Praj > Status Update

This is Goodreads fuckup 2.0

IKR !! I now fear every time I open the GR homepage, god knows what other ludicrous design they might set again. Ha!

They have to keep on doing something to prove that they are working. ;)

Haha... true! But i would rather have them in a lethargic stupor than go all crazy like a kid on a sugar-high !!

Does it make sense that I liked it better when it was more primitive? This interface doesn't make me want to come online often. Which is kind of good because that way, I get more time to read. xD

Anya wrote: "Does it make sense that I liked it better when it was more primitive? This interface doesn't make me want to come online often. Which is kind of good because that way, I get more time to read. xD"

Yep.....IKR !! The new look does lessen your addiction to come online ;D Hahahaha..... now it'll be like read, review and then BAM ! go back to your cozy reading corner again .

Luís wrote: "It seems to me everything's ok.. But I've heard some rumours.."

Really, do you still have the old-style homepage??

Yeah, I feel like someone threw up on my homepage. Too much happening, like I need a month to take it all in. Or a year.

Anuradha wrote: "Yeah, I feel like someone threw up on my homepage. Too much happening, like I need a month to take it all in. Or a year."

My exact sentiment !! >.<

The homepage has been redesigned to feature the items they want to sell with lots of big pics and just a bit of advertising copy review. GR had a lot of negative comments on the beta pages and ignored it all.

Petar X wrote: "The homepage has been redesigned to feature the items they want to sell with lots of big pics and just a bit of advertising copy review. GR had a lot of negative comments on the beta pages and igno..."

Yes !! The site now looks more like a purchasing/book ads. one. It's no more interactive as it was before. I'm either getting unwanted and unknown reviews and users updates shoved in my face or the reviews from my Friends are not at all updated in my feed. It's quite telling how the 'comments' section on the GR blogpost had been disabled. I just don't get the whole thing about GR user inputs when none of the advice was taken at all .

Petar X wrote: "The homepage has been redesigned to feature the items they want to sell with lots of big pics and just a bit of advertising copy review. GR had a lot of negative comments on the beta pages and igno..."

If I have to see Oprah's face again on my home page, so help me God! -_-

Luís wrote: "I have now changed to the new design. I discovered it. What a difference!!"

Hahaha...yeah IKR !! It just puts you in a tizzy.

Eww!

I hate it. It feels like more ads than books.

Vaidya wrote: "Eww!"

Ha ! that was one of my very first reaction when the screen popped up !

Mariel wrote: "I hate it. It feels like more ads than books."

Mariel !!! How are ya, sweetie? :D

Yep... I know, looks like a online purchase display ,alright. I don't get the whole GR feels, makes me stay away from reviewing books too :-/

It just changed in my profile too. I hate it.

Where are you reviewing now, Praj?

I really don't like the new homepage! Why? Why GR? Why?

Kalliope wrote: "It just changed in my profile too. I hate it."

The profile page too !! really? ! i thought it was just the homepage interface. Gosh , what a mess? :-/

Praj wrote: "Kalliope wrote: "It just changed in my profile too. I hate it."

The profile page too !! really? ! i thought it was just the homepage interface. Gosh , what a mess? :-/"

No, what I meant is that I had read comments about 'changes' but they had not been implemented in my Feed yet.... and suddenly I realised what everybody was complaining about.

Erwin wrote: "I really don't like the new homepage! Why? Why GR? Why?"

IKR !! I despise it too ! I do miss the interactive part of the old-style so much. My feed is all messed up and I simply can't keep track of all the updates. GR should make separate interface for comps and phones. The one fits all thing is just ridiculous.

Hammy72125 wrote: "I strongly suspect that more is coming in the absence of a competitor."

Yeah, you are spot on with that inference. All the other book-sites are either stagnated or on the verge of closing down. It's just a sad mess, to true book lover. Tsk..

Praj wrote: "Hammy72125 wrote: "I strongly suspect that more is coming in the absence of a competitor."

Yeah, you are spot on with that inference. All the other book-sites are either stagnated or on the verge ..."

Have they?... I did not realise... I was thinking of leaving this and reactivate my Booklikes...

I hope something competitive to replace Shelfari and Leafmarks gets underway soon (not oriented to promoting/selling books they want us to read or picking our next book for us -- I want my friend/followed persons' opinions, not the commercial interests, advertisers or some site algorithm).

Kalliope wrote: "Praj wrote: Have they?... I did not realise... I was thinking of leaving this and reactivate my Booklikes...
..."

I was thinking of going back to Booklikes , but BL is only good for shelving the books. It's not as interactive on the reviewing platform like GR. Although, now I seriously have no idea how GR is going to span. You know, what I dislike the most here is that I'm missing out on so many updates from my friends here on GR due to the long tedious scrolling and clutter :(

Praj wrote: "Kalliope wrote: "Praj wrote: Have they?... I did not realise... I was thinking of leaving this and reactivate my Booklikes...
..."

I was thinking of going back to Booklikes , but BL is only good ..."

There was also Library Thing... but it was not very friendly...

Debbie's Spurts (D.A.) wrote: "I hope something competitive to replace Shelfari and Leafmarks gets underway soon (not oriented to promoting/selling books they want us to read or picking our next book for us -- I want my friend/f..."

EXACTLY !!! I choose my books by reading reviews and opinions from my GR friends/followers. Their words mean more to me than any damn silly advertising pomposity. That's what I liked about GR the most. The users here have such great acumen when it comes to books and the interactive mode helped me i n finding the most unusual books too. Yeah, Leafmarks is closing down soon. Maybe other sites could have a better conversing platform.

Kalliope wrote: "Praj wrote: "Kalliope wrote: "Praj wrote: Have they?... I did not realise... I was thinking of leaving this and reactivate my Booklikes...
..."

I was thinking of going back to Booklikes , but BL ..."

Yeah, true about Library Thing. Remember we all migrated to LT and then just came back to GR again :D LT is good for group discussion, but the site if too 'dry' and 'aloof' isn't it?

Praj wrote: "
..."

I was thinking of going back to Bo..."

I was just checking BL and we all opened the profile there but most people did not keep active.

Shant balike, shant! I wonder if you are seeing it only today though. Since its been more than a fortnight for me, I have adjusted to this torture by now ;)

Seemita wrote: "Shant balike, shant! I wonder if you are seeing it only today though. Since its been more than a fortnight for me, I have adjusted to this torture by now ;)"

Hahaha... a fortnight ago ?! no wonder you are now shock resistant XD

Librarything doesn't have a good set up for following new reviews from friends, or any review commenting space. I wish a new site like the old goodreads would come up.

Hammy72125 wrote: "Yes, it's one more form of death. Comfortably numb."

And it's annoyingly painful....

Mariel wrote: "Librarything doesn't have a good set up for following new reviews from friends, or any review commenting space. I wish a new site like the old goodreads would come up."

Oh... I miss the old GR!! It was one of the best sites then and so much fun :((

I got the new layout today and now I understand what's all the fuss about, I spent like 5 minutes gaping at the new homepage... I managed to close two ad banners (one on car rentals the other on clothes?!) but can't make Oprah's face go away! Arrghh...
I am indignant and quite sad. Many of my fav reviewers either stopped reviewing (like you Praj) or left the page completely.
I first was on Librarything before joining GR, but that page is only useful for shelving, there is no possible comparison when book discussions and interaction with other readers is concerned. One feels kind of trapped, cheated and helpless...

I've just discovered you can no longer comment on a review unless you're friends with the reviewer - I guess they want everyone to be friends. I suppose at least I won't have to read any more hostile comments from people who hated my negative review of The Nightingale.

Violet wrote: "I've just discovered you can no longer comment on a review unless you're friends with the reviewer - I guess they want everyone to be friends. I suppose at least I won't have to read any more hosti..."

I had not noticed that... this is becoming like a supermarket.

I think they're trying to make it a more interactive community, to encourage everyone to become friends. My feed now contains far more updates from people I'm not friends with but have been liked by friends. I'm slowly getting used to it though. I don't think it was that great before. Often my home page would be stuffed with recommends, ratings without reviews and entered giveaway posts and I'd have to go searching for new reviews from friends whose reviews i like; now, despite the ads, there do seem to be more reviews coming up. And like Seemita says, give it time and you do start to get used to it despite its obvious annoyances.

Dolors wrote: "I got the new layout today and now I understand what's all the fuss about, I spent like 5 minutes gaping at the new homepage... I managed to close two ad banners (one on car rentals the other on cl..."

IKR !! The whole interface has tedious functionality. The customize options are horrendous too. It either floods your feed with unwanted stuff or then if 'customized' drastically cuts your friend's updates. And, the thing I dislike the most is that my friend's reviews are buried under frivolous book displays :(

D! You are so right about Library Thing. I did join LT too in the past , but honestly , no matter how chaotic and depressing GR is becoming now, GR is the only online book site that is more interactive and friendly on a broader platform. Ofcourse, I'll be reviewing , coz' I do post on my blog , but still it depresses me. Ha!

If you use Google Chrome, the AdBlock extensive works super . My feed page is now clear of the hideous Oprah ad. and the "Want to Read" space. The extension is marvellous to remove unwanted clutter.

Violet wrote: "I've just discovered you can no longer comment on a review unless you're friends with the reviewer - I guess they want everyone to be friends. I suppose at least I won't have to read any more hosti..."

This is just ludicrous ! So, it's like either you flood your feed with numerous add-on GR users or restrict yourself to a small pool of books. Well, atleast now you don't need to go and block troll users.

Praj wrote: "Violet wrote: "I've just discovered you can no longer comment on a review unless you're friends with the reviewer - I guess they want everyone to be friends. I suppose at least I won't have to read..."

I wonder why they've done this. It was a good way of getting to know new friends.

In Firefox one can also block the Adds.

Kalliope wrote:I wonder why they've done this. It was a good way of getting to know new friends.

In Firefox one can also block the Adds. "

Yeah, you can add on the AdBlock plus add-in on Firefox . It certainly makes the GR page look much more decent and in order.

You know, after the new homepage and the overload of visual display even when a friend "likes" a update , many complained on how they could now see updates and reviews of GR users that they had 'blocked' previously and also the 'blocked' users would be able to comment and see their updates too. That's why I reckon the GR staff implement that "no friend - no comment' thing.

Great review - Thank you. Adding it to the Pile.

Guy wrote: "Great review - Thank you. Adding it to the Pile."

Hahaha.... ranting helps at times XD

You know, after the new homepage and the overload of visual display even when a friend "likes" a update , many complained on how they could now see updates and reviews of GR users that they had 'blocked' previously and also the 'blocked' users would be able to comment and see their updates too. That's why I reckon the GR staff implement that "no friend - no comment' thing.

You could already set it to where only friends could comment on your reviews. Why get rid of it for everybody? Ugh.

Yes, I have the same problem. They are rolling out a new page, and with my old eyes I am again trying to find things. At least today I figured out how to do a general status update like this one.

Jessica wrote: "Yes, I have the same problem. They are rolling out a new page, and with my old eyes I am again trying to find things. At least today I figured out how to do a general status update like this one."

Yes, it gets confusing trying to navigate your way through the homepage, isn't it? Finally, I used a Adblock extension for my browser and now the feed looks quite organized and manageable :)

I did two things both of which failed upon seeing the new setup.

(1) Wrote and complained to GR. Got back fast message telling me how much everybody (else) liked it.

(2) Changed the settings to take away all pictures from the site. However, unfortunately this (a) left me with broken link pictures instead and (b) meant I no longer had a way of identifying people with common names since their avatars were missing.

I give up.