Another reasone why LibraryThing makes me smile...

Everyone is familiar with sites that run recognition algorithms, "if you like [insert random bit of dreck here], you'll love [insert alternative, slightly related bit of crap here]". Amazon's is arguably the most sophisticated (hell, I avoid most of the time because it is *so* good at recommending "related" titles that I "might be interested in" [read: "must own"].

The fine folk at LibraryThing have created the Unsuggester. Basically, you type in the title of a book you own/love/read and LibraryThing uses special magic to look at their 7 million and select a book (or books) that you are LEAST likely to find interesting or like. That is, they look at the collections of in their databases and identify those that would catch fire if you included whatever it is your used as a starting point. This can be fun, just as an exercise...but it could also be a an interesting way to find new material that, apparently, you would never think about reading. Strangely cool.

Back on the Amazon side of things: it is great fun, when given the opportunity, to seriously twist a family member/loved one's Amazon's algorithm profile. I recall fondly finding Amazon up on my father's machine one afternoon. Half an hour of mischief later...well, suffice it to say that he actually complained to me that "Amazon was acting really strange". He apparently found the combination of fetish photography, BDSM related material and Republican biographies very strange offerings (given his medical history and leftish leanings). Mind you, he is also the one who, when I popped the "S" and the "D" keys off his keyboard and switched them, called me REALLY excited and told me that something "must have been crossed" in his keyboard because, "when I hit "s", it makes "d"s appear and vice versa". I think he can now touchtype...oh well.