Marjolein Katsma's dashboard

Marjolein Katsma replied on November 16, 2009 21:13 to the question "What are the software recommendations intended to do?" in Wakoopa:

Kilian, thanks for the reply.

It's interesting to hear how it works, but with all respect, explaining an algorithm doesn't explain the underlying assumptions or what - as I asked - it is intended to do.

Let's have a look at my recommendations in the last batch:

1. Google SketchUp A 3D graphics tool - relevance: 61%


2. Chromium A browser - relevance: 59%


3. Monopoly City Streets A strategy game - relevance: 58%


4. Instructables A social network tool - relevance: 57%


5. Userscripts.org A development manager - relevance: 57%

So what does that mean for me?

1. Google SketchUp is a powerful yet easy-to-learn 3D software tool (...) that streamlines and simplifies 3D design.
   
   I do not do, or need anything 3D; I even actively avoid 3D graphics boards because they are too expensive for what I do do: a good 2D graphics card costs a fraction. Conclusion: I'm not even tempted to look at it; relevance 0%.


2. OK, once of the things I do is web design, so I'll need Chromium at some point. But I hear it's very poor on Linux and thjat's my main development platform ... I'm dragging my feet. But a relevance of around 50% would actually be right.


3. This one is simple: I don't game, period. Relevance 0% - it can't be anything else.


4. (...) the Biggest How To and DIY community (...)
   
   Well, admittedly I do a lot of social networking. But if I need any DIY information a social site would be the last place to look, and it's not something I'd spend any time on anyway (I'd be very a-social on such a site). I'd find the necessary information elsewhere, precisely because I do not have, or want, a social network for that type of information. Nice try though, so I'd give it a relevance of maybe 20-30%.


5. Apart from the fact that I have no idea what "a development manager" means (does it somehow manage my development? I do develop software but I don't think it is capable of managing that.
   
   Userscripts.org has thousands of scripts, lightweight Web Browser applications, created by a community of thousands of developers, that enrich your experienc[e]...
   
   My "experience" online is quite "rich" enough, annoyingly so, in fact. To help me with that, a programmable proxy could be helpful ... oh wait, I'm already using The Proxomitron, and could not find an equivalent for Linux. ;) Relevance? Well, I do browse a LOT, so I'll give it better than 0 - let's say 20%.

So what do we have? I do need Chromium but I already knew that - I'm waiting for it to get usable on Linux: while it's "right", it doesn't help me at all. And the other four don't even tempt me to look.

In fact, for Google Sketchup or Monopoly City Streets I do not even recognize how the algorithm you described comes into play: I don't do 3D anything, I don't game, ever.

So it's lists liek these that prompted my question: what are these recommendations intended to do? Put differently: What are the assumptions behind the algorithm?

Stitch33 says the recommendations are relevant to him/her, so you must be doing something right. Maybe it needs fine tuning?

Here's an idea: if someone doesn't click through on a suggestion, lower the relevance teh next time the algorithm comes up with it; vice versa: if someone does click through, increase the relevance next time. If someone actualy tries a recommendation, "reward" the algorithm. In other words: let it learn.

Marjolein Katsma replied on October 28, 2009 15:51 to the idea "identi.ca support please" in Yoono:

OK, in a row, to hopefully take away all confusion:

1. StatusNet, Inc. is a company - see http://status.net/2009/10/27/statusne...


2. they create the microblogging software called StatusNet


3. they provide a service called identi.ca running the StatusNet software - see http://status.net/wiki/Main_Page


4. they provide a service called status.net providing hosting for StatusNet instances (see PR above)


5. StatusNet software (formerly called Laconica) implements the OMB protocol - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenMicr... - which makes all StatusNet instances federated: members of one site can siubscribe to members of another; some other services/software also implement OMB, so members of such a site can subscribe to members of identi.ca, for instance (and vice versa)


6. the API of the StatusNet software is compatible with the Twitter API: this means that any tool that implements the Twitter API can easily be adapted to implement the StatusNet API as well, and thus support a host of other sites, including identi.ca; this is what is referred to with the request from the OP: just replace "identi.ca/laconica support" with "identi.ca/StatusNet support" (because of the name change of the software)

As to the long list of to-do's: there is such a thing as a quick win: with very little effort you can support a host of other sites: see http://status.net/wiki/ListOfServers

I hope this helps...

Marjolein Katsma asked a question in Wakoopa on October 20, 2009 16:51:

What are the software recommendations intended to do?

I continue to be confused by your "software recommendations"; never mind that the "relevance" hovers around 50% (what does that actually mean?) I have rarely if ever seen anything on the list that is *actually* relevant to me.

Also, there's just one "block" in the newsletter, but on the website I'm forced to choose between Windows, OS X or Linux - why not "all"?

Can you explain what it is you are actually trying to do with these "recommendations"? I'm getting the impression it may be based on similarity within a software category. Wouldn't difference have a better chance of being relevant? Chances are one has already looked at "similar" applications, and picked the one being used for a reason; an application that does things *differently* might provide a fresh look.

Marjolein Katsma replied on June 29, 2009 17:40 to the idea "identi.ca support please" in Yoono:

I might be interested once it supports laconica-based sites (such as identi.ca) - please let me know when you support that.


You know, of course, that laconica software has a Twitter-compatible API? Snc eyou already support Twitter, supporting Laconica sites is a doddle.

This reply was created from a merged topic originally titled
Let me know when you support Laconica-based sites!.

Marjolein Katsma posted a topic that has since been removed from Yoono. see the change log

Marjolein Katsma reported a problem in Harvard Business Publishing on June 22, 2009 09:40:

"Help us help you" doesn't help!

Popups are annoying. That's why popup blockers are available for most browsers.

"Popups" that are designed to evade popup blockers are even more annoying. Why do you insist on annoying us?

If you really want to know what your readership is interested in, don't annoy the them -- instead, put the same information form right on the page so it can be used or ignored at will and doesn't require an extra mouseclick to get rid of.

Marjolein Katsma marked one of Kilian Valkhof's replies in Wakoopa as useful. Kilian Valkhof replied to the problem "Search should let me page through results".

Marjolein Katsma replied on May 06, 2009 09:10 to the problem "Search should let me page through results" in Wakoopa:

Kilian, that's brilliant!

Not only can I now see all results, but they are more relevant, because the hits I saw in the original first page with the search string only a substring of the username are now no longer there.

This is really useful now!

Marjolein Katsma replied on May 05, 2009 09:40 to the problem "Search should let me page through results" in Wakoopa:

Kilian,

That's great news - you're making me happy again!

Marjolein Katsma reported a problem in Wakoopa on May 03, 2009 10:12:

Search should let me page through results

Now this is *really* annoying! I wanted to find people in Iran (which I'll be visiting soon), so I gave "Iran" as a search term in Search.

The result includes "Users (92)", so I click users, and get the first page; then I want to page through the results to see more of those users (the first page didn't have anyone in Iran, and I want to see all!)

As soon as I click "Next" I get a page which says: "Oh hi! Why don't you use our search?"

That's what I DID, dammit! Now let me SEE the results!!

Marjolein Katsma replied on November 25, 2008 18:09 to the problem "Wakoopa tracker seems to stop tracking" in Wakoopa:

Wouter,

It just happened again - and this time no long period of idleness, so that idea was probably just a red herring... Wakoopa tracker had been running just fine for a long time until this afternoon I discovered a discrepancy again between what the tray app told me and what I saw on the site:

This was what my tray app said:

At the same time I saw this on the website:

When I quit the tracker and restarted it, it immediately told me this:

The actual events reported here should give you a clue about timing.

What about this debug version you suggested? Let me know if you want me to test with that!

A comment on the problem "Wakoopa tracker seems to stop tracking" in Wakoopa:

Yes, the tracker on the Windows machine was running all the time. (And before and while using the Mac I was also posting dents to identi.ca on the Windows machine, using Psi.) I had another "episode" yesterday (without any precise time data), where after I got really suspicious it had stopped again I unloaded and restarted the tracker - and suddenly had 15 or so alerts: no way someone can write 5+ reviews during the time it takes me to unload and restart the tracker!

I have a sneaky suspicion now it's something to do with a period of "inactivity" on the machine - generally it's running continuously until I must reboot: often for 10 days on end, on average about 4 days. Maybe the tracker thinks I've "gone away" or something? (I do sleep sometimes, even when my software is working. ;))

I'm fine with running a debug version of the tracker - especially now someone else is reporting this as well. You have my email addy: just let me know what to do! – Marjolein Katsma, on November 15, 2008 21:10

Marjolein Katsma replied on November 12, 2008 19:29 to the problem "Wakoopa tracker seems to stop tracking" in Wakoopa:

Related? Now it seems Wakoopa has also "half forgotten" that I use a tracker at all - see screenshot.

Or... it is to do with the fact that just before going to my Dashboard I had visited the profile of a new user who doesn't have a tracker yet (because he uses Linux!).

Whichever - Wakoopa is a bit confused:

A comment on the problem "Wakoopa tracker seems to stop tracking" in Wakoopa:

Update: tracker on PC stopped and restarted - now it reports 12 new alerts! – Marjolein Katsma, on November 12, 2008 18:43

Marjolein Katsma replied on November 12, 2008 18:39 to the problem "Wakoopa tracker seems to stop tracking" in Wakoopa:

Well, it happened again - and thanks it identi.ca (!) I have more accurate events & times, too:

- this morning 12-Nov-08 10:02:39 UTC I installed the wakoopa tracker on my MacBook
- it "detected itself" almost immediately, I saw it as "newcomer" on the website
- I used various software on the MacBook, and ended up writing an iMovie review - dented at 12-Nov-08 10:52:04 UTC
- I then closed my MacBook and continued working on my PC
- on the PC I installed (12-Nov-08 11:16:22 UTC) and started using nLite for the first time, and continued using that throughout most of the afternoon

BUT: Wakoopa tracker on the PC did NOT notice my use of nLite at all (though possibly it stopped tracking before that?); last alert there is "Erik van Luxzenburg wrote a review on IntenseDebate" ... but by now the website tells me there are 10 *new* alerts.

It may have nothing to do with starting to use the Mac tracker (my PC was on all the time), of course...

You can see my dents about what I was doing today at http://identi.ca/marjoleink (actually, that in itself should be enough since I'm using it now to write this. :))

Hope this is detailed enough for you!

A comment on the problem "Wakoopa tracker seems to stop tracking" in Wakoopa:

OK, I'll keep an eye on it! – Marjolein Katsma, on November 05, 2008 21:42

A comment on the problem "Wakoopa tracker seems to stop tracking" in Wakoopa:

Wouter: Today; I stopped and restarted a little while before reporting here. I'll try to keep an eye on it for a while - pretty sure it's happened before. – Marjolein Katsma, on November 05, 2008 17:38

Marjolein Katsma reported a problem in Wakoopa on November 05, 2008 16:26:

Some software never detected

I have a bunch of software that almost exclusively live in the background, are started with Windows on every boot, and are never detected by the Wakoopa tracker. Three of these simply require no interaction to be useful, another is a little toolset that sits on my desktop as a widget, but that I may not have used while the tracker was active.

• Horas (a worldclock: to use it all I have to do is look)
• AboutTime (a time client and server)
• MemTurbo (memory manager, kicks in automatically)
• IDM Toolbox 4 (a few little tools that are handy for web design - mostly it just sits there waiting for me but when I need it I really need it)

Of course I could deliberately interact with each of these, but that's not the point (and not representative). Apart from the toolbox which simply sits waiting for me to need it these apps are actually used normally, and very useful, and I think Wakoopa should detect them - but how?

Marjolein Katsma reported a problem in Wakoopa on November 05, 2008 16:14:

Wakoopa tracker seems to stop tracking

... or at least it seems to stop connecting to the server.

When my suspicion this was happening got very strong (I just could not believe the software I used wasn't noted, and that there were no new alerts), I just stopped, and immediately restarted it. Immediately, a bunch of new alerts appeared, and a little while later a new app was reported.

Of course, if this has been happening longer (when I wasn't paying attention) it would at least partly explain missing application usage reports.

No idea why it's "stopping" though - certainly not my internet connection going away. Any suggestions what to look for so I can report the problem better would be appreciated.

Marjolein Katsma started following the idea "Sticky your review for each software" in Wakoopa.