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Why is Booklikes preferred site
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Susanna - Censored by GoodReads
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Oct 02, 2013 12:39PM
I'll be very interested to see what we might be getting tomorrow. (Hoping groups. PMs would be good, as well.)
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This makes me love BookLikes http://alisa.booklikes.com/post/54652...
and STGRB yet again shows what hypocrites they are
Oh for freak's sake.
Yeah, I find it a little amusing that STGRB use bullying behavior when their purported purpose is to stop bullying.
A partial lists of book sites (just listing, don't in any way endorse, oppose or know anything about any of them). Just randomly collected various lists, posts and searches.I have zero interest in any of them just offering to recommend or suggest the next read for me. (Which is what most seem to be doing) Any without a current data import will be looked at last, if ever. Any known to be owned by a bookseller or publisher also out for me (I actually do like Penguin's Bookish but not a goodreads replacement for me and the kobo environment was starting to be a bit goodreads-like):
Anobii.com
Book Connector Collect
BookCrossing.com
Book digits
BookFinder
BookGlutton.com
Bookish
BookLamp.org
BookLikes.com
BookRabbit.com
Bookwormr.com
CoverBrowser
Fictfact.com - using for series (was using even when happy with goodreads)
GreenMetropolis
libib.com
Litlush
Lovely books is German language
Reader2.com
Readernaut.com
Readerware - offline software
thereadingroom.com - am using, has groups and book discussions but lonely over there
Readwave
Rifflebooks
Slice
Thirdscribe
weread.com - not working well in my browsers
whatshouldireadnext.com
Whichbook.com
worldswithoutend.com
Anna wrote: "This makes me love BookLikes http://alisa.booklikes.com/post/54652...
and STGRB yet again shows what hypocrites they are"
Today, they declared victory, but yet, they still have their lists posted.
I'm liking booklikes and enough friends there I am likely to stay. The actual book handling part of booklikes is not there yet for me; the blogging and feed from your friends and blogs looking pretty = great. I'm not a big kobo user so not completely sure how that connection works; but, so far not seeing an opt-in/opt-out option for third party sharing (meaningless probably since I am newbie and they are always tweaking and adding)--someone posted not liking The Reading Room's TOS but I need to reread them because I didn't notice something objectionable; usually pretty standard stuff objectionable only in how a site implements.My confidence that they'll add stuff = great. Their communication, and let me emphasize how thrilled I am that there is communication = great but gaining an air of "let's reassure the goodreads account transfer."
My confidence that unwelcome blog posts won't be deleted = zero. I posted a cranky question about the "die therapie" cover that had been showing on import page, and a snarky remark about how many weeks I expected to need to add missing bookcovers, disappeared when checked next day. I noticed so posted again, this time got some comments including the answer I needed, then disappeared overnight. Posted a third time, within hours disappeared.
My confidence that seeing posts from people you follow in the dashboard is safe = as safe as any other halfway competent website out there.
My confidence that clicking a post or a "read more" to go to someone's blog on booklikes is safe = uh uh no way build that bomb shelter = trackers/loggers allowed that will capture IP address and other data that while not particularly sinister if just used for web traffic stats or the usual ad statistics is sinister in light of STGRB practices, following random strangers, and the $500 bonuses reportedly being offered by the bully-boys for such data has me concerned beyond the booklikes response that the site is always checked for malicious software.
The software, the coding and even the data collection is not malicious — what ip harvesting bully-boy sites does with collected data can be.
Debbie R. - site-wide announcement of any new policy+FAQs needed no matter how few members effected - wrote: "I'm liking booklikes and enough friends there I am likely to stay. The actual book handling part of booklikes is not there yet for me; the blogging and feed from your friends and blogs looking pre..."Huge yes on this. For me the thing that will keep me using parts of GR will be this:"The actual book handling part of booklikes is not there yet for me; the blogging and feed from your friends and blogs looking pretty = great."
So far on Booklikes I haven't found something as useful as the book page on GR - where clicking the book takes you to a page full of reviews, or the author page where if you liked one book of an author's you can figure out what book to read next. Those are both helpful in finding books on my own. (If Booklikes has these and I haven't found it, please post!)
Also the user shelf comparison to figure out who to follow. Not as many people read history or nonfiction (compared to fiction that is), and finding others with similar tastes made my To Read shelf grow very quickly, and discover authors I'd not tried.
So far Booklikes has none of that - but it also doesn't have all the bells and whistles it plans to add in place either. It's still building, but then that's true of almost all the other book sites I've looked at so far. So I'll use GR for a way to backup my booklist, but Booklikes to review.
It will be interesting if they eventually make a policy that a review can't consist of a link to another site. Of course that's easily solved: Just add first paragraph and link: "If you want to read the rest of this review, see this page offsite, here."
Debbie R. - site-wide announcement of any new policy+FAQs needed no matter how few members effected - wrote: "Reader2.comReadernaut.com
Readerware
thereadingroom.com..."
Readerware is a database software and, to the best of my knowledge, does not have an on-line equivalent.
However, it does allow .CSV import/export, so it's a good off-line back-up for your collection. Each book entry has space to keep a plan text (or html) version of a review, including the blurb, and space for other notes.
Read a lot a series? Has separate fields for Series name and book number.
(Below is a screen grab of my entry for Magic Burns. I cropped the picture -- the book cover would be on the the far left side).
Eric_W wrote: "According to the Wikipedia, the owner, Tim Spaulding is still a majority stakeholder and Amazon owns 40% with Cambridge and Bowker other minority owners. But thanks for the clarification. I was not aware of Amazon's part ownership. I suspect the end goal of many of these sites is to eventually sell out for a substantial sum...."I've been on LT for over four years and Tim Spalding's a pretty outspoken guy. I suppose you can never say never, but he's made it pretty clear that he has no interest in selling out to Amazon. This is the latest comment I've seen from him, on Sep 23:
"Amazon owns less than 40%. They bought Abebooks, who owned 40%, but their percent has since been diluted by the entry of Bowker. We can't reveal the exact percents anymore. But in any case I own 100%. Amazon does not tell me what to do, either as majority owner or as president. So, no, it's not going to happen. If it does, please leave. Please bookmark this and tell others I TOLD you to leave."
http://www.librarything.com/topic/159269
[Post 106]
Wait, Debbie R, your blog posts are vanishing? Did I understand that? Blog post on your blog or comment on someone else's? Did u inquire what happened? Because if your postd were removed from your blog that's in direct contradiction of their stated policy. And I need to know that.
Debbie R. - site-wide announcement of any new policy+FAQs needed no matter how few members effected - wrote: "My confidence that clicking a post or a "read more" to go to someone's blog on booklikes is safe = uh uh no way build that bomb shelter = trackers/loggers allowed that will capture IP address and other data that while not particularly sinister if just used for web traffic stats or the usual ad statistics is sinister in light of STGRB practices, following random strangers, and the $500 bonuses reportedly being offered by the bully-boys for such data has me concerned beyond the booklikes response that the site is always checked for malicious software. "As I use Firefox to browse the net, it has an "add on" called "do not track me", so no website can tell where I'm going when I click on a link. Goodreads, and Google were blocked just a few seconds ago when I clicked on a link.
Bunny wrote: "Wait, Debbie R, your blog posts are vanishing? Did I understand that? Blog post on your blog or comment on someone else's? Did u inquire what happened? Because if your postd were removed from your ..."I have a lot of trouble navigating the actual book section, but possibly the edition of "die therapie" that used to invade imported books that I linked to (to show bookcover image explaining what was on shelf) may have been deleted. Maybe a post about a book disappears if the book is deleted?
I'm really getting to like BL. I'm a visual person. The site is less bitsy and less gimmicky than GR.
I lost it in all the blog stuff but someone else posted two disappearing blog posts and said that support recovered them for her.
Debbie - tell new policies to all members; if policy = no author behavior content = delete both good/bad author behavior content - wrote: "I lost it in all the blog stuff but someone else posted two disappearing blog posts and said that support recovered them for her."Funny how BookLikes can recover lost content and far bigger sites don't seem to have the capability.
I'm liking BookLikes too...but I'm missing the social interaction I get at Goodreads. I'm also not a little sad that GR has really died in the weeks since they decided to go all Napoleon on us.It's tough because I have friends here who will stay here, friends who will split their time, and a couple who will leave. I wonder if I have any friends who are using Librarything?
Petra X wrote: " Or - the absolute best alternative - have a pay site."Goodreads has known for years that many of us core members were willing to pay, many to avoid ads, but enough of us to keep the site going sans Amazon or similar. They opted to not do that. I'm still a bit perplexed why. Well, not really, but Goodreads could have basically remained true to its purpose. If I'd been in control, I'd have done it. For people who couldn't pay, perhaps volunteering? Etc. It could have worked. What a shame that we're losing GR instead.
Bunny wrote: "I agree, GR is turning into a marketing site. Which would go over better with me if they would just be honest and tell us that, instead of trying to jolly us along and keep giving us the false fine, fine routine."I 100% agree, but I still wouldn't like it. I wouldn't have lost all respect for and trust in them though.
I'm just catching up with the last week's worth of posts, and I'm sorry if these comments were in another thread here, but I do want to say re comments about how helpful BL is being (and they are) those of you who, like me, were at Goodreads 6 years ago, even 5, 4, 3 years ago, will remember how helpful Otis and the staff were here, once upon a time. The other sites are delighted to get Goodreads refugees. I guess I've become very cynical about how long site members will be treated well. I used to feel like a valued member of this community (by the PTB) and no longer do, at all. I don't trust LT, BL, or any site in the long run.I'd love it if readers could start a site. It would need to be a paid site, I'm afraid, for it to remain true to itself.
Lisa wrote: "Petra X wrote: " Or - the absolute best alternative - have a pay site."Goodreads has known for years that many of us core members were willing to pay, many to avoid ads, but enough of us to keep ..."
Yeah, goodreads could have been funded via voluntary subscription, by a donate button or even just by campaigning to ask/explain to members about using the purchase links to get their books.
[is now leaving goodreads site to spend some more time kicking herself for initially being excited that goodreads was being added to kindle devices ...]
Ian wrote: "It's tough because I have friends here who will stay here, friends who will split their time, and a couple who will leave. I wonder if I have any friends who are using Librarything?"Same here.
I know that a few friends of mine are using LT to back up their book collections. FWIW, I may end up doing that as well, just to be on the safe side, but I can't see myself adding yet another site to those I'm using for social interaction -- unless GR should also start messing with group conversations, that is.
But I wonder: Where do I back up my collection of favorite quotes? Not speaking of other content that we can't even export to a CVS/Excel file ...
I'm not doing any reviewing or liking, I don't know if I will go back to it. I like BookLikes, I will stay there but might use both sites.T-A you can add a page to your site for your quotes. That would be nice actually. Also Dawid says we will get an export function.
Petra X wrote: "T-A you can add a page to your site for your quotes. That would be nice actually. Also Dawid says we will get an export function."A CVS export for quotes would be great -- I hadn't seen that Dawid said this is in the works as well. Thanks for mentioning it!
I've already added a scrolling marquee to my blog for a small selection of quotes and may expand that, but neither that nor a single added page (even a large one) dedicated to quotes is, alas going to be a feasible home/alternative for the close to 100 pages' worth of quotes I've got here on GR, I'm afraid ... :/ I've been using quotes in conjunction with (or sometimes just in lieu of) my reviews here, hence the large number -- so anything other than a CVS import into a format at least similar to that of GR won't be any good for me. But it's good to know this is in the works as well. Looks like BL really IS listening to its users' needs and concerns!
Well, I'm starting to get the feel for Boolikes, but it is still a work in progress. However, since I'm now a cyber terrorist for being on booklikes, I don't know how to feel: proud or pissed off. I wrote a blog about it for whatever it was worth. At least, it was a bit similar to a catharsis for me.Read it here. Bookwraiths
Wendell wrote: "Well, I'm starting to get the feel for Boolikes, but it is still a work in progress. However, since I'm now a cyber terrorist for being on booklikes, I don't know how to feel: proud or pissed off..."Well said ...
Themis-Athena (targeted by GR censors) wrote: "A CVS export for quotes would be great -- I hadn't seen that Dawid said this is in the works as well. Thanks for mentioning it!..."I am sorry, I've misled you, I'm sorry to wreck your joy but I thought you meant a general export file from BookLikes. Nothing about quotes.
:-( Sorry again.
Petra X wrote: "Themis-Athena (targeted by GR censors) wrote: "A CVS export for quotes would be great -- I hadn't seen that Dawid said this is in the works as well. Thanks for mentioning it!..."I am sorry, I've ..."
'S OK. :) I periodically export them from GR to have an updated collection in my own files -- I'll probably think of something down the line. And who knows, maybe BookLikes actually does get there eventually ...
Could request something for quotes, over at their Make a Wish.
It would be nice if you set up a Quotes page at BL, T-A. If you have so many I'm sure people would enjoy browsing through them. I certainly would.
Susanna - Censored by GoodReads wrote: "Could request something for quotes, over at their Make a Wish."Yes, I'm thinking about it. Still putting together my list of priorities, though -- I don't want to show up there every couple of minutes (or, well, days), saying something along the lines of "oh, and, by the way, something else I'd really like to see is ..."
Yeah, I like quotes, but I'd rank PMs and, especially, groups much higher.
Susanna - Censored by GoodReads wrote: "Yeah, I like quotes, but I'd rank PMs and, especially, groups much higher."Those are fairly high on my list of "wants" as well. As they apparently are on BL's, since Dawid said they're already in the works ...
I'm feeling pretty dedicated to supporting BookLikes fairly exclusively now. I think the whole internet book thing took off so fast it took everyone by surprise, and those companies that were cluey in the beginning are reaping it now. Amazon being a prime example. They are the Blob that swallowed GR. Supporting smaller sites--even if they eventually become blob-like and monstrous themselves--is bloody important. Monopolies are dictatorships. Not on. Must be stopped. Look at bloody Rupert Murdoch. It gets scary when individual, questionable persons, get majority control in the media. Ditto the internet.
I co moderate a group on GR and have recently realised that I have put a huge effort into uploading my continual research:reading lists, and ideas. It's a great group. Perhaps the one thing that still connects me with GR, but although I don't intent to lose touch with the wonderful people I've met there, I don't want to continue adding to GRs data base either. A quandary. :/
I'm keeping up with series reads on fictfact and likely to continue even after booklikes has series features.And, not as a replacement for booklikes, in November I'm checking out ReadUps which is supposedly for book discussions (invite friends by posting a link). Until booklikes has groups, it could be a sort of add-on or plugin to provide BOTM, buddy reads, read-a-longs, penpal reads, etc. no clue about it, just stumbled across in another sites links.
I'm in the same dilemma, Little. Groups keeping me here. Exploring options right now. Also making a point to connect to active group members on social media like G+ and Twitter so I can find them if any of us starts something new or things really go (further) south here.
Debbie - barely here - wrote: "Until booklikes has groups, it could be a sort of add-on or plugin to provide BOTM, buddy reads, read-a-longs, penpal reads, etc. no clue about it, just stumbled across in another sites links. ..."That's a good idea.
I'd love it if you'd report back what you find out about ReadUps.
Bunny wrote: "I'd love it if you'd report back what you find out about ReadUps."Will do, but feel free to try yourself if only to mirror an ongoing goodreads group BOTM. I'm just sure I won't have time (or at least extended reading time to fit within a bok discussion time frame) until November so wasn't planning on really checking it out until then.
I'm sure the best site in the world is no good if there's not a diverse community actively participating (and some of those not always welcoming to new members). The "feel" of other sites is hard to judge until you get a chance to sit down and really try to join in. Until then, just a bunch of website links with possibilities....
Could be a moot point if today's new booklikes features include groups.
Debbie - barely here - wrote: "Could be a moot point if today's new booklikes features include groups."Heh. Isn't Thursday just becoming the most exciting day of the week?
I think "groups" is a fairly "involved" feature in terms of the webdesign part of it all, so even though they're working on it, it may not be the very next thing we're seeing. Then again, they've frequently been introducing two features together lately; one a(n ostensibly) fairly easy to code thing that is also easy to implement by each individual user (half stars, spoiler tag), and one that involves the architecture of the site as a whole and is therefore more complex (exclusive shelves, customized pages, "featured" or "top" reviewers, etc.). So who knows -- maybe today we'll be seeing groups, after all ... or PMs! :)
Themis-Athena (“Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.” -- Ralph Waldo Emerson) wrote: "Debbie - barely here - wrote: "Could be a moot point if today's new booklikes features include groups."Heh. Isn't Thursday just becoming the most exciting day of the week?
I think "groups" is ..."
Check out Dawid's latest comments on the BL Wishlist page ...
http://blog.booklikes.com/post/344083...
(Not quite at the bottom of the thread, just a little way up.)
Oooohhh -- that does look good. Thanks for the tip-off!
Themis-Athena (“Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.” -- Ralph Waldo Emerson) wrote: "Oooohhh -- that does look good. Thanks for the tip-off!"YES!!
http://blog.booklikes.com/post/632730...
The Group feature may still need improvement but it seems to be something we can work with.
Incidentally: AND in the "update" they've done the double deal thingy again, too, in giving us a way to update/add missing book covers. Yey!
Themis-Athena (“Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.” -- Ralph Waldo Emerson) wrote: """yabba dabba doo!"
Dammit. Where's the 'like' button for this?
Dontcha just love Booklikes??
Dylan wrote: "Dammit. Where's the 'like' button for this?Dontcha just love Booklikes??"
Yes! That's yet another reason why (one of many).
Though I might add that we can't post images in the comment section there -- yet (essentially because the comment section doesn't allow for any HTML) ... and there have been a couple of situations where I would have been tempted to do that already. I'm sure that, too, is just a matter of time, though.
Smashing. They really are listening to their users and let's face it the Goodreads Diaspora are a demanding crowd, in the very best possible way of course. I love Booklikes more for each and every ThursdayBest Wishes from the Victimised Viking of Våstra Götaland
