Unsuggester: Finding the Book You'll Never Want

Unsuggester: Finding the Book You'll Never Want 164

Posted by Hemos on Monday December 04, 2006 @11:20AM from the you-will-enjoy-l'amour-and-sartre dept.

Selanit writes "Lots of socially-oriented sites provide suggestions for things you might like based on user-provided data. But how many can claim to offer you things you'll probably hate? LibraryThing, the social book-cataloging site, has used its database of personal libraries to create UnSuggester, which does exactly that. You type in a book you like, "It analyzes the seven million books LibraryThing members have recorded as owned or read, and comes back with books least likely to share a library with the book you suggest." For example, apparently readers of Edward Said's "Orientalism" rarely purchase "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine. Who'd have thought? Quirky though it may be, the tool seems an interesting way to broaden your horizons. If you're a hidebound, crufty old fogey, I un-recommend it!"

Unsuggester: Finding the Book You'll Never Want

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'Tis the Season (Score:5, Funny)

by wiz31337 ( 154231 ) writes: on Monday December 04, 2006 @11:21AM (#17099282)

Just in time for the holiday shopping season!!! Revenge for all the ugly shirts, sweaters and every other "squishy' gift. [Evil laugh]

I'm unique! (Score:4, Funny)

by Anonymous Coward writes: on Monday December 04, 2006 @11:24AM (#17099320)

Apparently, not enough people have read The Art of Fisting [amazon.com], so there are no "opposite" books to read.

What's next? (Score:3, Funny)

by Ninjaesque One ( 902204 ) writes: on Monday December 04, 2006 @11:26AM (#17099342) Journal

. . ., the social book-cataloging site. . .

What's next? Social misanthropy sites?

I made that once. (Score:5, Funny)

by KDR_11k ( 778916 ) writes: on Monday December 04, 2006 @11:28AM (#17099366)

It was a static HTML page containing the bibliography of Dan Brown.

Re:What's next? (Score:3, Funny)

by __aaclcg7560 ( 824291 ) writes: on Monday December 04, 2006 @11:29AM (#17099380)

You mean Slashdot isn't a social minanthropy site?! Holy moly! I'll have to tell Mom the next time she opens the basement door.

I'm not so sure about that... (Score:5, Funny)

by KDR_11k ( 778916 ) writes: on Monday December 04, 2006 @11:32AM (#17099412)

It kept recommending the Bible.

OK..... (Score:5, Funny)

by Creepy Crawler ( 680178 ) writes: on Monday December 04, 2006 @11:34AM (#17099444)

Those of you who have bought will NOT like....

Zen Buddhism --- War in 3 Easy Steps

Idiots Guide to become a Stock Broker --- Honor and Ethics

The Holy Bible --- Pedophiles in our World

Guide to Windows Vista --- Kama Sutra

Slow or slashdotted...? (Score:2, Funny)

by __aaclcg7560 ( 824291 ) writes: on Monday December 04, 2006 @11:34AM (#17099456)

It might help if every Slashdotter wasn't typing in his favorite science fiction book (i.e., "The Joy of Sex"). The website is slower than a snail in heat.

Re:I'm not so sure about that... (Score:1, Funny)

by wiz31337 ( 154231 ) writes: on Monday December 04, 2006 @11:36AM (#17099494)

Even if you type in the Bible as a book you liked?

(I would check, but the site has been /.ed.)

It's uncanny! (Score:1, Funny)

by ScentCone ( 795499 ) writes: on Monday December 04, 2006 @11:37AM (#17099502)

How did slashdot know that, based on my use of search engines and other meta-ish things to find things that I want, need, or would like, that the thing the article describes is exactly something I won't use! It works so well that even posted summaries about articles about it are un-compelling. For extra credit, mod this comment overrated so more people will read it.

Lisp and Wuthering Heights? (Score:4, Funny)

by martyros ( 588782 ) writes: on Monday December 04, 2006 @11:37AM (#17099518)

The site has some example "opposites" on the front page. Some of the "opposites" made some sense -- like St. Augustine's "Confessions", and some romance novel called "Night Pleasures". But a book about Lisp and Wuthering Heights?
Although, to tell the truth, although I've programmed in many languages, and read Wuthering Heights, I've never actually programmed in Lisp... may be there's something to this...

Re:I'm unique! (Score:5, Funny)

by eln ( 21727 ) writes: on Monday December 04, 2006 @11:43AM (#17099598)

Having that book on your coffee table probably goes a long way toward explaining why the girls you bring over to your place never stay the night.

Re:I'm not so sure about that... (Score:3, Funny)

by toleraen ( 831634 ) writes: on Monday December 04, 2006 @11:47AM (#17099648)

Yeah, I can't imagine too many bible readers own copies of "Satanic Goat Sacrifices for Dummies"

that explains all the email I get :-D (Score:4, Funny)

by swschrad ( 312009 ) writes: on Monday December 04, 2006 @11:55AM (#17099750) Homepage Journal

obviously, prior art exists, no patent forrrr you. the spammers have been using this engine for years.

How about... (Score:3, Funny)

by MojoRilla ( 591502 ) writes: on Monday December 04, 2006 @11:58AM (#17099794)

A site which suggests which Slashdot stories I won't like, including dupes?

Re:I'm unique! (Score:5, Funny)

by jessecurry ( 820286 ) writes: <jesse@jessecurry.net> on Monday December 04, 2006 @12:09PM (#17099902) Homepage Journal

Hey! I have that book on my coffee table and it seems like every girl I have over won't leave

Re:The Holy Bible --- Pedophiles in our World (Score:5, Funny)

by Viper Daimao ( 911947 ) writes: on Monday December 04, 2006 @12:24PM (#17100098) Journal

Guide to Sarcasm on the Internet ---- How to Communicate Effectively

Re:I'm unique! (Score:5, Funny)

by Apraxhren ( 964852 ) writes: on Monday December 04, 2006 @12:40PM (#17100316) Homepage

Untie her and open the closet and THEN see what happens.

Re:It probably works! (Score:5, Funny)

by shudde ( 915065 ) writes: on Monday December 04, 2006 @12:41PM (#17100318)

You may be on to something there.

Given a choice, I'd much rather read 'Knitting on the Road' then suffer through Tolkien again.
---
While knitting on the road on her journey to Gandalung, wending solemnly through the treachorous passes of Orkdell, Nancy espied a riotous figure approaching from the shadowy North, wherein dwelt the Elves of Glimmersill.

"Greetings Knitting Lady of the Road", addressed the stout and sturdy figure, "allow me the honour of addressing you and giving you an 800 page recitation of my lineage."

Re:I'm not so sure about that... (Score:3, Funny)

by stunt_penguin ( 906223 ) writes: on Monday December 04, 2006 @12:57PM (#17100604)

Oh come on, there has to be at least one republican senator into that kind of thing.

I mean, they've been caught doing everything else.

Re:I'm not so sure about that... (Score:4, Funny)

by Meatloaf Surprise ( 1017210 ) writes: on Monday December 04, 2006 @01:16PM (#17100844)

I _never_ found the _underscore_ as _annoying_ as it is in _your_post_.

huh...i guess amazon would not be moving to this.. (Score:3, Funny)

by linuxghoul ( 16059 ) writes: on Monday December 04, 2006 @01:42PM (#17101300) Journal

huh...i guess amazon would not be moving to this any time soon ;-)

btw, not that great: i typed in lord of the rings, and it came back with this load of books by mary higgins clark..another one of my fav authors...

but get this: number 50 on the list was.........The hobbit!!

hehe...someone messed with the unsuggesters head..../me thinks the frost posters got to it...another one bites the dust!! long live the slashdot troll coalition!

i will go now...

Re:I'm not so sure about that... (Score:4, Funny)

by dreamlax ( 981973 ) writes: on Monday December 04, 2006 @03:22PM (#17102828)

The underscore is particularly useless considering we have other mark-up abilities. The only thing worse than underlined text is text that was meant to be underlined but was instead surrounded by underscores.

Yay (Score:3, Funny)

by Bluesman ( 104513 ) writes: on Monday December 04, 2006 @08:03PM (#17107068) Homepage

Let's type in Oprah's book list to find some books worth reading.

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Unsuggester: Finding the Book You'll Never Want 164

Unsuggester: Finding the Book You'll Never Want More Login

Unsuggester: Finding the Book You'll Never Want

'Tis the Season (Score:5, Funny)

I'm unique! (Score:4, Funny)

What's next? (Score:3, Funny)

I made that once. (Score:5, Funny)

Re:What's next? (Score:3, Funny)

I'm not so sure about that... (Score:5, Funny)

OK..... (Score:5, Funny)

Slow or slashdotted...? (Score:2, Funny)

Re:I'm not so sure about that... (Score:1, Funny)

It's uncanny! (Score:1, Funny)

Lisp and Wuthering Heights? (Score:4, Funny)

Re:I'm unique! (Score:5, Funny)

Re:I'm not so sure about that... (Score:3, Funny)

that explains all the email I get :-D (Score:4, Funny)

How about... (Score:3, Funny)

Re:I'm unique! (Score:5, Funny)

Re:The Holy Bible --- Pedophiles in our World (Score:5, Funny)

Re:I'm unique! (Score:5, Funny)

Re:It probably works! (Score:5, Funny)

Re:I'm not so sure about that... (Score:3, Funny)

Re:I'm not so sure about that... (Score:4, Funny)

huh...i guess amazon would not be moving to this.. (Score:3, Funny)

Re:I'm not so sure about that... (Score:4, Funny)

Yay (Score:3, Funny)

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