WARNING: This is going to sound more like an op-ed piece than a scientific analysis
After a couple of weeks of playing with WikiLens I can't help but compare it to Netflix. Yes, it is very different from Netflix. It allows new categories to be made by any user. It is not confided to movies (though it does have a movie category which appears to have the most data). Users can add their own entries without permission. The engine does NOT wait to your input for it to give you a prediction value. And life is great at Wikilens. Wait a sec...It isn't as fun. I enjoyed filling in those little stars on Netflix. I enjoyed seeing the results that came back as a results of my previous entry. Somehow it doesn't feel the same way over at Wikilens. Maybe because the interface doesn't have nice little pictures of the movie poster... No. Maybe because I know I'm not going to get a red envelope in the mail... Nope.
The reason is the manner in which WikiLens presents the next "item" for rating/prediction. It feels more like I'm taking a test and am ready to bubble in the next answer. Netflix's interface feels more like the end of a magic trick. The prediction is magically plucked from the inside of a hat like a rabbit (no 'Harvey' jokes please).
Earlier I mentioned that the prediction were given before I rated anything. Perhaps this is where the magic is lost. To me, the user, it doesn't feel like my tedious work of adding smiley faces is affecting the results. I know that it is deep down in my subconscious. It just doesn't recommend the feeling to me.
It still remains to be a wonderful tool. Now if I can just convince more cyclist in Charlotte to enter data for me.
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