Beyond Reality discussion
General - Group Business
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Possible change of platform for Beyond Reality
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1. I check Goodreads daily.2. Not really- just the notifications on my phone which works well for me.
3. Don’t participate in Most polls.
4. Read selected books even if I don’t post.
5. Don’t use any of the other platforms listed.
6. If you were to move platforms, I’d probably not move with the group.
7. Prefer to stay in Goodreads, I’m a creature of habit and this is how I track my reads and/or potential reads.
Thanks mods for your work!1. I check Goodreads several times a day. Much more often than I check my email account, for that matter.
2. I use both app and browser, and yeah, the red dot's doing fine.
3. I participate in a poll any time I'm invested in it; if I know that for whatever reason I'm unlikely to join, I guess I have no place deciding what's elected for that month.
4. It's happened in the past, but I try to give feedbacks.
5. I'm on Discord and I also have a StoryGraph account, which I have never updated so far. And...
6. ... if the group were to move to either of these, I might be there but less often than here. I've moved platform before and it was a huge p... rocess.
7. I know everybody's been upset about it, but I honestly hated getting my email inbox flooded with notifications, and I couldn't turn them off soon enough. Good riddance.
1. How often do you check Goodreads? Almost daily2. Do you get notifications on the website (little red dot by the bell)? A few
3. Do you generally participate in the polls (always, when you are notified about them, when you remember to check)? When I remember to check
4. Do you read the selected books even if you don't post? about 50%
5. Do you have an account at any of these platforms/websites: LibraryThing, StoryGraph, Discord? Not that I use
6. IF we were to move the group to another website/platform, do you have a preference? No Would you follow the group? Probably not Would you participate more/less/the same? Less Would you prefer to stay at Goodreads? For now
7. Please share any other thoughts or comments you have concerning this topic.
Thank you
1. How often do you check Goodreads?Daily, or at least near daily. There are a few exceptions for things like vacation, etc.
2. Do you get notifications on the website (little red dot by the bell)?
Its the only way I choose to get notifications. I think about a decade ago I threatened Goodreads staff I would start sending Goodreads email to the bit bucket for my entire domain (I'm the admin and thus god) if they didn't stop sending me email I didn't want to receive.
I absolutely 100% do NOT want to receive email notifications. I also refuse to have any app on my mobile devices that sends me notifications that I do not want. (I'm pointing at you Audible. That's the reason why I crack your books!)
3. Do you generally participate in the polls (always, when you are notified about them, when you remember to check)?
I always look at them. I don't always vote. Usually in cases where I'm just not interested in any of the books or its a time period where I know I just won't have the time to join in the discussions.
4. Do you read the selected books even if you don't post?
If I read the book the same time we are discussing, I will usually post something, even if its just to say I read it. I may not if its a book I've read in the past and I am not rereading with the group.
5. Do you have an account at any of these platforms/websites: LibraryThing, StoryGraph, Discord?
I have a Discord account.
6. IF we were to move the group to another website/platform, do you have a preference?
Would you follow the group? Would you participate more/less/the same? Would you prefer to stay at Goodreads?
Don't know. I guess it would depend on the platform and how invasive it is. I prefer to check the group when its convenient for me, not when others decide they want to post. If I don't have time to check the web site, I don't have time to have my inbox flooded just because a discussion was active.
Discord would seem like an odd option for this type of discussion group. Its more setup for live discussions and other uses are, to be honest, massively clunky.
7. Please share any other thoughts or comments you have concerning this topic.
I won't move anywhere that will require a subscription/monetary cost.
Kathi wrote: "Your Beyond Reality moderators have been discussing the changes that Goodreads has made to the website in general and to Groups in particular, especially the elimination of getting notifications by..."1. I check in multiple times daily and am recruiting friends and family to read more and share recommendations on Goodreads. I plan to stay engaged.
2. I've adjusted my settings to receive more notifications.
3. I’m new to using Goodreads' discussion features. I’ve recently learned how to post and add books and authors, and I plan to participate regularly once I fully get the hang of it.
4. I’ve read the selected fantasy books and have posted on discussions recently. I'm also looking to delve more into sci-fi this year.
5. I use Discord for gaming and am open to cross-posting threads or listening to discussions there, as it could attract more participants.
6. While I’m new to Goodreads, I see some limitations. On that note, Discord does create a good sense of community. I know that some booktubers use Discord, so I'm now curious.
Thank you for your efforts, mods!1. How often do you check Goodreads?
Every day.
2. Do you get notifications on the website (little red dot by the bell)?
Yes.
3. Do you generally participate in the polls (always, when you are notified about them, when you remember to check)?
Yes.
4. Do you read the selected books even if you don't post?
Yes.
5. Do you have an account at any of these platforms/websites: LibraryThing, StoryGraph, Discord?
No.
6. IF we were to move the group to another website/platform, do you have a preference?
Would you follow the group? Would you participate more/less/the same? Would you prefer to stay at Goodreads?
I prefer to stay on GR, although I hate a lot of the changes - more ads than ever, very noticeable; the new requirement to click a box to show interest on a thread instead of whenever I leave a comment. I left comments on the selected books for the month, only to learn several days later why I wasn't getting the usual email notifications. Where was the email telling me of the changes? I received nothing, but had to figure it out for myself.
7. Please share any other thoughts or comments you have concerning this topic.
Very noticeable the changes have caused a drop off of interest in almost ALL threads! Is Amazon preparing to kill the site? I am thinking yes, Amazon is going to kill GR for some reason. Why? First they buy it, then they start rigorously enforcing censorship, then they flood the site with ads everywhere, now these new killing off of members in a backhanded sneaky fashion. wtf? We may not have a choice of moving to a new platform. Since GR was so much fun and successful before Amazon bought it and is now in the process of destroying it, I suggest a new GR website more like the original one. I really really enjoyed that version. I would happily go to another book site of commentary and recommendations and clubs.
1. How often do you check Goodreads?Usually daily, more during the week as it gives me something to do when I'm bored at work.
2. Do you get notifications on the website (little red dot by the bell)?
No, I don't get any kind of notification, I dislike them all. I've had them all turned off for years. I only belong to a few groups and I read every new comment in them all by that comes up as on the discussions page.
3. Do you generally participate in the polls (always, when you are notified about them, when you remember to check)?
I will participate in a poll if there are books I'm interested in reading.
4. Do you read the selected books even if you don't post?
Not usually, If I read them I post. Though I don't post if I've read them in the past.
5. Do you have an account at any of these platforms/websites: LibraryThing, StoryGraph, Discord?
No
6. IF we were to move the group to another website/platform, do you have a preference?
Would you follow the group? Would you participate more/less/the same? Would you prefer to stay at Goodreads?
I won't follow the group if they leave GRs.
7. Please share any other thoughts or comments you have concerning this topic.
I check goodreads frequently. I never noticed the lack of group emails, but now that I checked the last one was from september last year, apparently. Bummer. I have accounts fro library thing and discord, neither of which I use....I get the website notifications.
I rarely participate in the polls, I just read the posts. :D
I realized last night I made an error in my previous response.I actually only use the notification feature for give away notifications and if anyone likes or responds to one of my reviews.
Because I visit the site frequently, I just go to Community/Discussions and look for anything that is unread in regards to group discussions. So I see all of the group announcements almost immediately.
I skip and come back to spoiler threads of I haven't yet read the book.
I haven't gotten notifications in four days. Anyone else having issues? Because if it's getting worse as we speak. . . .
1. How often do you check Goodreads?Once a day--every morning. Then occasionally to look up books on my lists, etc.
2. Do you get notifications on the website (little red dot by the bell)?
yes, but there are so many I can't make my way through them so just click it on and off.
3. Do you generally participate in the polls (always, when you are notified about them, when you remember to check)?
I get a message here and do vote in the polls.
4. Do you read the selected books even if you don't post?
Generally no, unless I am actively participating, which I have to admit is not that often.
5. Do you have an account at any of these platforms/websites: LibraryThing, StoryGraph, Discord?
Only Discord, which I have no actual presence on and really don't like or use at all, but sometimes clients ask me to use it as, essentially, a telephone alternative.
6. IF we were to move the group to another website/platform, do you have a preference?
Would you follow the group? Would you participate more/less/the same? Would you prefer to stay at Goodreads?
I'm fine with GoodReads and have all my lists here, etc.
7. Please share any other thoughts or comments you have concerning this topic.
I know GoodReads is clunky, a lot of people don't like that it's part of Amazon, etc., but it still works for me, and the considerable effort to port everything over to somewhere else, which, let's face it, will inevitably be bought up by some big eveil corp anyway, just isn't worth it.
Out of curiosity, I created a Storygraph account yesterday and attempted to import my books into it.This did not go well. At one point I had to delete and recreate the account to get things straightened out.
It had trouble importing a significant number of books and I'm still trying to straighten things out.
None of my Start reading dates imported.
I have missing tags that only show up if I look at a book I know is assigned that tag.
Some tags/shelves have counts that don't match between the platforms and I've had to export data from storygraph so I can do a direct compare to see what is missing. (I've got over 300 books assigned to some of these tags).
You have to look at a book's editions list to find out simple things like what format you have shelved.
It blends personal tags, public tags/genres, and "moods" as the same thing grouped together.
Site is absolutely not designed for a desktop as I can only see 4 books at a time (and my browser window stretches pretty much from the top of my screen to the bottom and I'm running at 2k resolution at home and even higher here at work. As you scroll, there's a quite noticeable pause every 11 books, which gets very annoying as you are trying to hunt down the messed up books from the import.
So far, it does not seem to be a good site to organize your personal library. Also, so far, its focus seems to primarily to show you pretty graphs of data that means absolutely nothing to me.
Its not helpful to be told a science book about evolution is Adventurous and Slow-Paced. (I can see slow-paced, but adventurous? Really?)
I have not been able to check out the Book Club functionality yet as I have not yet been able to find a way to look for existing Book Clubs at all. Is it invite only? It also seems like anyone can butt in on a buddy read, though I have not yet tried.
Mod
Some people have reported this bug in the Moderators group. One suggestion is to log out of Goodreads completely and then log back in. Another is to be sure you have ticked the box that says “Notify me when people comment”. You can also go to Account Settings in your account, then go to Notification Settings, and tick the boxes for the notifications you wish to recieve.
Mod
I think you have to be “invited” to join a book club at StoryGraph. Right now the Beyond Reality mods have a “sandbox” Book Club that we are playing around with, just to see what the functionality is like. So far, it’s kind of a mixed bag.
1. How often do you check Goodreads?Daily but not always thoroughly. I really miss email notifications.
2. Do you get notifications...?
Yes.
3. Do you generally participate in the polls (always, when you are notified about them, when you remember to check)?
Always, I think, unless none of the selections interest me.
4. Do you read the selected books even if you don't post?
No.
5. Do you have an account at any of these platforms/websites: LibraryThing, StoryGraph, Discord?
Um, I do have a very incomplete backup at LibraryThing, and a newer one elsewhere (thanks for reminding me to check in on it, once I can figure out where it is).
6. IF we were to move the group
I would not move with you. In fact, it's so hard to keep up here on GR I might have to leave this group anyway. Sorry.
Mod
I would not move with you. In fact, it's so hard to keep up here on GR I might have to leave this group anyway. Sorry."
I hope you don’t leave us, Cheryl, if we stay at Goodreads. We value your participation, as we value all our members!
1. I'm on Goodreads every day.2. I get notifications for threads I follow.
3. I occasionally participate in the polls, mostly if I notice there's a book I want to read in the running.
4. Honestly, rarely, because I'm always drowning in books I'm meaning to read.
5. I have a Discord account. Not on any of the Goodreads alternatives as of now, because the thought of trying to keep up with updating more than one is overwhelming.
6. I would follow the group. I followed it here from Yahoo Groups lol! I'd join a Discord server, or finally join StoryGraph, or whatever.
7. I like Goodreads for groups, even if it's been annoying seeing the site overall get worse since Amazon bought it. I've been on here since 2009, so I'm invested. I used to be in the feedback group, when they had one, and helped make the site better (like I said, now they just make it worse instead lol). Groups are the main reason I give when talking about why I don't switch from Goodreads to an alternative. But like I said, I'll make a new account elsewhere if I must.
Side note: anyone else here from the Yahoo Groups days?? One time I managed to find my old messages from there, and fill in a little bit of my high school reading timeline! :)
Mod
🙋🏻 I am, and from Delphi forums before that!
At the time I was on anobii, which also had an arc of going from bad to worse, which brought a lot of users here.
Mod
Please keep them coming. If you haven’t commented yet, please do. Your moderators value your input. The more members who answer the questions and/or offer their comments, the more information we will have as we look to the future.
Mod
Hi everyone! I'm not much of a participant here (3 posts, my profile tells me!), but figure I can give me two cents :)1. I check goodreads more or less daily.
2. I get and check my notifications
3. I always look at the polls, but only participate when there is a book I would really like to read.
4. If I read it, I'll post about it, but I mostly don't do the group reads in the end (though I always pay attention to what they are). I really enjoy some of the conversations here, but I'm not sure the group's taste quite matches my own...
5. Just goodreads for me.
6. I wouldn't follow the group (not that my loss would be such a big deal)
7. Goodreads seems, to me, to be far and away the best place to discuss books on the internet, despite some annoying missteps recently. (As a side note, a lot was potentially clarified for me when another used suggested that tracking and sending all those email notifications actually might have cost a lot of money, which is maybe why goodreads got rid of them, and not because they hate us and are trying to kill the website. No clue if it's true, but at least it makes some sense if it is).
1. How often do you check Goodreads?Most days
2. Do you get notifications on the website (little red dot by the bell)?
Yes, of threads I am following
3. Do you generally participate in the polls (always, when you are notified about them, when you remember to check)?
Yes
4. Do you read the selected books even if you don't post?
Not often, only if it fits with my planned reading for that month and is easily available to me. If I read it I would post
5. Do you have an account at any of these platforms/websites: LibraryThing, StoryGraph, Discord?
Storygraph
6. IF we were to move the group to another website/platform, do you have a preference?
Would you follow the group? Would you participate more/less/the same? Would you prefer to stay at Goodreads?
I would prefer to stay with Goodreads. I haven't tried groups in Storygraph as I don't want to keep track across two websites
7. Please share any other thoughts or comments you have concerning this topic.
Goodreads is very frustrating to use but unfortunately I have been on here for around 8 years now and I don't want to say goodbye to the groups that i have joined
(My books are also being backed up on Book Notification, a newer organization. Also, I've left a lot of other groups and so am not very likely to leave this one as long as you're here; you're one of the best.)
Mod
Aw, thanks, Cheryl!
Mod
I think it can be assumed that people participate more if they are reminded to participate. But making this a one to one situation over simplifies why people add to the threads. Reasons for posting (that would not require a reminder):
excited about the book
spurred by the comment right before yours
checking in because you completed the book/novella/short story
curious about what others have posted (if others see what you saw or something different).
I think with all the digital stuff around us, we have developed the habit of:
checking email
posting on social media
checking on family or friends on social media
checking sale prices on store apps
browsing for on-sale books online
So checking Goodreads would more likely have to be a habit one develops since there would not be reminders.
Lower participation right now could be attributed to a variety of reasons, some of which people have mentioned above.
The questionnaire has brought out some interesting reasons people participate and how often! Thank you
1. How often do you check Goodreads?
2. Do you get notifications on the website (little red dot by the bell)?
3. Do you generally participate in the polls (always, when you are notified about them, when you remember to check)?
4. Do you read the selected books even if you don't post?
5. Do you have an account at any of these platforms/websites: LibraryThing, StoryGraph, Discord?
6. IF we were to move the group to another website/platform, do you have a preference?
Would you follow the group? Would you participate more/less/the same? Would you prefer to stay at Goodreads?
7. Please share any other thoughts or comments you have concerning this topic.
Thank you!