The Casual Vacancy
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Do you hate the use of GIFs?
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Chrissie
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Sep 27, 2012 10:13AM
Who else hates the use of GIFS? One way of getting rid of them is to block those members who use them. I really hope this is not the direction GR will be taking!
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YES! I just wanted to read some reviews and instead I have this ridiculous montage of videos.
And more importantly, how do I block someone? I guess they let children and adolescents post because these are the most juvenile comments I've ever seen.
I have to agree. Seriously, a bunch of reviews that aren't even reviews, just people getting crazy over a release book? How the f*ck is that useful? *ocd causes desire to eliminate clutter* grrrr
Jen, you go to the member's profile. At the bottom of the page on the left in gray text you will find the button.I am so annoyed. I have been a member since 2007 and I have loved GR, but if this is the new direction it is going rapidly downhill. I think the author should realize what this is doing to her reputation if such people like her writing. I wish one could block all GIFs. I wonder if that is possible. If somebody know how to do that please tell me.
I am so glad that you guys agree with me!
GIFs are not videos. They are a form of expression and who are any of you to limit or determine which forms of self-expression are "valid" or "useful"?They're part of experiencing the internet and social media websites so will most likely never go away.
I think that GIFs put feelings that can only be expressed in action into a review, enhancing it with not only just words but a visual. It spices them up, in my opinion.
Ivy and Avani can't take a little criticism, apparently.
Amber wrote: "Ivy and Avani can't take a little criticism, apparently."Interesting you interpret it that way. I was under the impression that I was stating my opinion on the matter and explaining why I felt that way, and in no way did I believe I was being criticized just because someone doesn't like GIFs. I respect that some people don't like them, and I understand their point, and I wanted to express my opinion. And I added a GIF for humor.
I have to admit that I do not like them much either. Of course everyone has the right to express themselves in whatever way they choose, but those of us who find them irritating also have the right to block them if we can or decide to end a friendship on this site if we choose.
Sometimes they can blind me and kill my Internet speed because half the page is littered with them. Used sparingly they're more effective.
I think it's interesting that so many people are so trained to be hyper stimulated by video that they can't even write a _book review_ without resorting to video snippets. They literally cannot access the words to express themselves.
I recognize that GIFs can, in certain situations, effectively say what words alone can't. Sometimes, the excitement from the release of a book I've been waiting for years for can only be articulated properly by something as unique and, dare I say, powerful as a GIF.However, many people on this site abuse and overuse the GIF in their so-called "reviews". GIFs can often express emotional reactions very well; but, it's nearly impossible to write a coherent, well backed-up opinion on a book when your "review" consists almost entirely of GIFs like these:
Once a user writes something that is made up of only exclaimations of excitement and/or emotional reactions, it ceases to be a opinion or an review. So in that respect, GIFS can be very ineffective. I would like for people to use GIFs in moderation so it has maximum impact, but that, sadly, probably will not be the case. As a young person and avid internet-er myself, I like using and laughing at GIFS. But, GIFS, when abused that way in some "reviews," really have no place in a review-oriented site like Goodreads. I agree with some of the people above, there should be a "block all GIFS" option on this website.
Also, an entire page I'm scrolling down bombarding me with flashing pictures can get pretty annoying when I'm looking for just a well-written opinion. And don't like my opinion? Well, you can just
It's that constant need for stimulus. It is affecting young people's brains and the way that they learn. To be fair it is our fault for allowing our kids in general to grow up with t.v, video games, hand held video games, cell phones etc.
I can understand the need of gifs if you review something on your personal blog, tumblr, anywhere, but on Goodreads?People, you're on a website about books. About WORDS. Please use words to describe what you felt, what you thought. That can't be too hard if you read all those great books you wrote reviews about.
I HATE GIFS. I can accept them in comments within the groups (and have seen some funny ones), but even then I find them visually distracting, but I don't really think they should be used in reviews (I would like to see GR staff make some kind of policy with regard to these, but I doubt that will happen, sigh). We should at least be able to block GIFS (at least on the book pages, when reading reviews).
Ivy wrote: "GIFs are not videos. They are a form of expression and who are any of you to limit or determine which forms of self-expression are "valid" or "useful"?They're part of experiencing the internet an..."
Well, maybe you should just accept that not everyone likes this new trend (and it has nothing to do with books either). I guess what I am saying is deal with it that not everyone has the same attitudes!!
Sparrowlicious wrote: "People, you're on a website about books. About WORDS. Please use words to describe what you felt, what you thought. That can't be too hard if you read all those great books you wrote reviews about...."Exactly!
Chrissie wrote: "Sparrowlicious wrote: "People, you're on a website about books. About WORDS. Please use words to describe what you felt, what you thought. That can't be too hard if you read all those great books y..."Definitely not very book-oriented, and just plain visually distracting. But then again, I find even book covers (especially if the title is not right beside it visually distracting).
Gundula, this development saddens me because I have loved GR! GR is a place for people who want to talk about books. It is a place for people who delight in words. It is not about pictures and certainly not about animated ones. Not every place on the Internet has to be identical. If GR is going to be special we have to be willing to stand out from the crowd, stand up for what we think is important - the power of WORDS! Those loving animated pictures can create their own site. OR Please let those of us who dislike the animated pictures be able to block them.
I wonder if GR has thought about the legal issues of allowing these GIF's. It is possible that some of them, especially the ones with flashing lights can cause seizures in epileptics and even those without these can sometimes cause nausea and dizziness. To go on this site for the words and instead be confronted by these pictures is really not fair to those who have medical problems of this sort.
Diane wrote: "I wonder if GR has thought about the legal issues of allowing these GIF's. It is possible that some of them, especially the ones with flashing lights can cause seizures in epileptics and even those..."That's a good point (if I have a headache, the GIFS often make the headache worse). Hmm, I might try to create a thread in the feedback section concerning this (maybe this weekend).
The images are likely a result of spillover from overstimulated kids on Tumblr. I completely agree with Katherine. Am I supposed to believe that people who read books regularly enough to be on Goodreads "can't find the words" to express themselves, so they use GIFs? We all know that's not what it is. Stop playing it off as if your emotions are so unbearably new to you that you have never expressed them in words before. It's simply a trend, again, probably a result of Tumblr kids joining Goodreads.
The use of GIFs are what makes blog reviews so great! They help show emotion. I absolutely love them, and probably wouldn't read a review if it didn't have some GIFs in it.
Jamie wrote: "The use of GIFs are what makes blog reviews so great! They help show emotion. I absolutely love them, and probably wouldn't read a review if it didn't have some GIFs in it."You know what shows emotions? Words. Words like "immeasurably thrilled"; "so excited that I danced around the room wildly, throwing my hands in the air". That shows emotions.
You know what's disgusting? Being hit in the face with hundreds of pieces of copyright-violating visual vomit that shows people masturbating, talking about "Jizz in my pants", flashing rainbows and having fits. It doesn't "help show emotion".
Oh, and I need to add...GOODREADS IS NOT YOUR BLOG. If you want GIFs on your tumblr where you and the rest of your drama club can laugh about it, fine. But this is a literate site for book reviews. "Literate" means "using words".
Katherine wrote: "Oh, and I need to add...GOODREADS IS NOT YOUR BLOG. If you want GIFs on your tumblr where you and the rest of your drama club can laugh about it, fine. But this is a literate site for book review..."If you don't like reviews with GIFs, don't read them. Don't complain and try and get Goodreads to ban them just because they're not your 'thing'.
A lot of the most popular reviewers use GIFs, and people love them. They make reviews more fun and interactive.
And I know what literate means, thanks. But you classified Goodreads as a 'literate site for book reviews' while others might classify it as ''A site to help people find and share books they love." (which is what Goodreads says themselves, fyi) and accompanying reviews with images is a way to share books.
If you want to pay someone to write your reviews, then you can make a fuss about it. But while there is still something called freedom of speech, and while the reviewers are writing their reviews because they want to and not because they are hired to, no one should be complaining.
Jamie wrote: "Katherine wrote: "Oh, and I need to add...GOODREADS IS NOT YOUR BLOG. If you want GIFs on your tumblr where you and the rest of your drama club can laugh about it, fine. But this is a literate si..."Freedom of speech also means I have the right to complain about GIFs and to say that I despise them in reviews. I don't expect GR to ban them, but I would like to be able to block them because I find them distracting and they tend to give me a headache. Is that alright by you? Because if it is not, then you are being a hypocrite and using "free speech" only to get your own ideas hear or read.
Jamie wrote: "Katherine wrote: "Oh, and I need to add...GOODREADS IS NOT YOUR BLOG. If you want GIFs on your tumblr where you and the rest of your drama club can laugh about it, fine. But this is a literate si..."I totally agree with you Jamie, if people don't like reviews with GIFs then they shouldn't be read them!
I'll refrain from using GIFs in this reply so I'll just type it in and refer to the GIF I would've used.
Katherine wrote: "But this is a literate site for book reviews. "Literate" means "using words"
Insert Nicholas Cage "oh you don't say" Face
Jeez condescending much?
The use of GIFs shows that people are excited about books! It means they care enough to take the time to use words and images to express how much they like or dislike a book.
Maybe it's not your cup of tea, but you shouldn't automatically assume that just because someone uses images in their reviews it means they're not "literate."
For the haters: I hope this gets stuck in your noggin' all day.
ヽ(゜∇゜)ノ Eeeeyyyy sexy laaaaaadyyyy
ヘ(￣ー￣ヘ) Op
(ノ￣ー￣)ノ Op
(〜￣▽￣)〜 Op
〜(￣△￣〜) Op
(☞ﾟ∀ﾟ)☞ Oppa Gangnam Style
If any one of those stupid brainfartathons (referring to the GIF-laden commentary on the book's release...not the people who posted them) actually _reviewed the book_ I'd be thrilled. But so far they're all talking about how excited they are about a book that is nothing remotely like the actual book. I didn't come to this _book review site_ to see a bunch of LiveJournal Hello Kitty orgasmothons from people too self-absorbed to understand that the world doesn't revolve around their unfettered delight. I came here, as I have for half a decade now, to see what other readers thought about what they read.
I honestly couldn't care less about what a 14yo Fandom Wank thought about the news of the book's impending release six months ago.
ETA: I removed the ADHD remark because it was inappropriate. I concede that. Now if only all the posters of the non-reviews would concede THEIR inappropriateness and remove those.
Well, your choice of words is definitely descriptive enough. :)I don't mind them when used judiciously. They can be cleverly inserted into a witty review quite nicely.
Overuse makes my brain hurt, though.
Katherine wrote: "If any one of those stupid ADHD brainfartathons actually _reviewed the book_ I'd be thrilled. But so far they're all talking about how excited they are about a book that is nothing remotely like t..."I can show you many reviews that ACTUALLY review a book, while still using GIFS.
The fact that you refer to ANYONE as a "stupid ADHD brainfartathon" is extremely immature and insulting to people both with and without ADHD. I cannot believe someone who is ignorant enough to call reviewers illiterate would have the audacity to say something like that.
People like you are the reason there is so much hate in the world. Go crawl under a brick, there is no need for your offensive slurring anywhere in the universe.
you refer to ANYONE as a "stupid ADHD brainfartathons" That referred not to the people but to the endless "ZOMG Eleventy-ONE!!!! I'm So cannot wait for this aewsomenousss squee!!!" posts.
People like you are the reason there is so much hate in the world. Go crawl under a brick Irony much?
There is always a group of stuck up older people on every website who thinks they are better than everyone else and their way is the only way.I am not saying everyone who hates GIFs falls into this category, but I was hoping Goodreads would not become one of the sites to make people feel so unwelcome. I am sorely disappointed.
Jamie wrote: "There is always a group of stuck up older people on every website who thinks they are better than everyone else and their way is the only way.I am not saying everyone who hates GIFs falls into th..."
Your gifs are inappropriate. You are not unwelcome. The stupid gifs are. You have a tumblr site. Keep them there.
Katherine wrote: "Jamie wrote: "There is always a group of stuck up older people on every website who thinks they are better than everyone else and their way is the only way.I am not saying everyone who hates GIFs..."
Oh, jesus, I feel like I'm talking to a 5 year old.
I'm out.
Jamie wrote: "Katherine wrote: "Jamie wrote: "There is always a group of stuck up older people on every website who thinks they are better than everyone else and their way is the only way.I am not saying every..."
You are talking to a 42 year old disabled woman. As much as you are all "you are insensitive" I'm calling you and all the GIF users out. You are the insensitive ones. What you think is cute and funny and fun actually _makes many people physically ill_.
From the ADA Web Developers' Toolkit:
http://www.ada.gov/pcatoolkit/chap5to...
Other considerations when developing websites:
include a “skip navigation” link at the top of webpages that allows people who use screen readers to ignore navigation links and skip directly to webpage content;
minimize blinking, flashing, or other distracting features;
if they must be included, ensure that moving, blinking, or auto-updating objects or pages may be paused or stopped;
Holy cannoli! I think instead of all of this fighting, on both sides, maybe you should all just go read a book instead of dragging this thread out.
Gretchen wrote: "Holy cannoli! I think instead of all of this fighting, on both sides, maybe you should all just go read a book instead of dragging this thread out."I'm sorry that such a heated argument was so public. I'm not interested in pursuing it any further, and now that my inbox is filling with hate mail for no reason other than giving my opinion, I am officially done with this thread.
Good reading, all.
I agree that a million GIFs in one review like those in this thread are a bit much. But I do post GIFs in some of my reviews and will continue to do so. I review a lot of books on this site. Almost 400 to be exact. I run a blog as well. So for you to say that GIF users are not literate? YEAH...about that.
It's freedom of expression. I do believe you should have a way to filter them out if you so wish and I hope Goodreads is working on that fix. But I will continue to use GIFs when I feel it is right for the emotion I am trying to express. I personally love them. Anyway, just thought I would express my opinion.
It's freedom of expression. I do believe you should have a way to filter them out if you so wish and I hope Goodreads is working on that fix. But I will continue to use GIFs when I feel it is right for the emotion I am trying to express. I personally love them. Anyway, just thought I would express my opinion.
Honestly! This discussion is getting out of hand. Good thing I chose to unclick both boxes on the bottom of this comment box so its not going in my feed or my email.
Some reviewers are taking themselves waaaaaaay too seriously. As much as I love GR It's just a website guys.
It's really unfortunate when people get their feelings hurt and feel they need to take it to the next level and then the next, until all you have left is mutually assured destruction.
How can you be mad when a GIF like this exists in the world?
I don't know, Ivy, but I hope you didn't make it because I just stole it. It's adorable. That looks like a pukeface though. If you don't know what I am talking about, just look at my dog before she vomits. She smiles just like that. Hahahaha!
I'm saddened by your discrimination of 'children and adolescents'.Not all of us are immature, Tumblr-using teenagers. I hope you realize that, because it sounds really bad when you write it in that manner. You're generalizing the category, and that's a horrible thing to do.
Sometimes words are not enough, and gifs are funny to use sparingly.
@Official Oceana, I completely agree! For the record, i don't own a facebook/twitter/blog/tumblr etc. only goodreads. That isn't right to call all of us 'immature.'
YOU DON'T KNOW US! at all, yes you can talk to us over goodreads. but that dosn't mean you know us. You don't. Just pointing that out.
I don't use GIFs but I think they're funny and cute, and can add to a review. I believe it is a way of expressing one's self and any thought of banning or stopping it just because it does not fit your opinions, is shutting mouths and hurting another's right to express themselves. They aren't hurting anybody, and you don't have to look at it if it bothers you. Skip those reviews.And, again shall I remind you - I don't use GIFs (I really like expressing myself in writing), just like you, and yet I resent the approach. People should be allowed to express themselves however they'd like, as long as they're not bothering anyone - and no one's forcing you to read.
Though if it bothers you so much perhaps an agreement could be make that GIFs be under spoiler tags (can they?) so one could chose whether to look at them or not.
Nitzan, although that is a good idea. They're arn't many people looking at this post, and even less people who are going to listen.
I know, which is just sad, but suggesting and hoping one person would notice can never hurt, can it? I wish people would stop being so hateful ~sigh~.
Yeah. Goodreads is here for us to talk about books freely, not to argue about silly things like the use of GIF Files.
Katherine wrote: "You are talking to a 42 year old disabled woman. As much as you are all "you are insensitive" I'm calling you and all the GIF users out. You are the insensitive ones. What you think is cute and funny and fun actually _makes many people physically ill_."Are you not already using an extension or add-on for your browser which limits flashing pop-ups and advertising? Because you could easily use it to also block GIFs, and you could absolutely spare further demonizing an entire group of people at the same time.
If you're not, search for AdBlock and find the version compatible with your browser. This applies to everyone else having issues with GIFs.
And Katherine, I truly hope the days ahead see you in better health xx
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