I am an avid GoodReads user. and while I would prefer they linked to my library account (wishful thinking? maybe not anymore) I'm not disappointed that they've been acquired by Amazon. Amazon is not the kind of company to buy another to dismantle it and retain only the pieces they think they can use to make a quick buck (cough Romney cough). But that they will help me find books I was to read and tell me if they are available at my local library has really impressed on me that they will earn my dollars in honorable ways not sleazy. So while this might turn out bad I'm going to be optimistic about it. and I'm certainly not getting rid of my GoodReads account!
Good Reads will almost certainly stay as they are but with a default Buy From Kindle or Buy From Amazon option. I'm OK with that, since it's fantastic at pushing suggestions and I already buy the bulk of my reading through Amazon, Kindle or otherwise.
At first I was worried, but looking back at how little Amazon has changed operations at Zappos since they took over, I actually do believe them when they say that they'll maintain the independence and culture at GoodReads as a separate entity. Like @5 said, this probably just means a more prominent "buy from amazon" button for each book, which doesn't bother me much. If they turn it into some kind of Amazon social network, though, I will flee.
Amazon pretty quickly crippled Stanza when they bought that iOS ereader. But that could be seen as directly competing with the Kindle app.
Shelfari didn't seem very mature as a service when Amazon bought them. Plus, LibraryThing (the better, but less shiny of all these services) had more devotees back then so I don't think many geeks cried at the time. Goodreads seems to have more geek buy in this time around, so we'll see.. hopefully the committed community keeps it going unmolested.
Sell outs! Everything good and authentic in this country inevitably gets bought out by THE MAN. Because the universal religion in this country is the almighty dollar, always has been, and it's the soulless douches of this country who are the ones in control. Nothing and no one gets spared. Fucking bullshit.
What I liked about Goodreads is that I could enjoy talking to people about books without really thinking about buying and selling. It was just a booky place to hang out. Now anything that gets written there becomes one more bit of data for Amazon to use to sell you something. I have deleted my account (after exporting my content). I don't care to give Amazon anything.
Perhaps I've been co opted by the man, but I'm happy about this. I would like to be able to automatically add a book to Goodreads when I check it out of the library or buy it, both of which happens through Amazon for me, since 99% of the books I read are ebooks now.
Amazon is not the kind of company to buy another to dismantle it and retain only the pieces they think they can use to make a quick buck
Yeah, tell that to anyone who was using Stanza. If you think Jeff Bezos is even 1% better a human being than Mitt Romney, then you've never talked to anyone who's worked for or with Amazon.
Don't know if that means Amazon wants to get more unbiased reviews...or they want to take down goodreads and pollute it.
Shelfari didn't seem very mature as a service when Amazon bought them. Plus, LibraryThing (the better, but less shiny of all these services) had more devotees back then so I don't think many geeks cried at the time. Goodreads seems to have more geek buy in this time around, so we'll see.. hopefully the committed community keeps it going unmolested.
LibraryThing page to import it: http://www.librarything.com/import.
Yeah, tell that to anyone who was using Stanza. If you think Jeff Bezos is even 1% better a human being than Mitt Romney, then you've never talked to anyone who's worked for or with Amazon.