Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Recommendation Algorithm Wants To Show You Something New

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the try-it-you'll-like-it dept.

Several sources are reporting on a new metric that computer scientists are going after with respect to recommender systems — recommendation diversity. "In a paper that will be released by PNAS, a group of scientists are pushing the limits of recommendation systems, creating new algorithms that will make more tangential recommendations to users, which can help expand their interests, which will increase the longevity and utility of the recommendation system itself. Accuracy has long been the most prized measurement in recommending content, like movies, links, or music. However, computer scientists note that this type of system can narrow the field of interest for each user the more it is used. Improved accuracy can result in a strong filtering based on a user's interests, until the system can only recommend a small subset of all the content it has to offer."

12 of 90 comments (clear)

  1. That's called an "contextual ad engine". by Animats · · Score: 3, Insightful

    creating new algorithms that will make more tangential recommendations to users, which can help expand their interests,

    The advertising industry already has that technology. Their idea of "expand interests" usually involves shopping, of course.

    1. Re:That's called an "contextual ad engine". by blahplusplus · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The real issue is people's finite attention, I notice even with recommendation systems on amazon.com there is no way I could ever read everything they recommended to me and still have a life. It may be neat for movies but even then I'm sure there will be a list of recommended stuff that you simply can't get aroudn to.

      I really think someone should add up all the hours required to experience every movie/game released in a year and compare it to the the average persons free time, a lot of stuff is over-produced and it would be good if someone was out there modelling how many products you could possibly want to experience over a yearly period.

    2. Re:That's called an "contextual ad engine". by megamerican · · Score: 2, Funny

      Amazon's recommendations have become so accurate lately that it typically asks me if I'm interested in buying things I've already purchased from them.

      --
      If you have something that you dont want anyone to know, maybe you shouldnt be doing it in the first place -Eric Schmidt
    3. Re:That's called an "contextual ad engine". by Kjella · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I really think someone should add up all the hours required to experience every movie/game released in a year and compare it to the the average persons free time, a lot of stuff is over-produced and it would be good if someone was out there modelling how many products you could possibly want to experience over a yearly period.

      But that makes good recommendations more important, not less. If you go into a library it's highly unlikely you'll be able to read every book in it, but does that matter? You just want to read the good books about things that interest you. If Spotify was on full shuffle and you could get everything from death metal to yodeling in the next song, you wouldn't want it - you'd go back to your own favorites. On the other hand, if everything is interpolated you only get more and more of the same. People don't work like that, you may have your favorite food but it's not something you want to perfect and have every day.

      A good search helper should be something in between - keeping to things you're reasonably likely to like but on the other hand challenge you a little to explore and listen to things a little outside your normal repertoire. Yes of course I realize the marketing potential here in sending the masses to their new hit wonder but I don't think the concept is that unreasonable. Think about how your friends are influencing your music taste, they're not interpolating they're gently pulling in the direction they like. If they hit the right mix this would be a real asset because you go to that site because of the good recommendations and that's not such an easy thing to copy.

      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
    4. Re:That's called an "contextual ad engine". by martin-boundary · · Score: 2, Interesting
      I like to use the [ and ] keys in mplayer to speed up time when watching movies. It's not difficult to keep up with the plot and dialog up to about 1.5x the speed, and this makes the typical 2 hour movie run in 1 hour 20 min, or the typical 40 min series run in 26 min. I'll speed up time more when the movie is crap, and less if I want to really enjoy everything.

      The point is you have more than the binary watch/don't watch choice available to you, if you're willing to assert control over your own time in creative ways.

    5. Re:That's called an "contextual ad engine". by Skreems · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Last.fm used to have a setting that was basically like this... they gave you an "obscurity" slider which let you set a preference for stuff that was a good match (via the usual "people who like x also like" algo) but removed the stuff that was over a certain threshold of popularity. I found a ton of bands that I really like this way, but at some point they took away the feature, or hid it in some way.

      Long story short, I have found systems like this very useful, and hope to see more of them.

      --
      Slashdot needs a "-1, Wrong" moderation option.
      The Urban Hippie
    6. Re:That's called an "contextual ad engine". by Sir_Lewk · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Dude, don't forget stop and smell the roses. Not everything in life is supposed to be a race.

      --
      "linux is just DOS with a UNIX like syntax" -- Galactic Dominator (944134)
    7. Re:That's called an "contextual ad engine". by Tekfactory · · Score: 2, Informative

      Ok, replying to Parent instead of myself.

      MythTV has a feature called Timestretch that does this

      Supposedly VLC can also do this.

      As well as WinAmp, Media Player classic with external filters, gomplayer, the list goes on and on.

      http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/236916-49-timestretching-more-stretching-time-times

      I'm kind of hoping Tivo adds something like this eventually.

  2. you knw where this really needs to be improved? by Em+Emalb · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Books. I am an avid reader of sci fi and fantasy, and man, most recommendations out there just BLOW.

    --
    Sent from your iPad.
  3. Re:Please disconnect this sytem from the network. by WrongSizeGlass · · Score: 2, Funny

    How long before it has enough data to recommend we should be destroyed and acts on it?

    According to my calculations, about six days. On the seventh day it will rest.

  4. Tricky Business by miasmic · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Every recommendation algorithm I've seen does one or both of two things. The first being staying extremely close to things I have already expressed an interest in - never broadening my horizons.

    That, or it suggests really popular things, for example with music always getting a string of well known, popular bands and artists like Radiohead or Pink Floyd suggested as bands I might like - because many people who like similar sorts of music to me like Radiohead, the algorithm thinks I would like Radiohead too - they can't seem to figure that I would already know if I liked Radiohead or not at this point. I've never found a way to tell a recommendation algorithm that Pink Floyd is OK but I want something less popular...

  5. Re:How interesting by MillionthMonkey · · Score: 2, Funny

    Have you ever been in a Turkish prison?