[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.