3 ms·

Don't forget ratings. Many people have years and years of ratings that drive their algorithm. That is now gone. Good job guys.

phil 15y ago
We don't know that yet! I'm quite interested to see how they handle user data in the split -- will each company get a copy? Will the Netflix side maintain a complete database of movies, even if it can't stream them, so that you can continue to rate freely and get recommendations? There are some thorny user experience problems here for sure, but they are not unsolvable.
- joeguilmette 15y ago
  they are clearly not unsolvable, and in my view they aren't even thorny UX problems. they are clear cut. the issue is that Netflix thus far has done zero to try to make them better and has, ever step of the way, created these issues when a simple, customer friendly workaround seems apparent. what to do about ratings? make the two sites interoperable. hell, create an API for Netflix ratings. what to do about the two Queues? i already have two Queues on Netflix. make the two sites interoperable. seems pretty basic for a big league company. whatever. i am not shedding any tears. I've been watching movies online for almost 10 years now and I'm going to continue doing so. whether i pay netflix money or fire up a BT client, i don't really care. the real question is: does Hollywood want my money?
  - ericd 15y ago
    I think the problem with that idea is that they're likely preparing to sell off the whole DVD business in order to get the studios to stop insisting on Netflix paying streaming licensing royalties on EVERY subscriber rather than just the ones that subscribe to streaming. The problem with that thinking is that Netflix then loses the leverage that being able to say that they'll just offer a disc offers them. I'm worried that the studios are like the barbarians at the gates of the Roman/Netflix empire, and that the dark ages and feudalism are looming. Hopefully we won't have years of crappy legit setup vs. a much better illegal option before another unifier like Netflix rises.
rhizome 15y ago
I'm pretty sure they aren't going to throw that away, are you nuts? They had a big ol' contest a few years back to come up with a new recommendation algo. Further to what I assume is your point, we have a few years of practice in linking accounts, so a particular user's historical data can easily be integrated with this new corporate architecture. EDIT: I'm using the royal "we" to refer to technological techniques for linking accounts across disparate websites. I don't work for Netflix.
- jonnathanson 15y ago
  I have to believe this is true. Netflix has made no small bones about the fact that its recommendation / collaborative filtering algorithm is its strongest competitive advantage. To your point, they even sponsored that contest awhile back. No way in hell they'd weaken, much less throw away, their golden goose.
  - qjz 15y ago
    I think their recommendation system is too limiting. At least give me a random button so I can see what else is available besides the same 37 selections they constantly shove in my face. Selection is king in on-demand streaming. Some people like to discover their own style instead of wearing the clothes their moms lay out for them.
  - Klinky 15y ago
    The problem is that their recommendation system really isn't that big of an advantage. Content is king & people got Netflix because it provided better service at a better price compared to what they were getting elsewhere. I don't think I've heard of anyone signing up for Netflix specifically so they could use their recommendation engine to find new movies. Netflix has to go back to providing a better service at an affordable price, something that isn't as easy as it once was when you're going against other streamlined big name contenders like Apple, Amazon or Hulu vs the old "incompetent" competition that was basically Blockbuster & Hollywood Video.

phil 15y ago

We don't know that yet! I'm quite interested to see how they handle user data in the split -- will each company get a copy? Will the Netflix side maintain a complete database of movies, even if it can't stream them, so that you can continue to rate freely and get recommendations? There are some thorny user experience problems here for sure, but they are not unsolvable.

joeguilmette 15y ago
they are clearly not unsolvable, and in my view they aren't even thorny UX problems. they are clear cut. the issue is that Netflix thus far has done zero to try to make them better and has, ever step of the way, created these issues when a simple, customer friendly workaround seems apparent. what to do about ratings? make the two sites interoperable. hell, create an API for Netflix ratings. what to do about the two Queues? i already have two Queues on Netflix. make the two sites interoperable. seems pretty basic for a big league company. whatever. i am not shedding any tears. I've been watching movies online for almost 10 years now and I'm going to continue doing so. whether i pay netflix money or fire up a BT client, i don't really care. the real question is: does Hollywood want my money?
- ericd 15y ago
  I think the problem with that idea is that they're likely preparing to sell off the whole DVD business in order to get the studios to stop insisting on Netflix paying streaming licensing royalties on EVERY subscriber rather than just the ones that subscribe to streaming. The problem with that thinking is that Netflix then loses the leverage that being able to say that they'll just offer a disc offers them. I'm worried that the studios are like the barbarians at the gates of the Roman/Netflix empire, and that the dark ages and feudalism are looming. Hopefully we won't have years of crappy legit setup vs. a much better illegal option before another unifier like Netflix rises.

rhizome 15y ago

I'm pretty sure they aren't going to throw that away, are you nuts? They had a big ol' contest a few years back to come up with a new recommendation algo. Further to what I assume is your point, we have a few years of practice in linking accounts, so a particular user's historical data can easily be integrated with this new corporate architecture. EDIT: I'm using the royal "we" to refer to technological techniques for linking accounts across disparate websites. I don't work for Netflix.

jonnathanson 15y ago
I have to believe this is true. Netflix has made no small bones about the fact that its recommendation / collaborative filtering algorithm is its strongest competitive advantage. To your point, they even sponsored that contest awhile back. No way in hell they'd weaken, much less throw away, their golden goose.
- qjz 15y ago
  I think their recommendation system is too limiting. At least give me a random button so I can see what else is available besides the same 37 selections they constantly shove in my face. Selection is king in on-demand streaming. Some people like to discover their own style instead of wearing the clothes their moms lay out for them.
- Klinky 15y ago
  The problem is that their recommendation system really isn't that big of an advantage. Content is king & people got Netflix because it provided better service at a better price compared to what they were getting elsewhere. I don't think I've heard of anyone signing up for Netflix specifically so they could use their recommendation engine to find new movies. Netflix has to go back to providing a better service at an affordable price, something that isn't as easy as it once was when you're going against other streamlined big name contenders like Apple, Amazon or Hulu vs the old "incompetent" competition that was basically Blockbuster & Hollywood Video.