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Yahoo Aggregator

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Yahoo is beta testing an RSS Aggregator that integrates into the My Yahoo service, but their advertising of it has fallen flat. Because I choose the contents of a My Yahoo page, I have a sense of ownership of the page. Personalized pages tend to evoke that feeling. So imagine my surprise when I open My Yahoo today and find that there’s a new content module for RSS added to the top of the page. I wasn’t sure whether to feel excited or violated. It’s great that Yahoo is embracing RSS, but they messed with my page.

Nevertheless I tried testing it, but when trying to add feeds or search for feeds, I received a message saying that I didn’t have access. Curious to see if I’d get the same message if I tried removing the module, I hit the remove button. Now it’s gone and there doesn’t seem to be a way to add it back.

It might seem strange that I’m complaining that I can’t get something back when I didn’t want it in the first place, but it goes back to that sense of ownership. I know that content module exists, but I can’t add it to my page.

Patrick Grote
January 7, 2004 12:13 PM

Hi ... where are you seeing that? I have been a long time user of My Yahoo and don't see that module. I even checked into the modules option.

Smug Canadian
January 7, 2004 12:47 PM

I noticed, too: http://smugcanadian.weblogger.com/2004/01/06#a791 There was, once upon a time, a "Blog" module available to be added. I just looked at the modules list and it is not there. It never really worked anyway, and I kind of doubt they meant for anyone to see it. I kind of doubt they expect anyone to see this new RSS thing as it doesn't do anything yet and I guess it only appears for those of us who already had the Blog module selected. Just guessing here...

Scott Johnson
January 7, 2004 12:49 PM

I think this has been in testing for at least a few months, as I've seen some odd my.yahoo hostnames in my site's logs for some time now.

pb
January 7, 2004 1:41 PM

Aggregation requires a software client to be of much use, IMO. It's a bit like email. Hotmail web access is invaluable as a back-up but is a sharp stick in the eye for daily usage.

Andy Baio
January 7, 2004 1:44 PM

I saw the same thing yesterday, and got the same errors. I was waiting to write about it until they fixed the errors, so you beat me to it!

Jeremy Zawodny
January 7, 2004 2:46 PM

Whoops.

The One True b!X
January 7, 2004 5:43 PM

Yes. "YahooFeedSeeker/1.0 (compatible; Mozilla 4.0; MSIE 5.5;)" has been apppearing in my logfiles for quite some time now.

Tom
January 7, 2004 7:25 PM

I came, I saw, I took a screeshot: http://www.straightnochaser.org/goodies/hmm.gif

anon
January 7, 2004 8:45 PM

For Dave's edification: the bug is that the module appeared in the My Yahoo of a user not in the beta test, not that a bunch if bits miraculously arranged to form a usuable software service. But I can see how that would be confusing. Not.

Trackback from Oliver Thylmann's Blog
January 7, 2004 10:06 PM

Yahoo Aggregator

Excerpt: RSS is growing bigger with Yahoo! seemingly making a RSS module for their MyYahoo! page ready, based on this post on Kalsey Consulting Group, in which Jeremy says "Whooops" ;) It's gone now it seems but there is a screenshot in the comments....

hannes
January 26, 2005 12:22 PM

anyway a personalized page is not a private page and as long as u´re using yahoo´s or any other 'services' u will have to get along with that.

speakeasy
April 19, 2006 1:51 PM

hey..anyone knows how to switch back from yahoo mail beta to standard, thought it will be easier but after a few minutes of trying it,i don't want it..i tried hitting the 'switch back' link besides 'my account'..but it didn't work!..am frustrated here cause am stuck with the confusing page and it is messing up my emails..pls help me..thanks

This discussion has been closed.

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