I agree that Amazon search interface lacks many of the features that I
would like to utilize. The issue is that 80% of the users are happy with
that interface. That actually makes our jobs more difficult in that we
must design the interface to be very simple, fast, Amazon/Google like but
be able to translate the search and (through some magic) provide the user
what they want and need. This may be using faceted searching, topic maps,
or the unknown X system. The bottom line, in my opinion, is that either we
move toward the user or the user will continue to move away.
--On Tuesday, June 13, 2006 10:29 AM +1000 Alexander Johannesen
<alexander.johannesen_at_GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> On 6/12/06, Laura Akerman <liblna_at_emory.edu> wrote:
>>
>> Amazon's search capabilities are infuriatingly lacking! - for example,
>> with a search for classical music (try prokofiev 2nd piano concerto), or
>> an artist or author with a common name, or a title with common words.
>> Granted I'm usually looking for something a bit obscure, not the latest
>> Mariah Carey record. And any kind of subject searching - forget about
>> it.
>
> Some time ago I wrote an article about Topic Maps in which I used my
> frustrations with Amazon.com (*) as an example for those of us who
> need a little bit extra from their interfaces, and let's face it ; if
> you're into classical or baroque music, you're stuffed! I don't know
> how many times I've struggled to find even the basics, like different
> renditions of the same piece of music. Drives me nuts, and drives me
> away, too.
>
>
> Alex
>
> (*) http://shelter.nu/art-007.html, scroll down to "Music"
>
> --
> "Ultimately, all things are known because you want to believe you know."
> - Frank Herbert
> __ http://shelter.nu/ __________________________________________________
--Dale
---------------------------------------
Dale Poulter
Systems Librarian
Library Information Technology Services
Vanderbilt University
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Received on Mon Jun 12 2006 - 21:43:47 EDT