Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Hey, What is This Stuck To My Shoe?

Hey, this is not about Library Thing, my beloved Library Thing! It's some sort of sticky Glue, Get Glue in fact, via today's Tuesday Thinger question from Wendi's Book Corner

Questions: Have you gotten Glue yet? If so, how do you like it? Do you follow Glue Genie on Twitter? Won anything in their quizzes?

This week we are exploring something totally different and un-Library Thing - we're looking at Glue!
What is Get Glue? From their Website:

Developed by AdaptiveBlue, Glue enables you to connect with your friends on the web around the things you visit online. Glue is powered by semantic recognition technology that automatically identifies books, music, movies, wines, stocks, movie stars, recording artists, and more. Glue works hard to make it easy for you to find out what your friends think about things you're visiting online.


My dear readers, if you have read any of my posts, I might let you guess the answer to this one. Well? Any idea?

The answer is no. Yes folks, once again my rather anti-social head rears itself.

I can remember when I first read about Get Glue on someones blog or Twitter, I thought it sounded awful, one of the worse ideas I had ever heard. Shades of Big Brother and Peeping Tom all rolled together. The idea of all this information being collected and available out there just seems so unnecessary, so overboard. I really have no desire for everyone I know to see what I am buying or what I think of everything I see or purchase online. And to tell you the truth, I really don't have any interest in your opinion on everything either. Does that sound a bit harsh? ...well maybe...lol

Once, years ago, I used to read People magazine. Then, one day, I realized that knowing what Brad Pitt had for breakfast or what plastic surgery some actress was having was contributing absolutely nothing positive to my life. It is just more noise, more stuff, filling up every moment of the day. Again, is it just me, or don't you just want to be quiet, unplugged from the world sometimes? I certainly feel no need for more input into my brain.

But, you might say, you have a blog, you post reviews of books. Isn't that the same thing. Well, no, it is not in my opinion. Maybe it is the "semantic recognition technology that automatically identifies books, music, movies, wines, stocks, movie stars, recording artists, and more..." Does that not sound just a little creepy? I must say that it does to me...it's just all too much.
"The Network That Sticks With You", looking over my cyber shoulder as it were? No thanks.

Being online, on a blog or a social site like Facebook or Twitter, is revealing. We can't forget that what is on the internet is public, for anyone to see, and will remain out there, in some form, forever. We sit in the privacy of our homes, writing it, read it, so maybe it seems rather private. But it is not. But on a sight where we post or comment, we can control what is said and reveal what we want and say, or not say, what we want. It is bad enough that people, for whatever reason they want, be it to sell us something or something more sinister, already scan and search these sites. At least we retain a degree of control over it. But "semantic recognition technology...automatically identifies"...like I said, too Big Brother for me.

Also, and maybe it is just me again, but all this stuff, all this interaction is just too much. Too much information, too much input, too much data coming at us from every side. 24 hour news, every aspect of the lives of today's 'celebrity' drilled into our brains, the need to be always online, in touch, part of the network, plugged in.

No, no Glue for me thank you. Ok, hey Bandit, help me put my soap box away, will ya?

...now Bandit...I always have time for a bit more Bandit! And here he is, finishing that ice cream from last week. I have two words for you Bandit...Grecian Formula!





17 comments:

  1. I signed up for Glue to try to win a Kindle (I'm such a whore) but the whole idea of it creeps me out, too.

    You have some good thoughts here!

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  2. I follow Glue because I think the trivia is fun, but I won't sign up for the tool and I never play to win.

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  3. I can see where you are coming from with this. I'm on Twitter,but I don't post updates such as what I'm doing because I don't see why anyone would care. LOL I pretty much use it to announce my book giveaways :)

    With Glue, I don't see me signing up for that.

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  4. wait Amy...you said a Kindle!! the Evil Demon Device itself?...for that I might consider it...lol

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  5. I actually did win a Kindle from Glue, so you won't hear me say anything bad about them! Bandit looks like he's in heaven eating that ice cream cone.

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  6. Lenore, they are just trying to tempt you in, so they can suck out your brain.

    Yvonne, I thing I have mentioned that I am not that thrilled with Twitter either. In a very limited way, it is fine, but there is something very seductive about these sites to many, is a very much overdone way.

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  7. Kindle....did someone say Evil Demon Device again? lol

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  8. Couldn't have said it better myself. Actually, I did say something similar myself. There's no way I could get involved with something like this - not even for a free demon device!

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  9. Caite,

    Bandit eats ice cream like I do on a hot day - as it drips out of the bottom of the cone!

    I wanted to thank you for sharing such a frank and open assessment of Glue. It's always valuable for us to hear how people perceive our product.

    There are a few things that I should clarify, maybe they will help you better understand our product.

    First, I see that you have Google Friend Connect and a Library Thing widget integrated into your sidebar. Glue works similarly to these services but with two major differences.

    First, Glue connects you to friends right on popular sites around the web. This means that the valuable information comes right into your context and you don't have to go out of your way to find it.

    Second, Glue makes connections across sites. Right now, LibraryThing will not link to Shelfari or GoodReads because they perceive them as competitors. This isn't beneficial or friendly to users of the service! Glue connects you to friends around the common book, regardless of the site you both use. So, if you review a book on LibraryThing Glue will connect you to friends who like the same book on Shelfari, GoodReads, Amazon, B&N, IndieBound, etc. We think that this is a big step forward for how we all want to interact with books on the web.

    I'll sign off now as the comment is getting long. Again, hearing any insight is appreciated so thank you for sharing your views on Glue!

    Best,

    Fraser

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  10. well Fraser, to each their own.

    But what you said sort of makes my point. I don't want that many interconnections. I do not want to be always tied in, plugged in, part of the Giant Whole. I understand technology now makes that a possible reality...which is exactly what I find so very creepy.

    But hey, I am sure Bandit would still share his cone with you!

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  11. What Fraser said.

    No, seriously, I love Glue. I even have a t-shirt to prove it.

    Glue doesn't show people what you bought, it shows what you looked at (unless you don't want it to), and you can add comments. So if I'm offered or recommended a book, I can go to LibraryThing or Amazon or wherever and see who else has looked at the book, who liked it, and (if they added a link) who's reviewed it and where. I know it's not for everyone (just like Twitter, which I love but which is a total time suck!) but I wish more people would give it a try.

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  12. Glue absolutely isn't for everyone. No one web site or service is. I just want to present the other side of the coin - it seems like many people here are forming opinions without even trying the product.

    Which is why I'm grateful for Ali's comment :)

    Glue has a few privacy settings so that users can control how tied in or plugged in they are.

    It's raining here so it's not ideal ice cream weather, but hopefully it clears up tomorrow!

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  13. I would try it, but first I would have to allow it to suck out my brain and install the implants.

    Kidding of course....I think.
    I am happy to have you...and Ali, present your point of view. So thank you for dropping by. Discussion is always a good thing.
    As I said, to each their own.

    But really, I must totally disagree about one thing!!
    Everyday, rain or shine, is an ice cream worthy day.

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  14. I'm with you wee Caite and I'm surprised you didn't preface this with, " Glue? I don't need no stinkin' glue!" It's bad enough goodreads posts your last name. That really annoys me. Don't tweet and not getting glued. Big Brother is too much in our face as it is. Have a great week.

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  15. Goodreads posts your last name?? maybe what is why I never posted there. wow..that is a bit much.

    but, although they would disagree, I think get glue takes the cake, intrusive wise.

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  16. All I know is that people have won cool stuff from Glue. But I can barely keep up with blogging at this point ... hence the lateness in me reading your posts this week!

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  17. I agree...and the times issue...I really do not know where people find the time for all these sites.

    Of course not mine or yours Jenners! lol

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please speak up, I LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!!