given word): no? import/export: no available in other languages: no (?) -- fh[dot]sainct _at_ ouvaton[dot]org