[mpdehaan2]

It would be nice if Netflix made it easier to browse content rather than choosing what categories to display and show to you.

It can get stuck thinking your really like a genre, and the recommendation engine can penalize you too much for too many likes or dislikes.

Now that the website is a bit more focused towards streaming-on-computer it's somewhat harder to browse and prepare a queue.

It feels that some content is cheaper to stream and it wants to present that content first, and also that they don't really want you to be aware of the size of the catalog either.

Tempting to go back to DVD plan for a while, really, which I would do if the US Post Office was remotely reliable. If only there was a way to rent-stream BlueRay/DVD ISOs securely to a Netflix app, and have their whole catalog legally available and not bifurcated into streaming and non-streaming, that would be really cool.

[rogerbinns]

> It would be nice if Netflix made it easier to browse content ...

It would be even better if they fixed recommendations. If you do not use a web browser - ie use Roku, Chromecast, Android etc - then you cannot mark something as "not interested". So it keeps showing you the same thing over and over again, that you do not want to watch. Makes the service seem dumb and hostile. Don't get me started on them showing you stuff you already watched and don't need in the prime positions for recommendations - it is already watched.

Even more bizarre is how they predict how many stars you'll give something, which seems fairly good. And then go ahead and recommend items with few predicted stars.

I'm almost convinced that all their developers only use desktops and browsers, so they don't even realise what they do to those on other platforms.

[OJFord]

    > Even more bizarre is how they predict how many stars
    > you'll give something, which seems fairly good. And then
    > go ahead and recommend items with few predicted stars.

A thousand times this. It's nice to read a like mind when so often I rant about awful Netflix recommendations to deaf or Netflix-supporting ears!

My other main gripe is when the stars are wrong (though as you say, not often) which is obviously untrue from your 'Taste Preferences'.

For example, despite spending ages filling out all the details, including specifying 'Never' to watching animated films, I'm still recommended them - and sometimes with 3 or more stars too.

I'm not convinced that the preferences data is considered at all.

[neeleshs]

Absolutely. I keep getting amazed at how well designed their backend is (going by their OSS contribs and blogs at least), and their client app on the device absolutely sucks.

[sangnoir]

> Even more bizarre is how they predict how many stars you'll give something, which seems fairly good. And then go ahead and recommend items with few predicted stars

To play the devils' advocate

* It's good for the user because their algorithm is not perfect and you might actually enjoy the 'few predicted stars' movie

* It's good for the algorithm because it allows fine-tuning in the cases of false-negatives and adds more data points

* having only high predicted stars in your list will probably move your Overton window on what's good/bad.

[rogerbinns]

There is no need for a devil's advocate argument - having some diversity in recommendations is good for many reasons. But they they need to start by getting the base recommendations done well, and then mixing in the diversity. Sadly they fail dismally at the former.

[nitrogen]

I'm almost convinced that all their developers only use desktops and browsers, so they don't even realise what they do to those on other platforms.

Here I was thinking the opposite, because their web interface seems pretty lackluster too.

[mpdehaan2]

It's designed to make you watch something now and does make it harder to explore something, read reviews, and so on, or just add it to your queue than it used to.

Kind of a trend I detect with "let's overhaul what's not broken and try to streamline it and make it shiny" when it makes the overall experience somewhat worse.

Someone really wanted to push the "watch what we already have on the front page from your browser" thing, it seems.

[rblatz]

I have found the USPS to be extremely reliable. What issue have you had, and have you reported thos issues to your local post office?

[ergothus]

Reliability varies with branch. I've been generally quite content with the USPS, but my current home has:

* mail regularly misdelivered (1-2 piece of mail/month, including small packages that fit in the mailbox). Who knows what mail I've missed that went to someone else's house. * They won't deliver larger packages to my house (busy street), BUT the office remains ignorant of this despite regular visits and I usually have to get bumped up to a manager before they "find" my package after insisting it is on the truck. * ...But they do deliver packages on Sunday (When Amazon is paying them to) * Package slips aren't always given. Followup slips DEFINITELY don't happen.

After being happy with the USPS most of my life, I now have all my amazon packages delivered to a locker because it's easier to always have a small amount of inconvenience than have general convenience (UPS and FedEx to the house direct) mixed with extreme inconvenience (USPS making me wait longer to get the package, at hours that don't work well with a 9-5 work schedule)

[readme]

There's one main mail carrier who delivers your stuff and he's slacking. He'll continue to get away with this if you don't complain.

UPS and FedEx are no better. I guarantee if you had a problem with one of those services, you'd complain. I've had a FedEx guy park across the street from my house three times, only to not deliver my laptop (I think he was just letting his truck get a GPS fix on him being there) and I only finally got it when I chased the truck and then his eyes were totally bloodshot. Guy didn't even get out of his damn truck.

[mpdehaan2]

In my particular case, the postmaster is part of the problem, and doesn't really care too much about anything but the policy, even when it means mail is being refused delivery. The oversight office complains that this branch doesn't pick up the phones - and places where they are asked to contact you about a problem, they do not. So yeah, depends totally on the branch, but they seem to know they have immunity.

I have very good luck with UPS. And again, I think that depends on the driver/route/branch/etc.

I used to use DVD service a lot at my old address and it was great, I wouldn't attempt it right now.

[Finnucane]

Indeed--we use the dvd service routinely (most of their movies aren't available for streaming), and it is almost always two-day turnaround on disks. (One day in each direction)

[great_kraken]

Personally, my regular mail carrier is fine, but there's a different system for parcels (this is in Brooklyn, NY) where it's always someone different. The majority of the time, they don't even get off the truck and try to deliver the item, they either just leave a 'notice left' sheet, or none at all, and mark the item as 'unable to deliver, notice left' or 'undeliverable as addressed.' Or they mark it delivered, and don't deliver it.

Then, when you schedule a redelivery, they just don't redeliver it. If you call the post office, which I have to do at a secondary line I discovered (apparently for carriers), since their main line seems to be left off the hook or turned off, they will report that they have it there, and you can pick it up if you want.

[lazzlazzlazz]

The US Post Office is utterly, profoundly reliable.

[qrendel]

Usually true, but where I currently live my neighbor has to bring me my mail about once a week - the post office apparently just decides to put several people's mail in his box, rather than walk around the building to the separate apartment mailboxes.

I also end up with my weekly Science subscription usually arriving in pairs every two weeks. I'm not sure who is to blame for that one.

[sixothree]

They do take complaints seriously. So complain.

[themartorana]

When that "last mile" is a single person on foot, YMMV. In general I agree with you, but not everyone's happy with their job.

[mpdehaan2]

You are saying your branch is reliable, and I'd agree, most are. There are some bad ones out there where they prefer to hide behind the system and dodge complaints, no matter how nicely brought. Basically Newman from Seinfeld is an accurate descriptor.