I had a phone conversation today with a reporter doing a story on Google Reader communities.

Apparently there was an active social network built around Google Reader that disbanded when Google tried to switch everyone over to Google Plus. This is something I didn't know about, except peripherally, because I never used Google Reader. I would like to learn more. (But have no interest in using Google Reader or Google Plus.)

Wondering if there are any opportunities for open development to help bring the communities back together, with the understanding that this time they will have to take responsibility for running the servers, and may have to pay for some of the software development.

This is a story that repeats in technology. I'm interested in trying to build sustained communities that don't depend on the continued investment of a single company.