09-21-2013, 10:24 AM | #31 |
Transplanted NYer
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Seems like a tempest in a teapot to me.
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09-21-2013, 10:32 AM | #32 |
I ♥ Calibre
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Sounds like something that needed done at Goodreads. Don't think deleting people's shelves was necessary though, was it?
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09-21-2013, 10:38 AM | #33 |
Wizard
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Personally, I think it was the right thing to do. There was a lot of negativity starting to rear its ugly head on Goodreads and some users, myself included, stayed away because of the vitriol on that site going both ways between some reviewers and some authors. This behavior was ruining what once was a good site for the majority. With hindsight being 20/20 the implementation could have been handled better. But, in the long run, I support the changes that are being made. It's a review site first and foremost and not a war zone between pissed off users and/or authors.
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09-21-2013, 10:57 AM | #34 |
Feral Underclass
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It's a book review site.
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09-21-2013, 11:15 AM | #35 |
Inharmonious
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09-21-2013, 11:21 AM | #36 | ||
Wizard
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Actually they describe themselves on their blog as:
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09-21-2013, 12:49 PM | #37 |
Guru
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I totally support the changes. They're reasonable. I never understood why some users were hell bent on punishing authors because of a book they hated. I dislike plenty of books and give them one star reviews but I keep the review to the book. I don't know the authors of the books I read so how can I say anything bad about them? Plus, whether or not an author is likeable, it has no bearing on how good or bad her book is.
If there are authors who hold views I find abhorrent then I simply don't read their books or list them on GR. Why go through the effort of putting all their books on shelves like "I hate this author" or "don't buy from this author because they suck"? It seems stupid, immature and not productive. Plus it doesn't help other readers to find good books or know if a book is good or bad. |
09-21-2013, 01:29 PM | #38 | |
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09-21-2013, 02:12 PM | #39 | |
Addict
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But the guidelines don't silence anybody talking about author behaviour, in fact they've gone overboard to explain in exactly what circumstances that's fair. The review has to be about the book. If the author behaves badly, that may be relevant, as long as you talk about the book and not just the author. |
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09-21-2013, 05:08 PM | #40 |
Trying for calm & polite
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The end point for GoodReads has to be something that brings value to Amazon. They can't force people to like a book, but they can assure that people will not stay away from a book when all that has been done is pronounce a negative judgment on the author. |
09-21-2013, 07:43 PM | #41 | |
Nameless Being
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(Anyway, I'll slip into lurking mode henceforth - this topic is already going around in circles, so this clarification is really the only new thing I have to say on the topic! ) |
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09-21-2013, 09:57 PM | #42 | |
Fledgling Demagogue
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Most of us understand that a physical lynch mob is a bad thing. What some of us do not understand is that banding together to hound a person we dislike until they become unemployed or unhinged is merely another kind of lynch mob. I'm always amazed at the people who rejoice on Yelp whenever a small business owner whose attitude they dislike goes under. If you don't care for a waiter or restaurant manager, then why not go elsewhere? Why try to destroy the livelihood of everyone involved with that restaurant because one of its employees annoyed you once? The punishment is absurdly disproportionate to the crime. It's the same with authors, isn't it? If they don't connect with you, why not find different authors and let that person who annoyed you connect with someone else? Why keep a public list of of the ones you hate, hoping to build a consensus? A well-written review which examines the work closely and finds it wanting is condemnation enough. Of course, I can understand how anyone would be upset losing shelves they'd spent seven years building. The total erasure of anything seems sad. If only site moderators had the time to keep copies of the work they deleted massively. Last edited by Prestidigitweeze; 09-22-2013 at 09:51 PM. |
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09-22-2013, 12:34 AM | #43 |
Grand Sorcerer
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This isn't just affecting people who complain about a certain group of badly behaving authors. It's also affecting, for example, queer users & book groups who discuss viciously homophobic authors and maintain their shelves accordingly. Shelves are often used a reminder for individuals in the future about who they might want or not want to pay/deal with/review. It is simply a reminder to themselves to "go elsewhere", as you say.
Goodreads has for a very, very long time maintained that shelves were for the individual to use however they see fit. So this is a sudden 180 in policy, dumped on a Friday night, with no notice at all, concurrent with mass deletions. What will happen, in practice, is that now users will find another way to remind themselves and to communicate; there will be a neverending chase of changing coded shelves, and users will very likely also use one-star ratings as reminders to themselves, instead of shelves. How exactly is that an improvement? Last edited by meeera; 09-22-2013 at 12:37 AM. |
09-22-2013, 01:56 AM | #44 | |
Indie Advocate
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I don't actually agree 100% with the Goodreads action and I think it is a bit much to make a pretty drastic change in policy like this that has such an immediate impact on users' personal cataloguing (a primary purpose of the site - at least for me). However, I agree completely with your point. EDIT: Hmmm - must have given you karma recently because it's not letting me give you more. Oh well, it's the thought that counts. |
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09-22-2013, 02:03 AM | #45 | ||
Wizard
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When some authors got a bad review they started to stalk reviewers. The reviewers made lists and now Goodreads is saying that they can't even warn each other. Quote:
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