FeedShow, a web-based RSS reader, has made its beta debut but isn't exactly making waves in the interface department.

The Two-Panel Selector design pattern is used by both FeedShow and Bloglines, which means FeedShow hasn't done anything to improve the way RSS readers work since Bloglines made its debut. (This pattern uses one panel for the selection of objects and a second panel for the display of data, much like Windows Explorer.)





The Two-Panel Selector pattern is really effective in a lot of applications, but in both of these RSS reader applications, it translates to a fairly stodgy appearance. FeedShow does look a little nicer than Bloglines, but neither application is making any kind of statement with these designs. What's more is that FeedShow's use of the same style of interface as Bloglines means the first impression of any user already using Bloglines will likely be that FeedShow isn't offering anything new. Nothing here will improve the state of a typical RSS reading experience. The UI does not provide any incentive to switch. And as we all know, the cost of switching RSS readers is often pretty big. Many people using RSS readers have a ton of feeds listed, and no one really has the time or patience it takes to move all those feeds over to a new application without serious incentive.

I'm not against the use of this design pattern - it does make sense for an RSS reader. I just think FeedShow is going to have to do something better to win over Bloglines fans.

Many RSS readers make use of an Outlook-style, three-panel layout. Select a feed on the left, choose a post from a list on the top-right, and view the post in the lower-right.

What I'd really like to see is an RSS reader that emulates the Gmail interface. It's still a Two-Panel Selector pattern, but the use of the Inline Expand pattern for each individual post means every post is viewed in context of its position in the list (posts are generally sorted by date, so this makes sense), and it avoids splitting the view area into two panels, like the Outlook-style interface.



Now that would be sweet. Why Google didn't do this with their own reader, I have no idea.