ANN: FeedDemon 2.0 Beta 1

Published on by Nick Bradbury

As you may know from reading this blog, we’ve decided to skip FeedDemon 1.6 and go straight to version 2.0, which will be a free upgrade for all FeedDemon customers.

Since I had more time to work on FeedDemon, I decided to redesign it with these goals in mind:

  1. Make it easier for new users to get started
  2. Make it easier for power users to deal with information overload

Several alpha testers have said that FeedDemon 2.0 meets both of these goals (and is much faster as well), and I hope that you come to the same conclusion after using it for a few days.

As you can see from this screenshot, FeedDemon 2.0 is a radical departure from previous versions. In addition to the new single-level treeview (sorry – no subfolders yet), there’s a new “subscription overview” which provides a summary of your subscriptions – including which ones you pay the most and least attention to. The UI has been streamlined, and there’s a new unread feed view which is great for quickly scanning your unread feeds. And throughout FeedDemon, you’ll find a ton of usability improvements that make it easier to work with regardless of your level of experience.

OK, that’s enough foreplay: if you’d like to download FeedDemon 2.0 Beta 1, just point your browser to:

http://www.bradsoft.com/feeddemon/beta/~fd2beta.exe

Keep in mind that this is a pre-release, which means it’s not done yet! So please don’t download it unless you’re comfortable using unfinished software. If you do download it and run into problems, I hope you’ll let us know by posting in the FeedDemon Beta Forum.

For best results, I recommend installing FeedDemon 2.0 in a separate folder from previous versions. I also recommend backing up your cache folder before upgrading, since version 2.0 uses the same cache folder as version 1.6. To locate this folder, select “Manage Cache” from FeedDemon’s File menu, then click “Explore cache folder” to open the folder in Windows Explorer. If you’re upgrading from FeedDemon 1.5, the new version will give you the option to import your v1.5 cache.

Enjoy :)

55 thoughts on “ANN: FeedDemon 2.0 Beta 1”

  2. FeedDemon 2.0 beta is out

    Attention FeedDemon users! Nick Bradbury has released a beta of version 2.0. If you’ve been using the beta of version 1.6 and are confused as to why FeedDemon is jumping version numbers, Nick says: A few months ago I posted…

  4. Despite being a licensed FeedDemon user I have not installed it since my last rebuild (every cuppla months with XP it seems).
    Why? Bloglines. So much easier – less complicated – and free.

  5. Charlie, FD2.0 won’t have nested subfolders, but I expect to make them available in the future.
    “NewMexiKen,” there won’t be a Mac version, but NetNewsWire is now a NewsGator product, and a new version of NetNewsWire with synchronization is in the works.
    Peter, I hope you’ll give FeedDemon 2.0 a try. I think you’ll find it much easier and far less complicated.

  8. Congratulations, Nick. FeedDemon 2.0 looks nice and is really handy. I don’t regret I’ve payed for it (about two years ago, but *pst*)

  9. New FeedDemon Beta

    My favourite piece of software (in the category commercial, tool and information) has entered a new stage (2.0 beta 1, to be exactly). Nicks FeedDemon is now available and has got a new look, along with …

  11. I miss the following options:
    Browsing
    *When a news item is selected, go directly to its link when its description is empty
    *When a news item is selected, always go directly to its link
    and I would like to use firefox!
    otherwise feeddemon 2 completely well succeeded.
    I likes it very much!

  13. Nice. Really nice. Within my short testing session I only noticed a (minor?) glitch: importing an OPML with subfolders these seem to be added to the root of the feed list and not the parent folder. And I miss a keyboard shortcut/hotkey to mark the items read in the current folder only.
    Great job and I might reconsider using it in favor of RSSBandit.

  17. Yay! Thanks SO much Nick.
    You are a star. I love FeedDemon. Ditto Topstyle. I use them both, all the time when I’m bolted to the computer.
    Can’t wait to go play with beta 2 :)

  19. FeedDemon 2.0 beta

    Nick Bradbury has released the 2.0 beta for FeedDemon. There are a bunch of new features, but my favourite, the one Ive been waiting for, is the new tree structure for the folders list (think the folders list in Windows Explorer). This me…

  21. Nick Brudbury is going to release new version of FeedDemon

    FeedDemon 2.0 Beta 1 As you may know from reading this blog, we”ve
    decided to skip FeedDemon 1.6 and go straight to version 2.0, which will
    be a free upgrade for all FeedDemon customers.Nick Bradbury: ANN:
    FeedDemon 2.0 Beta 1 (via Nick Bradbury)

  23. FeedDemon 2.0

    Nick Bradbury announces FeedDemon 2.0 Beta 1 on his blog. They have decided to skip FeedDemon 1.6 and go straight to version 2.0, which will be a free upgrade for all FeedDemon customers.
    Its a pre-release but v2 should make it easier for new …

  24. FD 2.0 beta is here

    Nick has finally released FeedDemon 2.0 beta. Hope you all enjoy it as much as I do!
    No extra screenshots, I didnt get any requests
    …

  25. FeedDemon 2.0 Beta 1

    So to keep with my going trend of beta testing, I’ve downloaded the beta release of FeedDemon 2.0 and I must say I’m very impressed! I really like the new layout of everything, love the folder tree instead of having…

  26. FeedDemon 2.0 Beta 1

    So to keep with my going trend of beta testing, I’ve downloaded the beta release of FeedDemon 2.0 and I must say I’m very impressed! I really like the new layout of everything, love the folder tree instead of having…

  27. FeedDemon 2.0 Beta

    I noticed over on Brad Felds blog that the first beta of FeedDemon 2.0 has been released. As I seem to be permanently on a quest to find the perfect RSS reader (well, for me anyway), I thought Id give…

  31. Very nice Nick, great job. What happened to the Attention stuff? The last beta release has some in there…has the feature been dropped?
    thanks,
    Alex.

  32. Thanks, Alex. The attention stuff is still there – it’s part of the main subscription view (most/least attention) rather than a separate report.

  33. Do you recommend a newby — just used to version 1.5 try it out — I’m kind of weak with technology although getting better with time. Is there anything I could get into trouble with?
    Thanks much…

  34. All I can say is Wow! I always thought that the drop down channel approach in 1.5 was a bit weak. Having folder trees makes blog-surfing so much easier. Also, I love the new features for viewing; the newspaper view is now really useful.
    Keep up the great work!

  35. ob3, I hesitate to recommend a beta version to a new user, but quite honestly I think you’ll find version 2.0 much easier to use than previous versions. If you’re comfortable using a pre-release, I’d say give it a try.

  36. Brilliant work Nick! This release is truly a leap forward. While I still tend to use NewsGator most often (simply beacuse Outlook is open almost all of the time), this version of FeedDemon is the first to make me seriously reconsider my RSS consumption habits. I know I’ve barely scratched the surface of all the work you’ve put into this new release but I’m loving every little feature and enhancement I’ve encountered so far.

  37. Any chance of the “Last 24 hours” filter being put back in? I use that a lot and it’s a lot better if you’re browsing feeds around 12AM – 1AM if, like me, you work funny hours and get home late.
    If you set it to “Today” at that kind of time you get nothing or just a few items and if you set it to “Yesterday” you get get all the old stuff but none of the new stuff.

  38. Other than that, it’s really well done. The ‘folder’ view works really well.

  41. ‘Feeds I pay the most attention to’

    I installed the 2.0 beta version of FeedDemon last night. I’ve been using FeedDemon since as my RSS feedreader…

  42. I’d really like to see more levels in the folders view too. Other than that I think this might be the version for me. In the past I’ve looked at FeedDemon but not bought it because of the channel view thing. When multiple levels get implemented in the folder view I’m definitely jumping on the bandwagon, synchronization plan and all.

  47. Nick,
    Just wanted to drop my two cents and say that this is the FeedDemon I’ve always wanted. My one gripe is that when I drag feeds into another folder it collapses the folder it was in, when in fact I’d like to keep it open. I haven’t read the comments so forgive me if I’m repeating myself. Otherwise, this product is really really what I’ve always wanted of it.

  48. Five favorite RSS feeds

    Laurence “Mr. Crap” Simon has a list he periodically hauls out called “10 and Only 10”. They’re the 10 blogs he’d read if he could only read 10. In the latest beta of FeedDemon is a view that shows you…

  49. Five favorite RSS feeds

    Laurence “Mr. Crap” Simon has a list he periodically hauls out called “10 and Only 10”. They’re the 10 blogs he’d read if he could only read 10. In the latest beta of FeedDemon is a view that shows you…

  50. Five favorite RSS feeds

    Laurence “Mr. Crap” Simon has a list he periodically hauls out called “10 and Only 10”. They’re the 10 blogs he’d read if he could only read 10. In the latest beta of FeedDemon is a view that shows you…

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