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Amazon Goes Wiki
StWaldo writes "Amazon.com has added a 'ProductWiki' to some of their item pages. Wikified items seem to be limited to certain categories, DVDs being one un-wikied realm. Adding Wikiness to the site is just the latest in new participatory activities Amazon has adopted, along with tags and customer discussions." From the article: "So Amazon's gradually allowing you, along with your Wish List, your purchases, your clickstream, and, if you sell anything on Amazon, how good your reputation is--to build up a pretty detailed database of what you like (or don't) and what's important to you. I don't know what Amazon will do with this--fortunately, it seems to have a pretty light touch with how it uses what it knows about you--or what it will allow us to do with all this data. But as it grows, it could become a pretty powerful profile."
http://www.boingboing.net/2005/10/03/identity_20_t houghtp.html
Ignore parent, don't feed the trolls.
- Leon Mergen
http://www.solatis.com
I am -not- happy with amazon as of lately. I ordered a Canon EOS 20D and a Lexar memory card (~$1,500 total), cancelled the order a few minutes later (before billing or shipping or anything) because I wanted to change memory cards.. When I placed the new order, the credit card didn't have enough room left since they'd already charged it. No problem, I called and paid with a visa. The online system showed only the new order, but never showed it shipped. The next day, I received two cameras, apparently from the old order on the old card and the new order on the new card. The order status still didnt know the one camera had shipped, let alone two. The old order had disappeared completely because it was cancelled.
In any case, I tried to call their support (via the click to call me thing) and their system would call me (Estara.com) and when it tried to transfer me to amazon I'd get a fast busy.. So I tried about 15 times, and it finally blocked me as an abuser. Very nice.
I gave it a new number and got through, and the pakistani representative assured me i had not received one camera, let alone two.. After a while of arguing I hung up and emailed instead, which didn't get me a response.. So I called the next day and talked to another pakistani who while continually saying 'this was by our hand' never really got things fixed. She said she'd schedule a ups pickup and email me more information.. A day later, no email and no UPS pickup.. So I called back and they're going to send a ups shipping label which I should get in three days and itll go back ups ground.. So in 10 days, when they receive the extra camera, I can get my $1,500 back. Meanwhile, during the thanksgiving shopping rush yesterday and for the christmas shopping season, I'm $1,500 short, and am going to miss my rent payment.
On top of that, amazon closed my account because they thought someone else accessed it. When I called about that, they said theyd probably closed it to keep my cards from being charged again.
So f**k you amazon!
gathering indivdual data will allow for target marketing for individual, etc /.'ers would usually be interested in
however, summing across individuals , i.e., from a population perspective, most folks fall into groups who have similarities w.r.t. purchasing interests
For example:
I would hazard a geuss that most
1. p0rn
2. p0rn
3. xscreensaver hacks
4. the workings of the linux kernel
5. crypto filesystems (keep p0rn safe)
6. ruby
7. how to get a job @ google
8. how to get women to notice they are alive
9. p0rn (again, 'cos they still didn't notice) & does it cause RSI/blindness ?
10. direct neural interfaces 'cos p0rn caused blindness
When the seagulls follow the trawler, it's because they think sardines will be thrown in to the sea